Customer Service - Some people just don't get it

It has become obvious to me that some people understand customer service and some do not.  Especially when it comes to priorities and the telephone.

Some time ago I visited the Town Office in Stony Plain (Alberta, Canada) to set up an account for billing for water and sewer for our new home.  The lady who was helping me was borderline rude and spent 80% of her time on the telephone helping ANOTHER customer.  There were two people at the desk when I arrived; the other lady didn't appear to be helping anyone the entire time.

When I pointed out that she kept me waiting to help another customer (who had phoned after I arrived), her response was, "Yeah, so?" and mentioned something about multi-tasking.  What a load of crap.  She wasn't multi-tasking, she was expecting that I would wait while she helped another customer.

When I brought the matter to the attention of the Town Manager, the matter was passed off to someone else.  I was left with the feeling that the Stony Plain Town Office really isn't interested in helping customers.  I plan on living in Stony Plain for quite a while though at this point I want as little to do with the Town Office as possible.

Another less than happy experience, also related to customer service and the telephone, happened at a Staples store in Edmonton.  I had a single item.  When I am ready to pay, I go to the only open cash register which happened to be at the Customer Service counter.  As the clerk is ringing in my purchase the phone rings.  The young lady answers the phone and spends nearly five minutes helping ANOTHER customer, leaving me standing at the counter waiting for the debit machine.

What I SHOULD have done in both cases is dropped my stuff and walked out.  Let both the Town Office and Staples clerks deal with unfinished transactions.  I could have easily returned to Town Office the next business day or gone to a different Staples.

A night auditor at a Super 8 Hotel in Edmonton has the right idea.  One day while my wife and I are checking in, the phone rings.  She answers, "Good evening, this is Edith, can you hold please?"

The Super 8 clerk then received my payment and handed us our room keys.  Only when she was satisfied that we were taken care of did she go back to the telephone.

I  understand that the telephone at a place of business must be answered.  However it should never be put ahead of a live customer at the desk who was there first.  Conversely if I walk up to a clerk and she is on the phone, I do not expect her to drop the call and help me.

Going forward I am not likely to be doing business with the Town of Stony Plain unless I absolutely have to.  Staples has plenty of locations and my overall Staples experience is good.  I would definitely stay at Super 8 again.

New bill allows Police to snoop Internet connections

According to a CBC article titled "ISPs must help police snoop on Internet under new bill," the Government of Canada has proposed a new law that will allow police to spy on Internet connections without requiring a warrant. Internet service providers would not only have to provide police with information regarding subscribers but they would also have to upgrade equipment to accommodate certain levels of spying.

Justice Minister Rob Nicholson tells us, "We must ensure that law enforcement have the necessary tools to catch up to the bad guys and ultimately bring them to justice. Twenty-first century technology calls for twenty-first century tools."

Do you actually expect Canadians to believe that statement, Rob? I, for one, do not. With whom did you consult while working on this garbage? Certainly not anyone who knows anything about technology and the Internet.

Warrants are required to search private homes and are also required for telephone wire taps. Warrants should also be required for police to spy on Internet connections. Why should the electronic world be treated any differently than the physical world?

To mandate that Internet service providers install equipment that make connections easier to spy on is even more idiotic. To do this would achieve little more than increase costs to the average Internet subscriber. Any Internet fraudster or predator who has a basic understanding of the technology will easily defeat any spy-friendly equipment. It is only a matter of taking a laptop to an open wireless connection such as those often found at local coffee shops. Are we going to ensure that every coffee shop and hotel keep a log of everyone who uses their free wireless?

I have a more efficient and cheaper solution. Encourage parents to keep an eye on what any minor children are up to on the computer. It is as easy as having any computer that is on the Internet be located in a common area such as a living room and not in a child's bedroom. Given the kinds of things that can be found online, parents need to know what their kids are doing on the computer anyway.

Introduction

Recently I got the notion to start a blog to share my thoughts and ideas on whatever is going on in my life to whomever might be interested.

My world revolves mainly around my wife and the wellness industry. Other interests include model railroading, news and events in and around Edmonton, as well as computers and technology.

Infrequently I may post thoughts and ideas on things such as fighting photo radar, our health care system, and the insurance industry.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts and reading your feedback.