Every word I say over the damn phone gets rated 1-5 stars, and these customers have the power to escalate their problems to my managers. I get told off whenever they're not happy (even if it's due to something that the customers have done wrong, and completely outside of my control). I am there to cater to every whim of the customer. If they're a big giant enterprise business, they have the power to get me fired.
But when I need customer service myself… have you ever tried to talk to your internet service provider? Mobile phone provider? Furniture delivery company? Ever had to beg for a refund for something you ordered and never came?
Yes? Good.
So you know that as a private citizen and customer, we just don't matter.
I don't get the kind of the customer service I'm expected to give. I'm treated as rubble both as a service giver and a service getter.
Companies never answer my emails with more than a canned response, never issue a refund as promised, never book the delivery for this month, don't have an available technician till October 2027, and generally expect me to talk to robots on their webpage or offshore call centres, who read from a script, with no access or ability to fix shit.
I've been battling with my internet company and West Elm furniture delivery for a month now, both only send auto-reply emails if any at all.
In capitalism, I don't have enough money to matter. I'm just there to serve those who do. I'm at the bottom of the food chain. I'm expected to pay and pay and never complain. But when I'm on the serving end, weekdays 9-5, I can't do what's done to me.