Aliens ‘neurolyze’ attention spans? The “Men in Black” movies featured neuralyzers capable of erasing memories. I’m wondering if aliens got hold of the technology and have a launched a worldwide invasion to compromise memories and attention spans in everything from writing and editing to technology and communication. Along the way, inattention, uncaring, and sloppiness are […]
Proper role is support vs. supplant The more we rely on artificial intelligence (AI)-driven systems to make our lives more efficient and competent, the less efficient and competent our lives are becoming. This adversely impacts customer service and support in many sectors. In many cases, AI itself can be flawed—creating all sorts of havoc. In […]
We’re being assaulted by technology over-communication, poor due diligence, and sloppiness—much of it coming from inconsistent monitoring and attention to detail. This afflicts many tech sectors, including “CRM” apps, “customer service” chatbots, and IT/customer support staffs unable or unwilling to pay attention. A former telecom tech specialist lamented to me that many apps get rolled […]
Frontier Airlines just closed their phone customer support call center, in essence telling fliers to go elsewhere if they’re not prepared to do everything digitally. Evidently, Frontier Airlines decided not to take my advice about prioritizing live-person customer support. They just ended it, citing surveys supporting digital-only choices. What they clearly don’t understand or care […]
Based on the premise that all stakeholders are essentially “customers,” both Twitter and Meta are doing a poor job of customer service. Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are displaying some of the egregious behaviors of 19th-century robber barons, who ruled ruthlessly—often squashing customers and employees beneath their feet. A Britannica.com citation addresses the offenses: “robber […]
This is a follow-up to my People who need people post. As the previous post addressed the need for real, live people in the customer service mix versus all-digital, this one discusses the digital versus hard-copy issue. For those firmly committed to all-digital, all the time, good luck. You’re gonna need it. My recent technology […]
In the 1964 Broadway musical Funny Girl, star Barbra Streisand introduced the song “People.” In part, the lyrics went, “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” From live phone customer service support to grocery checkout, increasingly the default is to push everything to technology: email, chatbots, text, grocery scanners. When it […]
Lafayette, Colorado’s Bob L. Burger Recreation Center is the best community fitness facility I’ve visited in 45 years. And I’ve had some type of fitness membership—from private clubs to community rec centers and everything in between—during that entire time. The delightful customer service experience was even more impactful given the current trend toward stupid, inattentive, […]
As Mark Lusky Communications celebrates 40 years in business and the fourth anniversary of the happycurmudgeon.com Customer Service blog, we pause to honor the evolution of the international B Corp movement, and one of B Lab’s Global Stewards, thought leader Jared Meyers. He founded Legacy Vacation Resorts (B Corp); is a Co-Founder of Florida for […]
I’m so accustomed to citing Costco’s legendary customer service that it’s hard to fathom that other retailers are making their own contributions. Two grocery store experiences over the last couple weeks deserve high praise for service above and beyond. While vacationing in Florida, I went to Publix (largest employee-owned US company according to Forbes) in […]
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