ComEd's Death Warrant

What is wrong with this country?

I understand poor customer service is a way of life in the last couple of decades. Although, according to the Democrats, millions of Americans are out of work because all the customer service jobs have moved to India and Asia. However, when I call the cable, phone, gas or electric companies, I am usually subjected to a rep who either hates his/her job, or someone who has no clue as to what their company does.

As a former customer service trainer and manager, I am appalled by the lack of consideration and intelligence shown by many of the reps I have dealt with. It isn't rocket science. You answer the phone, with a script, and you help the customer. The goal is to not only to service the customer's needs, but to make the customer feel like he/she is important to the company.

Now this isn't a criticism to every CSR (Customer Service Representative). I have personally worked with some excellent reps during my years in the field. However more often than not, I have hung up the phone neither satisfied nor appreciated.

I know that the reps can only do so much, but many times, it appears as though they do not even try. I can not even count how many times I have rolled my eyes in amazement at the lack of motivation and knowledge I have come across over the years. It's appalling.

The fault of this poor service falls squarely on the companies that hire them. As a former trainer, I can tell you that poor training (or no training) causes undo stress on a company's reputation. When you fail to teach what issues the customers face, you end up losing the faith the customers have in the company. When this happens, you begin to feel like the company really doesn't give a damn.

But as much as I've been rendered numb by these companies, nothing could have prepared me for what I came across the other day.

In an unfortunate error, made by ComEd, of which they did apologize for, the power in my apartment was shut off on Monday at 11:30am. I immediately called them and asked what happened and was forwarded to the billing department. Apparently, the billing department is never wrong and they demanded a payment I had already made. They told me to go ahead and make the payment again, even though it was in their computer, to allow the service be turned on again faster. Then they would refund my account, if they found an error (even though it was staring them in the face). Being of very meager means, I have to count every dollar I have, and can't just pay something I don't owe, just to make them happy.

Well, I did. I'm not proud of it, but with four children and rotting food in the refrigerator, I figured I had little choice. I paid the bill (again) and called them back with the transaction number.

That's when they hit me with the first of two stunners.

I was informed that my service would be turned on by the end of business the following day. When I told the rep that it was unacceptable, considering the fact that the error was made by them, they informed me that they were not aware of there being an error, and that they would investigate. However, the earliest I would get my service on would be the next day, by 7:00pm.

It was then I received my second, and most surprising, stunner.

I told the rep, who was actually chewing gum, while talking to me, that I was disabled and have two little children in the house, the rep, whose name I unfortunately forgot, recommended I have a doctor fax them a letter stating that I need to have the electricity turned on immediately, for medical reasons.

This seemed somewhat fair, but it was the next question I asked that got me going. I asked the rep, what would happen if someone in my home was on a heart machine, or even life support? While I admit, the likelihood of someone being on this at home is rare, I know first hand the possibility of being on a heart machine.

The rep answered, "again, they would have to have a doctor fax in a letter." I asked how long it would take to get the power back on once they receive this letter. He responded, matter of factly, "we can't guarantee it, but perhaps by the end of the business day."

I then asked to speak to a supervisor, who of course, wouldn't take my call. When I finally got through to someone who claimed to be a supervisor (remember, I know how this game is played), I asked her if she was aware of what would happen if someone were on life support or on a heart machine. She told me that the person should make sure they were not in arrears.

I mentioned to her that this error was caused by ComEd and that it wasn't an issue of a past due payment (of which I have had many of over the years). Her response? "It is not our policy to have to accommodate for every person immediately. They would have to have the letter sent in and without it, there is nothing we can do. After all, how do we know this really is the case?"

When I composed myself and picked my jaw up from off the floor, it hit me. It's not that she didn't care, it's that the company doesn't care. Instead of taking someone's word for it - after all, are there really that many people who would use this as an excuse? - they would rather let the person die.

Then I realized something else. In this day and age, is it truly the company who is to blame? Or is our fault for all of those who have taken advantage of loopholes and lied their way to accommodation.

It's sad to think that the reason customer service reps don't care is because most everyone else doesn't either. Maybe the Republicans are right. Maybe Americans don't really want these jobs anyway.