I hate Customer Service. Ever since I dealt with a customer service person at Cingular Wireless in 2001, I've been very wary and suspicious of them. The scenario usually is:

1. Somebody screws up. It's rarely me. I call and explain the problem, expecting it to be resolved. I am usually calm and pleasant at this point (really). Because I am hopeful that this person will be able to resolve the problem for me. This is not often the case, but it has been sometimes. Like the time my house was sold at a sheriff's auction because my mortgage company didn't pay my property taxes.


2. The person on the other end of the phone, with that certain little tone in his/her voice, tells me that I need to do A., and then I need to do B., and then I need to call back in a week and talk to someone else who will think about maybe trying to help me.


3. I lose it. It doesn't matter what they've told me to do; once they get that little tone in their voice, I'm not going to settle for anything less than an immediate resolution to my problem. I scream. I demand a supervisor. The problem does not often get solved this way, but sometimes it does...usually if the policy is stupid and the supervisor has the authority to do things.

All I want is my problem solved. I don't want false apologies. I want the person I call to solve my problem, or to refer me to someone who can.

I submitted a rebate for a Canon printer in early January. The rebate period expires on February 25. I received a card today saying the receipt was dated after the end of the qualifying period for this promotion. The promotion hasn't ended yet! How could I have submitted after the end of the qualifying period when the qualifying period doesn't end until next Wednesday! They saw my point, but couldn't help me. They will forward the information to a manager and maybe, if I'm a good girl, and I call back in a week, they'll send me my check. Maybe.

I hate it when I lose my cool like that, because they are mere cogs in the machine. But (and this is why I hate customer service) businesses should put people on the phone that can solve the problem. Not somebody who can just tell me in a snotty voice what I need to do to resolve their screwups.