The home Karl & I live in is managed by Century 21 here in Sumter, when we need anything related to the house, we call them. Let me tell ya, this is the most unprofessional and frustrating company to deal with. I know, I have ridiculously high expectations when it comes to, well, every single person in this world and their job. Here's what I'm saying: you choose your job, you are trained for your job. Do your job and do it well. Raise your children to be polite, professional people who follow social norms and do socially acceptable things while saying and performing in an outstanding manner in society. That's all I'm asking for. In what lifetime did it become acceptable to act otherwise? To talk about your personal life to customers and clients, to not be punctual, to not work extra super crazy hard to make every customer extremely happy? I'm sorry, is my being here an inconvenience to you? Oh, you don't know how to place a special order? Well then allow me to take my business elsewhere, to somewhere that does know how to place a special order because when you want to make a $400 sale you will learn how to place a special order. Yes, I'm talking to YOU Crate & Barrel 4 stores that I had to call before I found the 1 that could help me. I digress. Back to what started this plea for a revolution in customer service... this Century 21 branch that I speak of is ridiculous. They send repairmen and maintenance people to our home without calling first- can I interject my own monologue here to add that I have asked these people AT LEAST 5 times to CALL BEFORE THEY COME!! Ever heard of scheduling an appointment? Huh? No? Foreign concept to ya? Can I get an amen from my old 'mates? I feel like I'm in some sort of Groundhog Day experiment or show. Never have I ever lived in a day where renters were treated with an ounce of common courtesy. Chew on this Century 21 and landlords I'm paying your mortgage AND giving you a hearty little bolus on top of that every month. Respect that. So, today a man called and said that he would be at my home in less than 5 minutes to repair the electrical problems that are going on in our house and the following transpired...
"Hello, my name is Hank and Crap 21 sent me to repair the electrical problems and I'll be there in 4 minutes"
in my head I'm thinking, well, you say you're Hank and that Crap 21 sent you but for all I know, you're a rapist and thief who didn't call ahead and schedule an appointment... and I'm busy [not]
"Well, Hank, I see nobody bothered to call and make an appointment to come fix the electrical problems, this 4 minute warning certainly does not count and I find that unacceptable. If you would like to schedule something for a later time and date that would be fine but 4 minutes from now is totally ridiculous to anyone, especially me. Please enlighten me, what exactly was your plan had you shown up to find no answer when you knocked on the door because that is a likely scenario considering your scare tactic?
Hank didn't have much to say.
After giving similar... lessons to various stores, companies, professors, and offices over the years I have found that I do often get the result I'm looking for. I've also found that I'm asked to leave and never return. I always, always try very hard to maintain respect toward the person I'm talking to but obviously, despite my polite tone and respectful attitude, my message is not always well received. I've found that offices on Karl's Air Force base particularly don't like these messages...
Now don't cross me or I'll educate you
Hannah K.C. Burton
I'm late but this is hilarious. Anytime I need someone to come out it's like "Thursday between 9am and 8pm." Like really?
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