We wander around. We run errands. We make calls. We talk to people. People whose jobs are to help us; the consumer. I have never thought that customer service was a particularly difficult job. But perhaps it is comprised of more than it appears.
It takes intelligence, a desire to help, and most of all knowledge of the service the CSR (that’s jargon for Customer Service Representative) provides. Too often CSRs are lackadaisical, disinterested, and just plain unhelpful. Maybe it is because the position does not pay well. According to Glassdoor, the national average pay for a CSR is only $21,000 annually. That means hourly pay hovers somewhere around $10 which does not equate to a sustainable career.
Sure ten bucks an hour might be just fine for someone who is young and just starting out in the job market or someone who is not the major bread winner. Maybe that is why when you are in the checkout line the clerks are talking among themselves instead of giving you a proper greeting. Maybe that is why when you call customer service the CSR doesn’t really know their job. Maybe it is just that they stopped caring because the bulk of the callers are bitching about something…. Who knows?
Maybe it is the simple fact that we have all but totally stopped engaging with each other on a personal level. Whatever the case may be it is rare to find a CSR who is intelligent, conscientious, courteous, and helpful. Despite all this, I salute the fortitude of those who have chosen this path and do it well.
Ried Rants 