Covid customer service, ugh

I don't know what to call this, but customer service is all but gone since Covid. We like to eat out at a restaurant once a week, good luck getting a server that knows the menu, knows a drink, knows how to clear plates, etc. I will usually ask what they recommend. Now I hear "I dunno, I am new" I reply "Well, what are your customers telling you is good?" "I dunno".

CVS, long lines at the counter, lot's of "I am sorry for your wait".

This one bugged me last night. I went to the Kroger meat counter, saw some nice looking fresh center cut salmon and asked the guy for some. His first response: "We have some in the isle already cut and wrapped". I said "No, I want center cut". He said it again and continued what he was doing. I had to ask a 3rd time, he groaned, grunted and finally did it. Then I asked for some of the seasoning we always get, they always sprinkle some on for us. Oh boy. After minutes of complaining trying to find it I told him to forget it.

I am hopeful this recession brings the good folks back.

mrsrobinson said:

I don't know what to call this, but customer service is all but gone since Covid. We like to eat out at a restaurant once a week, good luck getting a server that knows the menu, knows a drink, knows how to clear plates, etc. I will usually ask what they recommend. Now I hear "I dunno, I am new" I reply "Well, what are your customers telling you is good?" "I dunno".

CVS, long lines at the counter, lot's of "I am sorry for your wait".

This one bugged me last night. I went to the Kroger meat counter, saw some nice looking fresh center cut salmon and asked the guy for some. His first response: "We have some in the isle already cut and wrapped". I said "No, I want center cut". He said it again and continued what he was doing. I had to ask a 3rd time, he groaned, grunted and finally did it. Then I asked for some of the seasoning we always get, they always sprinkle some on for us. Oh boy. After minutes of complaining trying to find it I told him to forget it.

I am hopeful this recession brings the good folks back.

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Everyone is understaffed. I try to be nice and when the Admiral get's pissy I remind her not to be "Karen." But I agree, we need a nice deep recession to flush out the crap.

Right before the world went full COVID stupid in 2019 I had sold my old Chaparral 234 Striker to purchase a new made Glasspro Kona 19. They are nice open boats made by a local company that handle in Hawaii waters great. Well, first everyone got sent home and weren’t allowed to do their jobs because they weren’t “essential” then a year passed by and they finally could go back to work but all their experienced boat builders had found other jobs because they couldn’t afford to be without pay for that long and now had higher paying jobs where they were considered “essential” so they weren’t coming back either. The thing is all the companies that made the fiberglass chemicals were all backordered to the hilt and had hardly any experienced workers left and even the supply chains were all screwed up because we fired everyone who refused to take the experimental drug. Ultimately they told me they were never going to be able to fill my order because they had no idea if they could ever make another boat and now the outboards were near impossible to get for the same reasons. I ran into this same issue when I looked into Boston Whaler and a couple of other companies for a new boat that I could afford. I ended up instead with my 1996 Sea Ray 270 that I bought in January of this year but have run into all manner of mechanical problems since where I now need a haul out to get my outdrive replaced but they yard says they are too busy and the mechanic can’t get the parts I need for the outdrive due to backorders. Bad policy and idiocy are ruling the day because people were fear mongered about COVID. I’m actually going to loose 5 days pay from last week now because my employer still requires that I report any COVID contact I have and the doctor they retained as our infectious disease consultant ordered me to quarantine for five days even though I never became ill and tested negative twice. Work required me to use my own sick leave and since it was five days they want a doctors note but I never saw my PCP as I never got sick and my employers doctor who ordered me to stay home is refusing to provide the required note as well. Since I can’t get a doctors note finance won’t approve the sick leave and I’m going to be given days without pay instead. I’ll be happy once we can all move beyond this idiocy but I doubt it will happen until Biden and the other Dems pushing these moronic and ill conceived policies are out of office. For the love of God please vote responsibly in November. ANYBODY BUT DEM is the new motto.

Golfman25 said:

Everyone is understaffed. I try to be nice and when the Admiral get's pissy I remind her not to be "Karen." But I agree, we need a nice deep recession to flush out the crap.

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I stopped at a small restaurant, they were short staffed. One guy was seating customers, taking orders, serving, working the register, and clearing tables. He was literally almost running. The rest of the time he was in the kitchen, probably helping cook.

When I paid the tab I handed him a real nice tip and told him to go get some better shoes. The next time I stopped there a sign was on the door....CLOSED....can't get help. I don't know if that meant permanently or not.

What do you expect when the gubberment hands out our hard earned tax dollars to people to stay home? People got a taste of the ghetto life...many lazy assholes prefer to be poor but receive handouts rather than work for money.

The plan is right on schedule. I hope there's a friggin bubble burst, not just a recession.

Yikes you guys…… a recession will put us small businesses out of business…… so no need to hire then….. we all lose

pray/vote for November ….. at least that would be the right direction

Blueone said:

Yikes you guys…… a recession will put us small businesses out of business…… so no need to hire then….. we all lose

pray/vote for November ….. at least that would be the right direction

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Actually, the 2008-2009 depression helped us get our stuff together so to speak. We where fat and happy. Came out lean and mean. And taking Friday's off in the summer made it the best summer in a long time.

Golfman25 said:

Actually, the 2008-2009 depression helped us get our stuff together so to speak. We where fat and happy. Came out lean and mean. And taking Friday's off in the summer made it the best summer in a long time.

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Holy Phuck …. Say that to everyone who lost their homes…

couldn’t disagree with that post more

Blueone said:

Holy Phuck …. Say that to everyone who lost their homes…

couldn’t disagree with that post more

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You mean people who bot homes they couldn't afford? And then walked away, driving all of our home values down -- mine to the point that we just barely recovered with this last bubble. No sympathy here. I buy what I can afford and pay my debts.

Golfman25 said:

You mean people who bot homes they couldn't afford? And then walked away, driving all of our home values down -- mine to the point that we just barely recovered with this last bubble. No sympathy hear. I buy what I can afford and pay my debts.

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Exactly. Those loans were all subprime. Banks pressured by the Democrats to lend money to minorities and economically challenged.

People didn’t lose homes because of the bubble burst, they lost them because they couldn’t afford them to begin with.

Pfft.

Golfman25 said:

You mean people who bot homes they couldn't afford? And then walked away, driving all of our home values down -- mine to the point that we just barely recovered with this last bubble. No sympathy here. I buy what I can afford and pay my debts.

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You need to read up on what exactly happened…… start with Bill Clinton

I’ve noticed many places where the employees wouldn’t make it as a dog catcher. Especially in the service and hospitality industry. On one hand I’m grateful that there is staff and the person has a job, on the other I wonder if it’s worth having bad employees ruin your business because the service sucks. Some restaurants we used to frequent, will probably never go back. I’m not rude unless we’ve been sitting for an hour with nothing (that’s happened), and even then I’m still pretty even keeled. We just never go back. It’s unfortunate.

I’m sure the (insert industry) snapped up the good available employees and the others good ones make more sitting on ass collecting taxpayer provided checks.

Woody said:

I stopped at a small restaurant, they were short staffed. One guy was seating customers, taking orders, serving, working the register, and clearing tables. He was literally almost running. The rest of the time he was in the kitchen, probably helping cook.

When I paid the tab I handed him a real nice tip and told him to go get some better shoes. The next time I stopped there a sign was on the door....CLOSED....can't get help. I don't know if that meant permanently or not.

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Sounds like last Summer at our cabin in N. WI.
We walked in the local restaurant on a Saturday and they were closing at 7pm. I’m assuming because it was one server, one bartender and a cook. We came in at 6pm and the server said we could be seated but we might not get any food.

So I walked about a block to the Tiki Bar which had 3 people in it. I ask the bartender if he had frozen pizzas, which he did, and I texted the group and that’s where we had dinner.

I felt sorry for the server at the other place. It was real busy, he was the only one bussing and couldn’t handle anymore. Plus, closing at 7pm on a Saturday during your money making season must suck.

Blueone said:

You need to read up on what exactly happened…… start with Bill Clinton

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Yeah, I don't. They didn’t have a gun to their head.

Golfman25 said:

You mean people who bot homes they couldn't afford? And then walked away, driving all of our home values down -- mine to the point that we just barely recovered with this last bubble. No sympathy here. I buy what I can afford and pay my debts.

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Definitely people buying above what they could afford, but the banks weren't helping. Back then do you ever remember a house not appraising to support the sales price - isn't funny how every house appraised? We bought our lake house in 2006, the appraiser never went in the house, just did a drive by. Maybe it was because it was a lake property with a pretty well known value, but I was shocked how little it took to buy that house and get the loan.
The same thing is happening again, houses that have appreciated huge amounts in 2-3yrs. If the current bubble bursts we could have a lot of people in bad shape with their house, especially the ones that got big loan. The ones that paid cash, well that's their business.

As far as the whole COVID excuse for bad service - yeah there are definitely cases where supply is affected legitimitely, but there are plenty of people still using COVID as an excuse. Funny I have not heard of a single company that could not get invoices out or collect payments because of COVID, it only seemed to affect the delivery of service or goods. Just an observation!

Blueone said:

You need to read up on what exactly happened…… start with Bill Clinton

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I try to avoid the politics here...
Take a look at Clintons changes to the Community Reinvestment Act and how that changed the home ownership dynamic and how banks were effectively coerced into making loans to less than credit worthy borrowers.

Shaps said:

I try to avoid the politics here...
Take a look at Clintons changes to the Community Reinvestment Act and how that changed the home ownership dynamic and how banks were effectively coerced into making loans to less than credit worthy borrowers.

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This!

BillK2632 said:

Back then do you ever remember a house not appraising to support the sales price - isn't funny how every house appraised?

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This is not true, even then some homes did not appraise. Please do not blame the appraisers, (other than those committing fraud) they followed the federal regulations.

An appraisal is not done to value the house, it is part of a financial transaction. The appraisal is to verify that the loan amount is safe and that the borrower puts the money they claim into the transaction.

Even today, if the numbers are such that they are secure an appraisal can be waived. Example; house worth $750k in AVM, loan is for $300k, great credit score, no appraisal.

At the time (09) a friend's brother was losing his house to foreclosure. His reason? "The bank shouldn't have lent me money knowing my income"

spikedaddy99 said:

At the time (09) a friend's brother was losing his house to foreclosure. His reason? "The bank shouldn't have lent me money knowing my income"

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So no longer do we have personal responsibility. We're doomed.