You see and hear them everyday--signs and commercials heralding “Customer service is No.1,” “We treat you like family,” or “The customer is always right.” The other day I came across a particularly revealing motto: “We’re better than we used to be!” Whatever the slogan or motto is, people expect extraordinary customer service. If you’re like me, you also want to experience customer service beyond your expectations.

Some organizations have realized that to have an advantage over the competition, extraordinary customer service must become the norm. This means having an articulate, well-trained staff who is congenial and empowered to make customer service decisions without having to confer with management all the time. Unfortunately, some organizations have such stringent guidelines that there’s no flexibility for employees to respond independently to consumer complaints or problems. These rigid, impenetrable processes are the reason why customers react aggressively and never become loyal customers.

I recently experienced a situation in customer service that’s almost beyond belief. I call it the demise of customer service.

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