Customer Service
If you want to see the best and worst of customer service, just move to a new town. We have been here in Asheville, NC, for almost a month now, and the degrees of customer service and/or the lack thereof have been amazing.
The best surprise has been—believe it or not—the dump. Well, okay, dumps are not called dumps anymore, but rather landfills. Either way, they tend to be dirty, smelly, and not much fun. Asheville is different. You drive up to a window and tell this fellow what you want to dump. Landfill personnel are usually about as cheerful as a newly circumcised panther, but not this guy at Asheville. He greets you with a loud “How are you today,” and I swear he sounds like he really cares. The lady who checks with you on the way out is just as friendly. Let’s hear it for the landfill in Asheville.
The worst-case customer service has been provided by the Asheville Citizen-Times newspaper. It has been like a cruelty joke. I paid for a subscription on December 23. Today is January 3 and I haven’t gotten a single paper yet. During four telephone calls they have been as nice as Mother Teresa, but the next day cometh no paper. Today they promised to deliver a replacement paper. It didn’t get here. I’d cancel the subscription, but I want to see how it plays out.
Second-best customer service has been from the people at the North Carolina Arboretum. Gail, I, and two large dogs have hiked on their trails every day this year (that’s just three days, but it sounds good) and the personnel are wonderful.
Second worst case? The U.S. guvmint. Gail called a branch thereof and spent 45 minutes trying to change our address. Just listening was painful.
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Hi Mac–
Updated report. I STILL haven’t gotten a newspaper! It is almost getting to be fun playing this game. I am also getting plenty of material for my customer service presentations.
Thanks for writing.
Ralph Hood
Ralph Hood
Ralph: I am delighted to “find” you once again. Lots of water over the bridge and under the dam since we Howdied.
One SHOULD expect courteous and prompt service in the SOUTH. You should know.. How ever our culture has been somewhat decimated as a result of yankees moving down here.
One of the worst things I find is a clerk or sales person.. talking to their fellow workers without pause. I often say, “Oh, I beg your pardon, I didn’t understand that.” Or I didn’t get that.. then they say “I was talkin’ to her or him. Then I say “OH, I am sorry… I thought you were checking me out.” Is it not my turn ? ” You get the idea.. I don’t think many of them even understand they are reprimanded. Oh well, other times I don’t speak to them.. if they do not have time to speak to me I do not have time to speak to them.
Oh well. We are getting over the hill, Ralph ! !
Mac
David Bevill–
Thanks for writing (David and I used to jump out of airplanes together in college. I only did that for a short time. David may still be doing it.)
Actually, David, Asheville is beautiful, and has some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Even the newspaper is nice, they just won’t deliver the paper.
Ralph Hood
Dear GreatRalph:
Trust Your move was successful.
Obviously the City of Ashville has a wide spectrum for “best/worst” which should prove fair game for Your analytical mind.
Put the bulldog crunch on them and then wish’em a “Good Day” while they are still reeling.
The finest to You and Your Family,
Dave