There are companies out there – especially mega online companies – with such terrible customer service that some have taken to calling it Customer-No-Service. Often it’s all good dealing with them until something happens and you need help. Instead you get baffling dead ends and time-consuming frustration.
Two examples: A friend told me he’d ordered a gift online. Though the company had his correct address, they kept sending texts saying the package could not be delivered as addressed. This company’s only “customer service” option was to “speak” with a particularly unhelpful chatbot. He kept trying off and on with the chatbot but pretty much got nowhere. Then – all of a sudden and out of the blue – the package arrived. What changed? Who knows?
When a colleague’s family member had an identity theft problem with their Facebook account, they discovered there is no way to speak to anyone at Facebook – not even for fraud situations. They could email and Facebook would email back. It took multiple emails over several months to resolve the issue.
You might say, “Well, don’t order online.” or “Don’t be on Facebook.” But people want to use modern conveniences and it shouldn’t be that hard to get questions answered and issues resolved.
So – as part of your overall Financial Fitness – what can you do to make it easier to deal with some companies’ baffling dead ends and the possibly time-consuming frustration of getting things straightened out?
First of all, take a moment to appreciate that doing business with companies – from huge to micro – in 2025 is infinitely more convenient than even just 10 years ago, let alone 50 years ago or in 1925.
Whenever possible, actively choose to do business online and offline with companies that have a reputation for good customer service – a phone number you can call, problem-solvers you can easily talk with. (Some huge companies have excellent customer service – Amazon and American Express, to name two. Plenty of local companies are well-known for their customer responsiveness.)
Avoid companies with bad reputations. Ask others about their experiences or do an online search to get a general idea of what to expect. If one company turns out to be a pain, look for ways to take your business elsewhere. Vote with your feet (or your keyboard).
When an unexpected and unavoidable annoyance pops up, decide (to the extent possible) to just not stress about it. Don’t discuss it with everyone – family, friends and strangers. Often they’ll tell you about the hassles they’re dealing with, which has a way of making everything seem even worse.
Expect variability. Many times things go so smoothly and so quickly that it’s easy to wish it could always be that way. Other times it’s exasperatingly difficult – sometimes with the same company.
When you find yourself in a situation that looks like it’s going to take a while to navigate or untangle, be persistent but don’t let it take over your life. Do what you can in one session and then let it go until the next step becomes clear. Stay calm and trust the process.
I recently read where an individual said they were “too lazy to take the time” to deal with things like poor customer service hassles. That can be an expensive self-indulgence, and a mistake. It’s worth staying in the habit of being appropriately vigilant – to be ready to act affirmatively in spite of frustrations – when you’re spending your money.
From the “Smart About Money” Canton Citizen/Financial Fitness column published on February 27, 2025.
Nick Maffeo is the President & CEO of Canton Co-operative Bank – right next to the Post Office – in Canton.
Have a question? Email to info@cantoncoopbank.com.