Sci Fi is Dead, Long Live Sci Fi!

Let's start off with something simple, shall we? Sci Fi is dead, long live Sci Fi.

Which has nothing at all to do with science fiction as a genre. Though you wouldn't suspect it from the title, this is really about customer service, and the idea that it is becoming - or has become, if you prefer - something of an endangered species in this country.

There used to be a saying that "The customer is always right." At least, way back when as I was still trying to figure out just what I wanted to do with my life and was managing a business, that was what I was taught. These days, however, it seems that little axiom has morphed into something like "The customer is an annoyance."

Now, I can see you asking yourself, "Is there a point to this?" There is, I assure you, and I may even get to it eventually. Or not. We'll see.

Until fairly recently, I was a regular poster on the SciFi Channel's forums, and had been for a couple of years. Just something to do in my spare time, right? But on Tuesday, the wonderful people in charge of that forum decided to change their log-in procedures, allegedly to add "new features." What no one expected, unfortunately, was that these "new features" was really a buzz phrase for axing as many members as possible.

Okay, that's probably not fair. I'm sure that wasn't their intent, but that was the result. As of now, there are dozens of members over there who can not access their accounts because of these "new features." Which brings us to the subject of customer service. The point being, there is none over there. The forum administrators have been alerted to this problem with logging in. There are threads listing all the people who can no longer access the boards. E-mails have been sent to the administrators asking for help in resolving the issue.

Nothing happens. The issue is not resolved, the forum continues its pogrom and more people are added to the list of the disenfranchised, and the forum administrators do not even bother to reply.

Okay, it's a silly internet bulletin board, so what? It really isn't that big of a deal, right? Except . . .

Either I'm just noticing it, or it's an attitude that has been steadily creeping it's way into our everyday lives. The other day, for example, I was in the grocery store, and a cashier looked at me and said, "If you were moving any slower, turtles would pass you by." Really. Okay, I'm not going to go into it, because it is something between me and my physician, but there was probably a reason why I was moving slowly. The point is, it's also none of that cashier's business, and that was a really stupid thing to say.

Ever been in a store and, when you don't need any help, they're all over you? But the second you do need assistance, it's like an alarm bell goes off and the sales people all scatter? There you go. Somewhere, there's got to be a line in the employee handbook that says, "We'll take your money in the expectation that no services will actually be rendered."

Look, I get it. People are annoying. After twenty years or so in the psychological field, trust me, I understand. But civility and common courtesy are the grease that allows society to function without us tearing each other's throats out all of the time. It would just seem to me that, if you are going to work in a business that requires contact with the great unwashed masses you might, I don't know, actually want to respond to them. Or at least think before you open your mouth to speak, if you even get that far in the process.

Unless, of course, your intent is to go out of your way to tick them off. By all means, then, go ahead and treat them like dirt. Doesn't seem like a very good business practice to me, but, hey, what do I know?

See? I told you there might be a point to all this. Or not. Your mileage may vary.