The Wonders Of Appreciation

Businesses Don't Want To Please You

Today there are so many things going on in the world.  It seems as though most of the issues the world has individuals have no control over.  Or so they think.  Gone are the days of businesses really wanting to please the customer.  Many will remember when businesses clambered to take care of you for fear that you would go done the street to another business and they would loose you as a customer.  Why are those days long gone?  Is it possible those days will never return?

In the past twenty years we've gone from a society that truly wants to help one another to a society that is more focused on 'self'.  There are individuals in the world that still hold 'service to others' high in their ideals but as for the businesses of today 'service to others' is a foreign concept.  Why are we not as service oriented as we once were?

There are many possibilities.  Maybe because our country has had to fight several wars in the past 20 years and the country is still questioning whether they were truly necessary.  With wars come fear and with fear comes distrust and not wanting to associate with people for fear they may be the next terrorist.  Maybe it is that businesses have come to the conclusion that without them the human race could not survive. 

Do Businesses Help In The Midst Of A Disaster?

This country has had several disasters in the last twenty years the most recent being Katrina.  During the storm every single business was closed down.  There was no running water, no electricity, no cell phone service, no gas, nothing and yet the individuals living in the area survived the most modern day horrific atrocities any human has had to yet go through in this day and age.  They did this all without businesses and in some cases in spite of businesses such as the United States Government.  I believe that our business sector is taking the lead of the US government.  What do I mean by this?

By The People And For The People

The government was created by the people and for the people and yet our government has sorely missed the point of this ideal.  A few head strong individuals have taken it upon themselves to make decisions without the people's blessing.  They have misunderstood that they work for the people.  The people do not work for them.  So businesses have taken on this mislead ideal to the extent that service for the most part is none existent.  In fact if you want service you must pay extra for that service as many of us have found with buying computers and software hot off the line.  This is another way of creating revenue for the business since they know at the start that their product is going to have inborn issues and people will need help to rectify the issues.

Uncaring Health Care

Another sector of business that doesn't care about service to its customers is the health care industry.  It is very hard to find a doctor that will spend any time with you.  And when he does he is there only 2 or 3 minutes at a time.  How does a doctor really know what is going on with a patient if he doesn't do a proper exam?  Most don't and this is why misdiagnosis is at epidemic proportions.  Further it is an every day occurrence that hundreds of people are loosing their lives because they are taking drugs they should have never taken.  This would have been alleviated by spending slightly more time with a patient and doing a proper examination. 

Shifting Back To Customer Service

So how can we get businesses to shift back to giving excellent customer service?  I encourage everyone to find businesses that give amazing customer service.  Any business including health care.  Once you find such a business make sure that you consistently use their services and continuously share how wonderful these businesses are with your friends and family.  This will encourage more people to switch to businesses that provide amazing customer service.  If everyone were to show appreciation for those individual businesses that take that extra step to please us more and more businesses will have to jump on the band wagon.  Eventually the customer will once again take control of the business world.

Don't be afraid of switching telephone carriers, airline carriers, electric companies, cell phone companies, grocery stores, doctors, car makers etc.  It will take you the customer to stand up for your right to be treated fairly and with dignity by demanding the service that you are paying for.  Businesses should be appreciating you for your business by giving you extras like free technical support for instance. 

Appreciate People

Appreciation can create amazing things in ones life.  Not only appreciate those businesses that really do deliver service and then some but recognize that your neighbor is going through the same issues as you are.  Appreciate that smile that she gives you while walking to your car, or the warm 'hello' as you see him in the grocery store.  We are so busy with gadgets and gizmos that are supposed to be making our lives less stressful and easier when in fact they are more complicated and stressful than ever before.  A simple smile or short conversation with a neighbor or someone you don't know can create calm in your chaotic life.  Remember appreciate human beings because if there were another Katrina or worse the businesses and the government won't be there.  The individuals in your community are those who are going to come to your aide and you are going to help others in their time of need.  Appreciate other humans that can really make a difference in your life right now and if there were to be a disaster.

Dr. Betts