Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Two Tales of Customer Service

Customer service. In today's age, with today's economic climate (thanks, Bush!), it isn't an option--it's essential.

Two local stories for you regarding customer service in Imperial Beach.

The first:

The Blockbuster worker yesterday informed me that my account had a balance of $1.10, due to the fact that I returned a rented DVD eleven days late. Now I had been informed by Blockbuster that I could hold a movie for thirty days before being charged for it. But it was clear the woman ringing me up was not going to listen to any counterarguments. I ponied up the extra cash and left. Later I wrote the corporation and threatened them to credit it back or I was going to take my business elsewhere. Blockbuster--the corporation--is hurting, losing millions of dollars to Netflix and other competitors. I've written them before. They've been only moderately helpful.

Poor customer service at the desk of the local outlet at 16th and Palm; only moderate service from the corporation. And generally poor selection overall. It's only a matter of time before I do leave, regardless.

Customer service story number two:

This one involves a local franchise, Giant Pizza King. The one I go to is on 13th and IB Boulevard. The workers there greet me heartily every time I pop in (about twice a month). Some even remember my name and use it in their greeting. Their food is excellent and well priced. I never have to overwait. When I leave, they bid me farewell.

I always smile when I leave. A business cares about one of its patrons--actually cares!

It isn't a mistake, in my opinion, that said business is strictly local (as opposed to a corporate franchise like Blockbuster) and has a massive stake in keeping its loyal base satisfied. Contrast that with Blockbuster, who feels, apparently, that overcharging customers, or indifference--as is written on the face of their workers, or poor selection, is okay.

~~*~~

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Poway’s schools, faced with money squeeze, fined for voter mailing

$105 million bond required payback of nearly 10 times that amount
Next Article

Syrian treat maker Hakmi Sweets makes Dubai chocolate bars

Look for the counter shop inside a Mediterranean grill in El Cajon

Customer service. In today's age, with today's economic climate (thanks, Bush!), it isn't an option--it's essential.

Two local stories for you regarding customer service in Imperial Beach.

The first:

The Blockbuster worker yesterday informed me that my account had a balance of $1.10, due to the fact that I returned a rented DVD eleven days late. Now I had been informed by Blockbuster that I could hold a movie for thirty days before being charged for it. But it was clear the woman ringing me up was not going to listen to any counterarguments. I ponied up the extra cash and left. Later I wrote the corporation and threatened them to credit it back or I was going to take my business elsewhere. Blockbuster--the corporation--is hurting, losing millions of dollars to Netflix and other competitors. I've written them before. They've been only moderately helpful.

Poor customer service at the desk of the local outlet at 16th and Palm; only moderate service from the corporation. And generally poor selection overall. It's only a matter of time before I do leave, regardless.

Customer service story number two:

This one involves a local franchise, Giant Pizza King. The one I go to is on 13th and IB Boulevard. The workers there greet me heartily every time I pop in (about twice a month). Some even remember my name and use it in their greeting. Their food is excellent and well priced. I never have to overwait. When I leave, they bid me farewell.

I always smile when I leave. A business cares about one of its patrons--actually cares!

It isn't a mistake, in my opinion, that said business is strictly local (as opposed to a corporate franchise like Blockbuster) and has a massive stake in keeping its loyal base satisfied. Contrast that with Blockbuster, who feels, apparently, that overcharging customers, or indifference--as is written on the face of their workers, or poor selection, is okay.

~~*~~

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Head Explodes in #4 Clairemont Town Square

Next Article

Small, local businesses on notice

Do good or get what you want?
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader