Wanderings – Simple things should not be this difficult

Readers can file this column under the category of curmudgeonly late 40-something-year-old complaints, but I’ve let this go too long without saying – when did customers no longer matter to businesses?

A little over a year ago, the independent insurance brokerage I dealt with was bought by a big national chain. The broker retired, and since he left – everything went downhill, customer-service-wise. My old broker, Rick, was the type you could pick up the phone, say what you needed to change, and it was done. I’ve dealt with the guy almost as long as I have had a driver’s licence. I don’t blame him for retiring. If a company came along with a bucket of cash saying “retire now,” I’d have my ticket booked for the Turks and Caicos faster than you can say Turks and Caicos.

Recently, some insurance changes were needed, a policy renewed; it became a mess. The new brokerage doesn’t deal with insurance company the policy was with – so they tried to move the policy to one of the brands they sell – without giving me a quote, asking my permission, or even answering any questions I had. Time to move brokerages.

I called three, two took down my name and said someone would call back – two weeks later, I am still waiting. The third emailed a questionnaire, which I responded to that day. I’m still waiting for that reply too. The fourth company I called had a live person answer the phone, we talked, I asked questions, and now all the insurance is going to them. It shouldn’t have taken me over a week and calling four companies to find one interested in my business.

Have you noticed customer service has degraded in the past five years? I don’t want to say it is because of the pandemic, as that is an easy cop-out. But it does coincide with it. Shutdowns and lockdowns resulted in shopping hours during that time being reduced. Five years later, most stores roll up the sidewalks at 8 p.m. still, not the previous 9 p.m. time. Where business hours have been reduced, some businesses can’t be bothered to even change the hours on the sign or the door. Don’t try to run out last minute to get a loaf of bread because you forgot, plan ahead. Nothing’s open.

Working on a home renovation project on the weekend? Plan ahead for your mistakes because some of the stores where you could get the repair items needed to repair your repairs, are open fewer hours. When you do get to go in, many of the employees don’t know what you’re talking about when you ask them specific product questions. “Google it” is the typical response.

Why is it now when you go into a hardware store to get a couple screws for a project, because you only need a couple screws, you have to buy a box of 100 screws? I guess if I have 50 more of these things to repair, I’ll have a lifetime of repair supplies – or a useless box of oddball screws.

Finding contractors is difficult too. We all hear about the lack of tradespeople in Ontario – carpenters, electricians, plumbers, or masons. Try finding someone to paint wood siding. Yes, I could do that, but me and ladders over four feet high have issues. As the job is not some mega project, it’s tough to find anyone willing to quote the job – if you can find anyone at all.

In a world with drive-thru windows that have machines which precisely measure the cream and sugar for your coffee order – why does my medium double-double with a blueberry muffin order become a small black decaf coffee with a raisin muffin?

I’m not asking for the sun, the moon, and all the stars in the sky. I just wanted an insurance quote, two specialty screws to fix a project at 4:30 p.m. on a Sunday, my siding painted, and a decent cup of coffee. Simple things shouldn’t be this difficult!