I go to Planet Fitness. Its fine as a place. But recently they sent me an email with a survey attached. So I filled it out. My one problem is that I pay for a membership level where I get to use the massage chairs and beds. However, the staff is rarely at the desk when I go there.

So I don’t use the services I pay for.

The local place sent me an email, saying that they were so sorry and they would talk to their staff. Then they asked to call them so we could “discuss this.”

I am sure that there is some marketing research that a human response leaves people satisfied. However, they are not really going to do anything, except read from script promising to do better.

So I don’t understand their request. You want me to use my time and call you? What’s in it for me?

Then a bigger office called me to see if the local place had followed up on my survey. I honestly asked her if she was calling me to find out how her business was doing? She said yes, so get cracking!”

Or something like that. As if I owed them the time.

Its not just PF. Bergstrom Auto once called me to ask how their salesman had done. None of your business! In fact the salesman was a jerk! When I told him my price limit he told me that you can’t get a good car for that and that the rest of the car lots just take vehicles that were Bergstom’s throw-offs. He really went out of his way to make me feel like I was stupid.

However, I got the sense that it was more the crap Bergstroms put their employees through. I did not really blame them, but the company he worked for.

The company that wanted to have a conversation with me where I ratted out their employee without any benefit to myself.

Perhaps I am a boisterous , cantankerous customer. But customer service (I feel) is not connected to any part of any other part of businesses nowadays. All they can say is “I do apologize for that.” Because that is there only job.