Author's note:
I daydreamed the idea for this story after navigating AT&T's voicemail system, waiting and waiting, and spending a long time with a representative who explained that they had no plans to do what they had promised they would. What would deter such behavior on the part of so-called customer service representatives?
This is entirely a work of fantasy, with no relationship to real-world events or constraints—except for the ongoing, continuing real-world deterioration in customer service.
I hope that you enjoy it.
Rodney Goodman walked into the car dealership, passing a sign which said, "Belchfire Motors. I guarantee your complete satisfaction. J. P. Bulgebottom, President." He went through another door into the parts department, going to the end of the line. When his turn came, he presented two pieces of paper to the woman behind the counter.
"Last week I placed this order for the part described, which I need so I can fix my car. It won't run without it. I was promised that it would arrive on Friday at the latest. But here it is Tuesday, and it hasn't arrived. Here is the latest tracking information." He pointed to the other piece of paper, which he had printed at home. "For some reason, it seems my part has gone to Houston and stayed there since Wednesday."
The woman did things at her computer. She said, "I'm truly sorry this has happened, sir. I will follow up and find out what is going on. We should be able to have your part to you by tomorrow, one way or another. If it is not, the part will be free, when it does arrive. We take full responsibility for your trouble. Please go to our Customer Service department to receive satisfaction, sir."
She tore a form off her printer and handed it to him, gesturing to a door marked "Customer Service." He went through the door to another counter. The very attractive young woman behind the counter took the form from him, looked at it, and scanned the bar code. "Mr. Goodman, sir, we are sorry that you are having this difficulty. May I provide you with satisfaction? Or is there some other member of our staff whom you would prefer?" She gestured to a large poster on the wall. It contained names and photographs of staff members, organized by department.
Goodman looked at the poster, and then said drily, "There seem to be some notable omissions."
"Sir, I assure you that all of our eligible staff members are shown. Since we have no employees under twenty-one, there is only one omission. Mr. Grindstone has worked here for less than two weeks, and so is not eligible to provide customer satisfaction."
"I'm referring first of all to the president of this company, whose signature is shown, under a guarantee of complete satisfaction, at every doorway into this building."
Miss Angela Serafina—that was the name beside her picture on the poster—gaped at the wall for a moment. "Sir, I see that you are correct. I will summon Mr. Bulgebottom at once, if you are sure he is the one you want to provide satisfaction, and if he is in the building at present."
"He should certainly be in the building. He entered just ahead of me, apparently returning from lunch," said Goodman. It had taken a little effort for him to make sure that this was so.
Miss Serafina looked at him, and then picked up her desk phone and spoke into it. Her words echoed throughout the building. "Mr. Bulgebottom, please come to Customer Service immediately. Mr. Bulgebottom to Customer Service, please."
She put down the handset and said, "Mr. Goodman, as you may know—Excuse me." She interrupted herself to answer her phone. "Customer Service, Miss Serafina." She listened for a moment. "Well, nevertheless, there is a customer here requesting him by name. And as you know, if he is not here within five minutes of my page, there will be hefty fines assessed for every additional minute." She hung up.
"Mr. Goodman, you may know that, since you requested a staff member who is not listed as he is supposed to be, this must be treated as another failure on our part. Would you care to specify a second employee, to provide satisfaction for that failure?"
"Yes, but it seems that there is another omission in your chart. I request Miss Braswell, Mr. Bulgebottom's executive secretary."
She looked at him with a horrified expression on her face. Plainly, in looking for J. P.'s listing, she had observed that Miss Braswell was also not listed. "I'm sorry, sir. I see that there has been a serious failure here. We will correct it as soon as possible. In the meantime, would you like Miss Braswell to be here immediately, or at a later time suitable to you? And would you care to specify another employee to provide satisfaction for that failure?"
"For your first question, yes, fetch her now as well. For your second, not yet. I will have to see whether I am still capable. But may I ask, how many satisfactions have you, yourself, provided already today?"