It's all about service

At the beginning of AVV tenure the government ran out of money and could not pay the hundred of thousands of government workers. The Government shut down for what was it a week a few days. During the debacle the sentiment on the street was one of complete apathy towards the workers. No one really cared and the reason was simple. The public at large sees government workers as overpaid, lazy, opportunistic, and callous towards our needs the taxpayers. This is not true of all the government workers, but the stereotype does fit the majority of them.
This dysfunctional attitude has permeated many a private industry. To the point where we are actually surprised when we receive good service. We go out of our why to promote this particular company, person, professional, whatever. I am part of this industry. There are times I could give a rats ass about a particular client, but when you least expect it that is the one person who will pass one a good word about your product.
Large corporations are particularly prone to this sort of callousness. A dear and very very close relative had such an experience with a health care provider. She as all of us is going through very difficult times and fell behind in her payment for medical insurance. Not once but...twice. The insurance company told her she now had to have her case reviewed by "the panel". Coverage denied. Coverage cost increased. But the real reason the insurance company took the action it did was due to the fact one of the insured has a pre existing condition. The delay in payment was the perfect excuse to get rid of the liability.
These are the same companies who came running to get a bail out. Citi, AIG, and all the other high priced zoot suits crooks who can't manage there companies but berate us when we fall behind in our payments. Does anyone care when these workers are out on the street. Doubt it. Like the Government workers in PR they too are over paid, if not lazy, they are greedy, callous and self righteous. Remember the Masters of the universe.
We will cheer those who bend over backwards to help us. Who go the extra mile to give us good service, that manager who will empower his employees to make a decision and help a client. Whether its about changing a cell phone, making a payment plan to keep coverage, changing the plate because the food was just not "as good as it usually is". It is about service and when we receive this service we spread the word, we recommend, we defend. The business, person, which understands this principle will survive these troubled times. The ones who don't will not or should not survive, they are not worthy of our money, time, or anything in between.