One thing is for sure - Covid has been a clarifier. There are businesses that truly care about customer service and employee wellbeing, and there are loads of them that don't. The pandemic is no longer a blanket excuse as there has been more than enough time to adjust on top of the recovery being predictable.
At this point, if you can't (or won't) properly staff your organization, you as a leader need to do some serious soul searching to determine why that is. Go raise capital. Invest in technology. Pay appropriate wages. Realign your business focus as needed.
I'm also in Western PA. I also deal with loads of vendors on a regular basis. I've had some tough conversations with folks on both sides of the coin. At the end of the day, it's pretty easy to tell where a business is, and I vote with my wallet accordingly in both what I buy and what I supply.
#1 outside of 4wp being a vendor I've nothing to do with them whatsoever. What was said above was in jest, nothing more, nothing less.
#2 I completely disagree with the pandemic being an excuse.
"There are businesses that truly care about customer service and employee wellbeing. The pandemic is no longer a blanket excuse as there has been more than enough time to adjust on top of the recovery being predictable."
That's a nice Hallmark stance on the topic but allow me to dissect.
First of all I'm not sticking up for any one particular CS nor bashing them but I'll elaborate.
Let's use Tenneco.
Under their umbrella they've got Monroe, Rancho, Moog, Walker
Thrush, Dynomax, Clevite and others. On any given day pre-covid let's say they had 10 people working the customer service line.
Let's say another 12 working tech support with some crossover. Two people working Monroe and Rancho (covering either) 3-4 people covering their exhaust lines (covering all 3) etc. Etc.
Pandemic hits. We can't have business as usual with this many reps. Not safe and or the state they call home won't allow it.
The phone calls are less though, right? No! Worse than ever. Why? Many people are off work and decide to work on their stuff.
They had 22 tech/CS agents
(hypothesized spit balling here) but now at any given time half.
Let's just say 11.
You triple the calls...many people with extra time even if no intent to purchase/or have purchased, will call and ask questions... because you know...next month they'll get to it. (Not really but they tell themselves that)
Some come up with some wild ideas and need tech support. Haven't bought a damn thing but you know...they will... someday.
They've got extra calls and less agents. Something is going to give. Now you've got people attempting to take overflow calls. Possibly an engineer/tech agent helping with CS. Most of those people have personalities of a stone but the phone is ringing. Needs a live body on the other end.
What's your answer to this? Just hire more people? Well they need something more than a person to say, please hold.
Training someone properly in these times is far from ideal. Aside from company policy of the pandemic again the state has it's say on it too.
Back to the CS.
You've also got people angry they can't get product. Why? (As example) The white paint supplier can't fill the order. Some Rancho's are now BO. Perhaps the bushing supplier can't full the order. Maybe the needke bearing supplier can't fill the order for u-joints. (The above are examples of the mess the pandemic has created.)
Angry calls come in. They just want someone's ear and let them have it. Those calls hurt employee morale to go along with already being irritated from the extra work load or crossing over fill in.
Just today my pepsi rep was in a shit mood. Great guy. Always happy and upbeat. Why? Can't fill some orders to some clients. Why? Can't get two certain syrups. Not pepsi's fault but their supplier can't fill the order. He's now dealing with pissed customers plus it hurts his income. I suppose he should keep taking the ball bat to the brow with an ear to ear smile because he's had 12 months to adjust.
In the last 60 days I've dealt with roughly 15 - 20 vendors.
From Bestop to Smittybilt and many in between.
Some have a great reputation for CS. Right now...it's definitely not automatic. Nothing is quick. No smiling faces guaranteed.
Matter of fact if I get someone in a good mood and quick turn around time it's like winning the lottery.
Just my POV and experience over the last 10-12 months.