What happened to customer service?

I walked into a local store at the beginning of the summer to get a cell phone. I was looking on the shelf and wasn't finding what I was looking for. Fortunately a nice (very) young man was on me in seconds, "Can I help you find something?"

"Yes, there is a phone on the website, fifty bucks."

He walks over to the counter where the other 5 very young employees are, there is a short exchange and he comes back, "All we have is on the shelf."

Really? This is a huge chain, they couldn't possibly have all the merchandise on the shelf. He thinks he is dismissed and turns to walk back, I follow him.

"Nothing out back then?" They all look at me with blank stares. Another of them repeats the line, "All we have is on the shelf."

"You are seriously telling me that there is nothing out back but empty shelves. Did you get robbed? Shouldn't we notify the authorities?" They are not getting the hint.

"Okay, let me spell this out. I want you to check."

More blank stares, they are still not moving and I am getting irritated. "Ah, one of you is going back there, decide amongst yourselves who that will be." Then I turned my back on them and leaned on the counter, waiting.

I leave with a new cell phone

After that fiasco, I go to the local burger joint to get lunch. I get to the speaker and give my order, "What? I can't hear you." No, sorry, no nothing. I repeat my order.

"What? I can't hear you, drive up." Are you kidding me? However, I am committed now. I am in the lineup, cars in front and behind me. Nothing to do but drive up.

I get to the window and turn my head to order and am literally startled by what I see. The 'girl' sticks her head out the window so she can hear me. She has piercings all over her face. Two in her bottom lip, one through her nose and another (I believe) through her eyebrow. No wonder she couldn't hear me, she was probably getting feedback from all that metal. Am I supposed to find this appetizing?

I remember that just a few years ago, if you had a piercing you not only had to remove it but some places would make you put a band aid over the hole in your head. A practice I whole-heartedly support. You don't want their brains to seep out, do you?

I applaud student employment in the summer, but do you have to go lax on the dress code and the customer service training? I realize they won’t be there long, but don’t you want us (the consumers) to return when the summer is over?

The establishments who employ teenagers that have metal protruding out of their heads know that customer service, or lack there of, will not stop you from patronizing their establishments.

Mama and Papa need their fix.