Maybe it's just me but it seems like customer service has gotten a lot worse lately. Sure, we may have gotten used to being just a number to the cable, phone and internet companies - "the monopolies". But I'm specifically referring to what you might call "the little guys".

Recently we needed to have some work done around the house. For example, the landscaping company we were using for the last 4 years up and disappeared just as the grass in the yard was getting about knee high. After making a number of attempts and still unsuccessful with getting in touch with the company we called around looking for new quotes. We had one company say they weren't going to be able to do it which I can understand and I can even appreciate. However, a few said that they would come out but then never showed up. Some even apologized after we called them again and they reassured us that they would come out the next day. Guess what? No show again.

After a little while I started wondering if I was going crazy. Why would a company, given the recovering economy, not want to make some money? If their schedule is full and they can't take on any more work that's great. And good for them if they explain that to me when I call. But don't string me along and say you'll be out and then never show up. It doesn't make sense and you're only hurting yourself.

Not showing up when you say you will is probably worse than doing a bad job. If you do a bad job at least you showed up and tried. You might not get a great review on Yelp or Google Places but if you make efforts to correct your problems that will definitely come through in any review. But when you decide not to show up without calling then you've left me no choice but to leave you a very unfavorable review and I don't even have to do much. I just have to say "They said they would come out today so I took the day off from work and rearranged my schedule and they never showed up. No phone call no nothing. If I could give this review zero stars I would." With enough bad reviews like that you're not going to have to worry about calling people back because no one will be calling you asking you to do any work.

We take customer service very seriously. Our clients have given us some great testimonials and they have said some really nice things about us on Yelp and Google Places. We've received a number of inquires from people who have run into terrible customer service with their web developers. These are people that wanted to spend money and they couldn't even get a response from a company they already had a relationship with. Granted, we're not always the right fit for whatever reason but if that ever happens we'll let you know (and if you don't think we're the right fit for you let us know).

No matter what the job or service is if you're not getting the customer service you expect let them and the world know. On the flipside, if you love a product or if you're getting excellent service be sure to tell them, your friends, your family... and the world.