For poor and vulnerable people, shoddy service comes as standard
Money brings choice, and with it the option to take one's custom elsewhere. Not so for council tenants or benefit claimants, says Clare Allan
I have a suggestion that could radically improve the mental health of the nation...
My suggestion is that we start treating people as though they are human beings
Ummmm her example of inhumanity is below
I live in a council flat, which is managed through a private finance initiative scheme. The bedroom is just big enough to squeeze in a bed. It also houses the boiler. Early this summer the window mechanism broke, meaning that the window could not be opened. I tried several times to report the repair and was repeatedly told that the phones were down and if I left a message someone would call me back. No one did. A month or so later I finally got through and a man came to fix the window.
He was unable to do anything however, as he said it was a two-man job. I was told I would be sent another appointment but weeks passed and I heard nothing. I tried calling. The phones were down. When I finally got through I was told they'd look into it and call me back. No one did.
I called again. And again. And again. Finally, I spoke to someone. They booked the repair and I received a letter confirming it.
Three weeks later, repair day arrived. I waited in from 8am to 1pm but nobody showed up. I called and after a lengthy wait was put through to the repairs team. I explained the situation, asked what was happening and was immediately cut off. Twice. The third time I got through to a helpful man, who promised to look into it and call me back. He did. My repair had been cancelled but nobody knew why.
and I have to say I agree that this is not anecdotal that this poor standard of service seems to be reserved for the poor and vulnerable however I also feel it may well be just circumstantial. I know many independent/ working people who have suffered equally badly at the hands of the service industry.
Money brings choice, and with it the option to take one's custom elsewhere. But council tenants have no choice but to deal with the council or council contractors, however they are treated. Benefit claimants can hardly threaten to take their claims elsewhere. Depressingly, this seems to result in the very worst standards of service
Yes this is true but I don’t see that the rest of the better paid service providers treat their customers all that much better and threatening to go elsewhere does not lessen the stress it creates in having to resort to such threats to sort out the poor service.
We all suffer from the poor quality of customer service however no one seems to think that this might be having knock on effects for everyone not just those who have major problems; since it is not just the poor that suffer from mental health issues improving mental health for all means improving customer service for all.
We need to take ourselves in hand and give ourselves a good shake and look long a hard at how we treat each other both in the work place and at home because for me it seems that we have lost a lot of the values that made us nice people to be with.
That we look out for number one without much thought of anyone else has driven us to cover our own backs and shit upon anyone else who hasn’t covered theirs and think that this is sensible/good and that feeling that having money will give us choice between being treated well and not being. Well it won’t, it will only insulate you to the worst of it and though for many that feels like enough ultimately it won’t be.
News flash...to be treated well we all need to start valuing being treated well and not being satisfied with shoddy treatment and I don’t mean throwing your weight around or money at the situation to get what you want. I mean, for those that can, going elsewhere period.
Improving everyones’ mental health takes everyone making an effort and like Clare Allan says
eye contact, please, and thank you are good for mental health
And is it only me who grew up with
‘smiling never cost you anything but good will so pass it on’
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