First of all the comment about companies mostly hiring cheap labor and not training them is very true in my experience but I do not believe it a recent trend. Companies have been cutting corners in these areas in the 15+ years I have been in the work force.

As far as the best buy comments. My biggest gripe with them recently is all the non best buy employess there trying to sell you cable TV, satelite, and anything else they can throw at you. Walking in that store is like walking through a room of telemarketers constantly throwing their sales pitch at you. Some of whom are relentless and don’t back down at a simple no. Why does it have to be so painful to just go in and buy toner for your printer?

My last comment is regarding the Nordstrom experience…while I agree that this gentleman should have had a more durable sweater, for what is probably a ridicouls amout of money that he spent on it, that didn’t pull after 3 wears the reason most retailers do not offer the “no questions asked return policy” is that Nordstrom does is because people take advantage. This guy legitimatly only wore it 3 times but there are plenty of people out there that would wear it 300 times and expect the same treatment. Nordstrom charges inflated prices and can afford to absorb those types of things to allow their super rich customers a satisfactory experience. Most average retailers would go out of business if they offered the same thing.

I personally don’t think customer service is dead it just as I see it every day at my current job and did at my last job of 9 years. It just has to be taught for the most part these days. It is not something that is ingrained in most people like it may have been once upon a time. A good supervisor and/or mentor can bread a whole group or department of great customer service professionals.