Customer service?
Author's note: Since this is aa commentary/critique all pictures used are legal under the fair use agreement of 1976.
It’s time for another essay/commentary from me. This time I’ll be talking about something I have a great deal of experience in, customer service. And how mainstream entertainment seems to have forgotten it.
While I’m not a business major or ivy league scholar I do have plenty of experience. I’ve had my job in retail for over twenty years.
So, I know what I’m talking about.
As with all my essays what you’re about to hear is my opinion. So if you want to disagree with some aspect of it go ahead. Also feel free to take what I say with a grain of salt.
It seems to me more and more Hollywood has forgotten the idea of customer service. In the retail business forgetting about good customer service is a death sentence. As I said I should know I’ve been in the retail business for over twenty years, so I know a thing or two.
So, I’ll be pointing out some of the missteps Hollywood's making these days and how they could correct them. And the course corrections would be so easy for them to make. But sometimes getting an industry to change is comparable to pulling teeth.
Now the first mistake Hollywood is making is calling their audience “ists”-and-“phobes”.
I can tell you from experience this is a terrible idea. First of all, don’t presume to know everything about an audience. Because collectivizing people is a big mistake.
People are individuals. They have their own thoughts, hopes, dreams, and fears. Judging them as a collective is a sign of presumption and arrogance best avoided at all costs.
Instead listen to them, hear what they have to say. Listening to people and putting into play what they want will get a company a lot farther. More so than presuming and then calling people “ists”-and-“phobes” when things go wrong.
It’s like the old saying goes honey works better than vinegar. And while at it respect an audience. In retail insulting people will drive them away and make them never want to come back!
So, every effort must go to making a customer’s experience as pleasant and easy as possible. It may not always work but 99% of the time it does.
Second thing of note is this. Lectures will get a company nowhere. As I said people have their own thoughts dreams, and fears.
As well as their own personal beliefs.
Trying to lecture them into seeing your work or visiting your store won’t work at all. In fact, it’s more likely to drive them away.
At my store I’ve helped Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Independents. I’ve helped supporters of Bernie, Biden, and Trump. For me a customer is a customer.
And if they need my help that’s exactly what they’ll get. I don’t lecture people I aim to help people. And Hollywood could take lessons on this.
No matter how much money, wealth, or influence one has it’s good to remember this truth. People are our business be it in retail or entertainment.
Third thing is lying to the customer. There’s a reason why lying is a bad thing. Yes, it’s true politicians lie a lot.
But I say that's still no excuse for it.
In retail lying to the customers will drive them away. Unfortunately, in recent years many movie and show trailers have lied to customers. That’s called false advertising and as I recall that’s against the law.
Take a look at some of the most recent Marvel movie trailers and you'll see prime examples of how they've lied. Or a better example would be the ending of the movie Black Adam. In which it got advertised Henry Cavil was coming back as Superman.
If you read my essay to James Gunn or recent developments, you know how well that turned out.
If you lie to your customers often enough, you drive them away because they won’t believe you. Which is why those who lie to their customers should get held to account without any hesitation.
In the retail business here's a good example. A bakery department promises a customer a specific type of cake for a certain day. Make sure that cake is ready by that day or offer up a good substitution.
Because a promise is a promise period.
So, from a reasoned and logical standpoint I say this. A movie or series, or game trailer should have actual scenes from it. After all it’s one thing to draw in customers.
But once those customers are in one should always make a concerted effort to keep them.
Next there’s the idea of respecting the customer. Zack Allen from Babylon 5 said it best. “Did it ever occur to you that just because someone doesn’t agree with you doesn’t mean they’re a bad person?”
That means no matter what side of the political aisle you're on respect customers for who they are. After all money is money no matter who it’s from. And when I say respect the customer that means help them find what they’re looking for or give them what they want.
In the case of Hollywood what the market wants are good original movies. The reboot and revamp thing has gone on too long. And I can say from talking to people that they’re sick of it.
Contrary to what some would say escapism isn’t bigoted in any way. Because escapism is full of people judged on individual content of character. Good original stories are about ideas not immutable characteristics.
Race, gender, sexuality, and pronouns are distractions to creativity. In fact, these things are petty at best, flat out garbage at worst.
That’s why so many get so annoyed by those who hyperfocus on such things.
Adam the Renaissance Nerd has a Sunday stream called The Round Table. There he and his co-hosts talk about goings on in entertainment. One of his panelists Dre from Brutal Planet Comics said it best.
“It’s about what’s inside,” meaning a person’s inner personality matters.
As well as the story itself. “Story, story, story,” is the mantra to follow.
Hence why one should always strive to give the customer what they want. And that’s either the service they’re looking for or the story they want to see.
Now in fairness in retail and show business there are certain types of people to watch out for.
The first one to look out for are those who make false promises. There are people in this world who make promises and deliver nothing. For Hollywood and entertainment many of these people are on Twitter.
Not quite so much since Elon Musk took over. These people obsess over race, gender, sexuality, and pronouns. They go out of their way to force these things into our entertainment.
These people promise that if a company does so, they’ll give them money for the product or service. The problem is they never do. In fact, their money gets spent on other things.
These sorts have little to no money at all.
They make false promises because they're miserable. So much so that they have to burn everything to the ground to feel better. These are mean people who want to make everyone as unhappy as they are.
This is a case of where one has to pay close attention. Because on social media the most vocal end up being the smallest minority.
Talk to actual customers. That is people who are into the works and/or services produced and pay up. Listen to them and see what they want.
In retail and show business there's also the Karen/Kevin. These entitled individuals go out looking to start some trouble. Likely because they themselves have no life at all.
Or they want to cause pain and suffering period.
In the retail business I’ve met and/or seen my fair share of these types. Their malevolence level ranges from mild condescension. Which is the sort of person who goes around lecturing employees on how to do their jobs like they know better.
And are all knowing and all seeing.
I know enough about customer service to understand what's agreed on common sense. These people lecture on everything. They can lecture on how to push carts, bag groceries, or do something.
That’s the mildest level and it’s still pretty nasty. Then worst-case scenario types are those Karens and Kevins who go out spoiling to start a fight. All so they can get on the internet to make themselves look like a victim.
As I get older, I find I have less and less patience for this victimhood culture garbage. But that’s something for another essay.
These people look to antagonize people. So, one of the best things we can do is to walk away from them. What’s the one thing a Karen or Kevin loathes?
Getting ignored that's what.
Our job may be to help the customers and respect them. But there’s a difference between respecting people and being a doormat. Respect is a two-way street and there’s no exceptions to that rule.
So. here's my conclusion on this matter. No name calling or lectures of any kind. Respect the customers and be aware of people who are bad elements in a group.
That’s how it goes in retail and how entertainment can turn itself around. Unfortunately, I don't see them changing their tune anytime soon.
So, I look on the bright side. It means the independent content creators who respect their customers will succeed. And the entitled ones will destroy themselves.
This is why capitalism wins out in the end. Because the hard workers who are good at what they do and love it will succeed.
This concludes this essay. Thank you for reading.
Thanks for reading this commentary. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments section. Do you agree, disagree, or is there something I missed?
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