Devoted to customer service and the principles of exceptional customer services

Came across this little news tidbit today that I know will spur some thoughts.  MyFox Tampa Bay reports that Verizon employees in Tampa, Florida picketed before work this morning, but it's not about wages or benefits - it's about bad customer service.  What really gets me is the last sentence in the article:

"A Verizon spokesman says the company understands the union's right to protest, but says the company isn't doing anything wrong."

Chew on that for a minute...

At Tampa Bay Online, a Verizon spokesman (maybe the same one?) is quoted as saying:

"Our objective, always, is to provide excellent customer service to every customer who requires our services.  Indeed, we need the union to do that – we are partners in this effort. … They have as much to do with offering great service as management does."

The spokesman was dead on about management being just as responsible in the effort to improve service.  It's going to take a complete change in the company culture and a change in thinking of management if they really, really want their customer service to be better.  Part of me is pessimistic.  Verizon has become a huge company with investors to please.  Breaking out of the money-hungry-let's-make-our-quarterly-goals mindset takes years.  Can it be done? 

Related Post:

Verizon Is On a Mission To Have the Most Customer-Friendly Experience