The Library and customer care.

• Author: Rundles, Jeff
• Position: RUNDLES wrap up

A FEW WEEKS AGO THE COLORADO ATTORNEY general I office released a report of consumer complaints filed with its office, and it offered few surprises. When it comes to what, the AG hears about, it is allegations of fraud, potential fraud and/or questionable business practices. In 2011 state citizens filed some 7,297 complaints, up from 6,462 in 2010 and 4,723 in 2009.

And. of course, that's just the people who took the time to take such action. 1 think it's reasonably safe to assume that thousands more just took it, as it were. It comes as no shock that the types of businesses people complain about the most are financial consultants, utility companies (especially providers of cable! and satellite TV), and anything having to do with health care. In my experience you can measure the level of customer service in direct disproportion to the number of requests you got, either on the phone or the Internet, to take a survey at the end of the session on their level of customer service.

They usually ask, "Was the information we provided 'Very Helpful, ' 'Helpful,' 'Somewhat Helpful' or 'Not Helpfull' What they should be asking is, "Did our service 'Really Suck; Just Suck; or is being our customer best categorized under the heading 'Sucks For You'?"

I got thinking about all of this because directly or indirectly I have had a lot of dealings with health-insurance companies and health-care providers in the last couple of years, and while most profess a great interest in. and pride themselves on, customer service, they are in general terrible. I must say that I know a couple of doctors and dentists 1 would rate very high for customer service and what I am coming to call "customer care" but the insurance companies, well ... I am pretty sure they have people with business cards that have those initials pointing out their professional certifications, and the people I have come across are listed as P.O. Professional Obfuseators. On second thought, perhaps P.O. is an indication of how they will make you feel.

I find it interesting, by the way, that Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is putting a...