Sometimes Things Actually Work!

As you might remember, a couple of weeks ago I made a train trip to California to get my Danish passport renewed.

Not at all to my surprise, once the paperwork was processed and the passport application paid for, the people that the Danish consulate said that I should expect it to take "six to eight weeks" before the new passport would arrive.

Much to my surprise, I got an email from the consulate earlier this week with a tracking number to let me know that the passport had been sent out by Federal Express! And this, only 15 days after I went there to apply for it!

It was just a real pleasure to have an experience where something actually went better than expected, as opposed to the typical "overpromise and underdeliver" that we experience virtually every day.

I don't know if I just got lucky, or if the Danish Foreign Ministry has become unusually efficient. Regardless, it was very much appreciated.

Which got me to wondering about this world we live in where the whole idea of "customer service" seems to have become a thing of the past and instead of happy customers, those who are selling products to us — or providing services — seem to be only concerned with collecting money but not with providing good service.

Just earlier today, I was trying to chase down a subsidy payment with our electric company that was promised to us on January 29th, and still has not been credited to our account as of March 29th. I find it annoying not only because there is a broken promise, but because I have to waste time chasing it down!

And the "chasing down" process often shows up as it's own peculiar nightmare, in the form of robotic phone systems that never enable you to get to the answer you need... or to an actual human being.

The other situation I so often bump into is the one in which you can only get good service if you keep throwing money at the problem, but if you just expect good service because it should be provided as part of doing business you can pretty much forget about it!

I suppose this is how the rich keep getting richer, while those of us who are struggling to keep afloat find it harder and harder to keep going.

Regardless, though I'm grateful whenever good things to show up. Perhaps more so because the good things are fewer and fewer and far between.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great Sunday!

How about YOU? Do you think actual customer SERVICE is getting harder to find? Leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

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Created at 2026.03.29 02:08 PST
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