Communication standards
In corporate America (in many companies) we are held to the standard of responding to voice or email questions or concerns within 24 hours. You don't always have an answer that fast, but you need to respond with a timeframe etc. It's a formalized expectation/policy where I work, and applied to employees at all levels of the organization. It applies to both internal (other employees) and external customers.
It's hard to transition from that expectation of what is "rude" or "bad service" to different settings that don't have the same customer services standards, but it's just reality. It's similar to the shock at all the flying paper I experienced when my daughter went to kindergarten. I couldn't believe how far behind some teachers or programs are in how they communicate. It was difficult to get used to the fact that they don't use more email, websites, and online tools for communication with parents. They (schools) seem to be getting a little better (and greener) all the time, though.
Back to the delay in response time, I think it goes back to good old human nature. People pretty much will do what they think they have to/what is expected of them/what they can get away with or are used to.
Most top 3 list of most frustrating to communicate with (or perhaps I should call it "culture differences"):
1. Attorneys (they are the slowest, and ironically the most expensive).
2. Public/govt employees. For example, in our state there is a new system where your name and birthdate are run against some national database of people who have had their licenses revoked in other states. They don't use social security numbers, so if you're "close" (e.g., close in birth date, name) your license goes into a hold status when the renewal is processed by the state. It's not when you go in to the service center, it's after the service center sends paperwork to the state. So many renewals kick back that they don't have time to get to them, so you don't receive a letter or any communication at all. You just realize (like I did) some number of months later, huh, the state never mailed me my license. When you call they verify your identity, take off the hold, and send your license in about ten days. We would NEVER get away with that lack of service at work. The customers would leave, disgusted.
3. Sports coaches/dance instructors. I apologize to the coaches on the board and my intention is not to offend, because they are also some of my (and my daughter's) favorite people. The example I have is timing of tryouts, scheduling of summer class or practices. For both dance and gymnastics I didn't find out for my daughter until late spring where she was placed for times and days of practice/class. I work and have to schedule and commit to childcare arrangements way before that. I went together on a nanny with another mom this summer, thinking activities would be during the day. Found out in late May they were after 4:00, and I could have kept her in the summer program through the schools. I had already forfeited my deposit with the school (their deadline was in February) and committed to a nanny. Too late to change anything again. It all turned out fantastic in the long run. But still, the timing would be much better for parents to know earlier in the spring so they can arrange for summer child care. As a single mom, I find that there is an assumption that there is a stay-at-home parent in every family, which is really the exception not the norm now, regardless of the financial demographic you are targeting.
Whew off my soapbox now.
