Taco Bell and Pizza

Powerless!

When you are disappointed by a business or service, you are really out of luck, unless you are a regular big spender.

Big businesses don't care if an individual is a happy customer or not. That is why I save my spend for a local small business, where they might remember me as a loyal customer. If there is an issue, or a “service failure,” I can be heard.

The airlines recognized the value of regular high value customers long ago. They are loaded down with perks that start with recognition, “priority boarding,” free stuff and more free stuff.

This isn't new. A distant relative (third or fourth cousin twice removed via the Bomar/Rice line) opened a restaurant on Luckie Street in downtown Atlanta when creatively prepared dishes and fine food were only available in private clubs.

Advertisements claimed they were the only fine dining establishment “for the general public.”

Herren's Restaurant was above the “beaneries” and commercial hotels near train stations.

Prominent customers were seated as close as possible to the wide front windows. Casual strollers walked down Luckie Street to see who was eating at Herren's.

In 1963 the restaurant became famous as the first white-owned restaurant in Atlanta to voluntarily welcome black customers.

We became frustrated by our television streaming service, having migrated from continued from page

satellite. One day it just quit. Stopped working. Nothing.

After dozens of calls to customer “no-service” and being repeatedly asked the same questions, it became clear that the agents followed a script and didn't have a clue. After a week of daily calls, all lasting over two hours, we bolted.

Now we use “YouTubeTV” and get everything we had, and more, for less.

“We want you back” emails come from DirecTV Stream periodically. They don't understand that it is easier to keep a customer happy than to try to win them back.

We were regulars at Taco Bell for Sunday lunch for years. My choice was a “Mexican Pizza,” which was discontinued months ago.

We went back and resisted the crew's attempt to sell us on something else.

To make our point, we sometimes stopped at a Taco Bell and ordered a Mexican Pizza knowing what the response would be. The crews always offered alternatives, but we made our point and left.

I'm sure our ploy of ordering something we knew they didn't serve had nothing to do with the reappearance of the Mexican Pizza on the menu, but it is back.

Last Sunday we stopped at the Taco Bell nearest our church and ordered Mexican Pizzas. While we crunched down, the manager said; “It is nice to have you back.”

joenphillips@yahoo.com