When Customer Service Isn't Just About Service, It's About Integrity and Action
August 15,2025
I took customer service seriously. Really seriously.
A few years after my first job at a pizza place, I worked at another location in the same chain, where I consistently received customer feedback, mostly complaints about food quality and dissatisfaction with service. I couldn’t ignore it or fix it alone.
One day, I noticed the ham being used was very questionable, marbleized with a green tint. I raised the issue to the store manager. His response? “It’s fine, keep using it.” Weeks later, I found the dough had gone bad. Again, I alerted the manager. Same answer: “Use it”. These were just two of the many issues.
At the time, the district manager and I had been discussing promoting me to general manager, so I felt comfortable bringing my concerns to her attention. She promised to address it. But nothing changed. The lack of action on quality, inventory management, and safety issues left me no choice but to quit.
The Takeaway
Customer service isn’t just smiling faces or fast delivery, it’s a reflection of how seriously a company treats its core promised: quality, safety, and trust.
When leadership ignores frontline feedback, the whole business suffers:
Customers are dissatisfied
Morale tanks among employees who care
Brand reputation takes a hit
If your team spots a problem and you dismiss them, you’re not just risking service, you’re risking your entire operation.
Action Steps for Leaders
Listen and act promptly on employee and customer feedback, especially when it come to quality or safety.
Empower frontline staff to escalate issues without fear of retaliation
Create accountability at every level so problems don’t get swept under the rug
Value integrity over short-term convenience or cost cutting