Customer Service

Today for the first time I walked into a charedi community center in my neighborhood, which offers different classes going from Feldenkrais, Pilates to nutrition workshops. Complete segregation between men and women naturally.

First of all, my search for the office of this center was fruitless. There was no sign, nowhere. I walked the 3 floors up and down three times and figured that was enough exercise for the day. On my way out I met a young lady and asked for the office. She was the secretary (doubling with the marketing person) of the place. In order to reach the office we had to walk by a Pilates class, obviously distracting the concentration of the students. In my mind i started to picture classes interrupted incessantly by mothers, teenagers and retired ladies making their way to the office. It didn't make sense.

Once seated in the office, I had just started to go through the schedules and classes' content with the young lady when she started to get phone calls. Minutes passed by and she was talking to people, some of them sounded like potential customers, over the phone. At some point I said " are you aware of the fact you are still taking care of me?" She said she thought I had to think things over, didn't apologize, and when she completed her last phone call, simply said " I am with you".

During the all process she remained unattractively sad. Yes, baby, did they ever tell you looking sad does not make you look pretty? I know ... it's a tough reality out there ... Or maybe she was anemic, or underpaid or all of the above, I am not sure. She gave me the worst customer service one could think of. She didn't care, I felt I was bothering her.

I actually registered on a waiting list for a very nice program called "90 days program" where one exercises twice a week and sees a dietician twice a month. I checked and re-rechecked that the class was at 7.30 PM after office hours. On my way back I again walked by the Pilates class. They were doing a relaxation exercise on the floor.

I am not sure I will take the class. This all experience depresses me in a way I cannot exactly articulate.

Nathalie