Is Anybody Listening?

Nearly every time I go to St. Louis Bread Company, I end up telling the cashier several times that I'm eating in.  Clearly, they are not listening.

Tonight, Jim and I ate at California Pizza Kitchen.  Jim ordered a full BBQ Chicken Salad. I ordered a half Peach Spinach Salad.  But, when our food arrived, both salads appeared to be the same size.  When questioned, the waitress apologized saying she thought we both ordered half salads.  This time, it was two against one.  The waitress clearly did not listen.

After dinner, we went to Pottery Barn to buy the dishes I've been eyeing for a year that were finally on sale.  We got two sets of four place settings with soup bowls plus four cereal bowls.  The cashier verbally confirmed our purchase several times.  Nevertheless, after she rang up the order, the bill was $24 higher than expected because she had charged us for eight cereal bowls.  Another case of not listening.

If today's economy can't improve America's customer service, what will?  The least a customer should expect is the full attention of the person taking their money.  Is anybody listening?