The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/271291
PEER TO PEER: THE QUARTERLY MAGA ZINE OF ILTA 22 Classic Customer Disservice in Movies and on TV This month's Peer to Peer theme on customer service puts me in mind of that old saw about falling into a hole — it's a tragedy when it happens to you but comedy when it happens to someone else. That's especially true of customer service, or rather the lack of it, depicted on movie and TV screens. Here are a few examples you can laugh (or cringe) at. FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982) This raucous teen sex comedy, which has been called "one of the finest films of a somewhat disreputable genre," kick-started the careers of many future stars, including Sean Penn, Judge Reinhold, Nicholas Cage and Forrest Whitaker. In one of several customer disservice scenes, we get an unpleasant taste of life behind the fast-food counter when burger-flipper Brad (Reinhold) flips out and loses both a customer and his job. SEINFELD, "THE CAR RESERVATION" (1991) Over its nine-year run, this series — supposedly about nothing — was actually about lots of little somethings we've all seen and experienced, including poor customer service. In a hilarious scene at Worthy Rent-a-Car, Jerry and Elaine are informed by a by-the-book female employee that even though they have a reservation, she has no car available for them. To which, Jerry Seinfeld-ingly responds, "See, you know how to take the reservation. You just don't know how to hooooold the reservation." TOMMY BOY (1995) In this hilarious Chris Farley, David Spade buddy comedy, an immature, incompetent but totally lovable recent college grad and heir to his dad's auto parts factory, takes it upon himself to salvage customers and keep the floundering business out of the hands of a hostile takeover industrialist as well as his new, con-artist relatives. All goes disastrously at first, but over the course of the movie Tommy (Farley) evolves from being the worst salesman in the universe to a great one who assumes presidency of the company. MEET THE PARENTS (2000) Male nurse Greg Focker wants to marry his girlfriend. Before popping the question, he must win over her father, a humorless, ever- suspicious former CIA agent. But everything that can go wrong does, all under Dad's critical, hawk-like gaze. In one scene, Greg (Ben Stiller), who's just endured the worst few days of his life, is forced to deal with a grumpy flight attendant who refuses to let him board until his section is called … even though he's the only passenger on the plane! OUTSOURCED (2006) This romantic comedy is about trying to improve customer service. An American novelties company outsources its order processing to Bombay. They send a young American employee to India, a country and culture of which he's totally clueless, to manage the call center and teach the native employees American popular culture, including how to sound like Americans on the phone. Leading his first training session, Todd ( Josh Hamilton) finds out how much he has to teach … and learn. LOVE, ACTUALLY (2003) This is a charming exploration of romance in 10 separate but intertwining London love stories, leading up to a spirited climax on Christmas Eve. In a rare screen depiction of customer service that's TOO good, Harry (Alan Rickman), shopping with his wife (Emma Thompson) at a department store, purchases a small piece of jewelry for his girlfriend, which he intends to hide in his pocket. He finds himself trapped at the counter by an overzealous sales clerk (Rowan Atkinson, aka Mr. Bean) determined to follow store policy for wrapping any gift, any size. Much to Harry's chagrin, the clerk calmly embarks on a lengthy process. First he wraps the tiny gift in tissue paper, then he puts it into a transparent sack, and then he encloses that in a huge box along with numerous articles of trimming … all while Harry protests and watches in horror as his unsuspecting wife walks closer.