Young Consumers at the Short End of the Customer Service Stick

Despite the millions of dollars being spent by electronics chains, cell phone companies and other retailers to attract the youth market, I have a pretty strong sense from personal observation that kids often are treated as second-class shoppers.

Want proof? Here are two recent experiences involving my own children.

Take It or Leave It

In March, my 19-year-old daughter was scheduled to board a plane for a spring break trip. Traveling by herself, she learned at the ticket counter that her flight had been delayed more than two hours, meaning she would miss a connecting flight.

That began her customer service ordeal with a ticket agent who said the best she could do was to put her on another flight that day.

Only one problem: The final connecting leg would be two days later. No effort by the agent to find alternatives, no apologies for the inconvenience, no suggestions on how to survive two days in a strange city -- just take it or leave it. Already upset, my daughter felt she had no choice but to go for it.

The agent took her suitcases and simply walked away.

Would an older customer have been treated the same way? I would like to think not. However, with a little parental intervention 800 miles away, a helpful agent successfully routed our daughter on a different itinerary to reach her destination that day.

Afterward, my college freshman summed up her experience: "It is difficult to get respect from adults, and it [can be] hard to stand up to them. As children, we are taught to respect our elders."

Flying Accusations

The second example involves my oldest son, also in college, who recently had cell phone battery problems. A visit to the phone store proved fruitless. First, the clerk accused him of mishandling the phone and then he insisted that my son pay for the repair.

It took several heated conversations before the phone company agreed to replace the battery at no cost. One month later, the battery acted up again. This time, my wife went to the same store and left with a new phone -- and no arguments.

Clearly, this topic hits close to home, so for perspective, I turned to Terry Vavra, a veteran customer service consultant based in Allendale, N.J. Vavra's blue-chip clients include AT&T (NYSE: T) , Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER) , Toys R Us and Allstate.

Vavra wasn't surprised by my examples of customer service disconnect. Indeed, he said, the "state of customer service is poor for most of us," regardless of age.

Making the Best of Difficult Situations

Vavra offered these strategies to help young consumers make the best of difficult service situations.

Take the offensive: "I've always preached to my own daughters to escalate an unpleasant situation," said Vavra. Seek out a manager or supervisor to report poor treatment, jot down the name of the salesperson, if necessary, and try to describe objectively and respectfully to the manager the situation and how the treatment made you feel.

"Younger customers may be reluctant and perhaps unprepared to do this. But at the very least, they can report poor treatment to their parents, who can take up their cause," said Vavra.

File a complaint: If complaining on the spot isn't possible, fill out a customer satisfaction survey or complaint card, assuming one can be found. Complete it with as much detail as possible, said Vavra. In the absence of a formal feedback system, send a letter to company headquarters addressed to customer service or customer care.

Vote with your feet: "Young customers should be encouraged to shop and buy where they feel the most comfortable and the most appreciated," Vavra said. Don't hesitate to tell your friends about the poor service. Word-of-mouth can be a powerful influence.