Whether pandemic induced, or the pandemic on top of so much that seems broken has caused American society to reach a boiling point, the data shows we have boiled over to incivility, rage and more. 

Public facing employees are less happy than those not on the front lines, as examples abound of people becoming verbally abusive over small things, like a store out of a specialty imported cheese, or of people arguing with employees over mask rules.

Even so, many of us are upset about what is in fact poor service, especially the inability to get anyone on the phone.  Customers know they may hear the pandemic excuse from some businesses that seem to take cover under the pandemic to excuse their deterioration in customer service.

In an interview with the New York Times, Scott Broetzmann, President & CEO of Customer Care Measurement and Consulting (CCMC) and founder of the Rage Study, expresses his shock over what he has witnessed first-hand and heard about during the pandemic. He never imagined either the level of incivility that is on display from some customers, or of the disregard of some businesses for their customer service.

Read more in  A Nation on Hold Wants to Speak With a Manager, NYT, January 1, 2022