Is good customer service that hard?

I have recently returned from a 5 day blat on my Z750 around the Scottish Highlands (very nice). En route back I noticed I needed a service and a new pair of tires, my rear tire having been wore square by using a little too much heavy acceleration around the M6.

Once back I have had 2 very different experiences with 2 different companies to fix these 2 problems. The first is from a company in Salisbury where my bike was serviced yesterday. They were very friendly, informal and generally nice people. They lent me a demo bike without question and sorted me out with some free stuff. They did take a long time to sort the bike and for me to get a receipt but I could cope with that as they were nice peeps.

The other company were super efficient sorting the tire order and getting prices and booking me in but were a very faceless organisation. I was left feeling like cattle being herded through a system being prodded at each step to get me to the end of the process. Not a very nice feeling.

I work in customer service and the last 2 days have left me talking to my team about this very subject as having 2 very contrasting experiences has left me completely bemused about what I do and how it affects people.

I don't claim to be in a job that changes peoples lives but I do think that a little thought put into what companies do can change a few peoples day for the better. If I can cheer one person up today I'll be happy.