A Somewhat Improbable History of Customer Service

Although we don’t know the true nature of customer service through the ages, based upon some historical inquiries, we can speculate as to the development of customer service from our distant past into the modern day and beyond.*

Clan of the Cave Rep

Before money, the only business human beings engaged in was trading goods or services for other goods or services. Naturally, customer service was an integral part of the barter system. In order to get the most grain for your animal pelts, friendliness was imperative.

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Show Me the Tender

Early forms of currency, including grain, obsidian and cattle, have been around since 12,000 BCE. Later on, shells became common currency, followed by valuable metals. Eventually the coin format became more commonplace between the seventh and fifth century BCE, followed by the crude Gold Card. If a customer was willing to purchase an ox with their hand-chiseled credit card, it would behoove a merchant to give them a Rosetta stone owner’s manual or at least the name of a good service station within several rooftops yell.

Customer Service Is Greek to Me

No one knew customer service like the Greeks. Aside from discovering atoms, defining new forms of government and expanding the nature of human understanding, the Greeks also brought customer service to Hellenistic heights. In 333 BCE, Aristotle wrote his preeminent treatise on customer service: “On Making Customer’s Happy.”¹  At his suggestion, many merchants would display a returns policy and walking directions to the customer service oracle nearest them.

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Reps Get Medieval

While the Dark Ages are often synonymous with human regression, some good did come from these the backwards times. For instance, after delivering a letter to landed gentry or clergy, a messenger would typically ask questions such as “On a scale of 1 to 5, how satisfied wereth thou with the flattery of thy humble servant.”²  Also, the medieval-style restaurant was born, giving new meaning to the term “royal treatment.”

“This Is Alexander, Can I Help You?”

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Through the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, customer service was tweaked and improved upon, much inspired by DaVinci’s detailed sketches of Vitruvian Man: The Satisfied Customer.

The next major step in customer service didn’t occur until Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone. This innovation was followed shortly by the first customer service call center. By the mid-twentieth century, customer service had been well established as a mixture of friendliness, diligence and technological innovation. This was especially evident when Ray Tomlinson sent the first e-ticket regarding a faster way to respond to BBN Technology clients.

To The Future

Innovation and compassion continues to power Customer Service in the 21st Century. As we create new and more impressive products, both online and in the real world, representatives need to maintain the highest level of technological savvy and earnestness to help customers integrate these products and services into their lives.

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*Disclaimer: Some of the information in this article may be inaccurate or misrepresented for the purposes of parody.
¹ Although Aristotle didn’t actually write on customer service, per se, he did explore successful economics, both on the home and empire scale.
² Medieval letters were often worded very precisely to avoid mispronunciation, and therefore insult, by less-educated messenger.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]