Goodbye Polk!

BjornB17

Well folks I am outta here. I was a dedicated Polkie from 2002-2019. I sold Polk (Monitor and original RTi series) at Circuit City in the early 2000's. I had Monitor 70's in my home theater from about 2005-2009, RTi10's from 2009-2019, had a pair of RTi12 for about a year, as was looking into using Legend or RTiA in my new house I'm building. I always steered friends, family, and colleagues to Polk but I cannot in good conscience do that any more.

After inept and extremely rude treatment over the course of a few months from Polk, I no longer felt obligated to be a loyal customer. As a result i recently have tried out and ended up liking some other brands and will be going in a different direction.

Thanks friends for all the good memories! I have really enjoyed being a member on this forum for 15 years (!). Take care...

mantis

Sorry man but we all have to go ur own ways. I have not used Polks in my main system in many years. I just have a house full of in wall and in ceiling speakers and a pair of outdoors.
I still like to come in here and talk to fellow members.

BlueFox

Why leave just because you are getting different speakers?

Viking64

BjornB17

la2vegas wrote: »

BjornB17 wrote: »

Well folks I am outta here. I was a dedicated Polkie from 2002-2019. I sold Polk (Monitor and original RTi series) at Circuit City in the early 2000's. I had Monitor 70's in my home theater from about 2005-2009, RTi10's from 2009-2019, had a pair of RTi12 for about a year, as was looking into using Legend or RTiA in my new house I'm building. I always steered friends, family, and colleagues to Polk but I cannot in good conscience do that any more.

After inept and extremely rude treatment over the course of a few months from Polk, I no longer felt obligated to be a loyal customer. As a result i recently have tried out and ended up liking some other brands and will be going in a different direction.

Thanks friends for all the good memories! I have really enjoyed being a member on this forum for 15 years (!). Take care...

Are you going to be deleting all of your posts like some others who have left before you?

If and when I join your sentiment I'm sure to have a heck of an inventory reduction sale.

Haha no! Nothing to hide!

BjornB17

BlueFox wrote: »

Why leave just because you are getting different speakers?

I might pop in from time to time!

meucci2977

And folks that is how you loose long term customer base.........

F1nut

I've forwarded this thread to someone at Polk. I don't know if it will help, but hopefully someone there will wake up before it's too late.

treitz3

la2vegas wrote: »

meucci2977 wrote: »

And folks that is how you loose long term customer base.........

Hey, what do you know? You've been here 5 minutes.

Knock it off. He is a member here just like you. You have no idea what kind of background or experience this member has.

Tom

vmaxer

Hopefully the customer service will get better.

Viking64

treitz3 wrote: »

la2vegas wrote: »

meucci2977 wrote: »

And folks that is how you loose long term customer base.........

Hey, what do you know? You've been here 5 minutes.

Knock it off. He is a member here just like you. You have no idea what kind of background or experience this member has.

Tom

????

GlennDog

It’s a shame that many corporations today do not realize CS is equal to, if not more important than sales ... smh

daddyjt

I find it ironic when people bemoan the disappearance of helpful customer service.

I have spent over 30 years in retail - 20 years running stores at Lowe’s, 5 years at Cabelas, a few more as a district manager for a mall-based sports apparel chain, and I now work as a liquidator, helping companies execute their bankruptcy orders. I landed here, because I firmly believe it’s the safest place in retail for the foreseeable future.

Business 101 will teach anyone willing to listen that payroll (employees) is the single largest controllable expense of any retail business. Retailers have offered the customer a choice for decades now: pay more for your goods and services and get helpful customer service, or pay less, and forgo the service. The customers have spoken, in spades - virtually all of them choose the lower price, every time. If that were not the case, Walmart would be little more than a regional entity.

For the sake of this explanation, let’s assume that most employers make solid efforts to hire good people, train them, and pay them a decent wage. When I had some control of this about 20 years ago, managing several Lowe’s stores, I always opted to hire a few less (but exceptional service oriented) employees, and pay my excellent ones a wage that would give me a good chance of retaining them. Virtually no retailers now offer this kind of discretion on the part of managers, for fear of EEO/discrimination lawsuits. They’re so afraid of the lawyers that employee wages are strictly dictated, and based off seniority - but that’s a different discussion.

At any rate, what I’m trying to say is that in most cases, the very customers that complain about vanishing customer service have a garage full of empty Amazon boxes, and go to Walmart for what they don’t order on line. That’s why Best Buy was (and still is) labeled “Amazon’s showroom”, and is struggling to maintain a product mix that will keep them ahead of the bankruptcy monster. That’s why almost half their store square footage is now devoted to cell phones and accessories.

I personally believe it’s going to get worse before it gets better, BUT I do believe there will be a backlash and “correction” at some point in the future, but I don’t think it is going to be any time soon.

treitz3

That's a very valid point, Mark. For Polk, will it come too late though?

Tom

meucci2977

@la2vegas Im not sure what being a forum member for 5 minutes has to do with anything? As I said in a previous post I am a 30 Polk customer. My last purchase was in Dec 2019 for my daughter. I work on a diverse range of industrial equipment for a living. I often have to contact companies for parts availability,tech support,repair advice and engineering support. So I believe imho that I know what superior customer service is.Polk is simply not offering it at this time and seems in a race to the bottom.

nooshinjohn

meucci2977 wrote: »

@la2vegas Im not sure what being a forum member for 5 minutes has to do with anything? As I said in a previous post I am a 30 Polk customer. My last purchase was in Dec 2019 for my daughter. I work on a diverse range of industrial equipment for a living. I often have to contact companies for parts availability,tech support,repair advice and engineering support. So I believe imho that I know what superior customer service is.Polk is simply not offering it at this time and seems in a race to the bottom.

Just ignore Vegas... the rest of us do that already.

meucci2977

@daddyjt That is a interesting way at looking at customer service and price. I agree with you price sells . Let me ask a question. When you say the customer has spoken and has chosen lower price (I agree) did they ask the retailer to provide poor customer service simply because they want the best price? Our is it because the corporations are trying to keep the shareholders happy and cut customer service even know they were profitable before it becomes a vicious cycle of how low we can keep staffing levels.Lets say for example Lowes was profitable in all four quaters of the year. Corporate says we must beat expectations next quater and makes more cuts. Did the consumer want this or Lowes corporate? Same with product quality . Did the consumer say we want are products made oversees.I dont think the consumer said hey please move our jobs overseas and make poor quality products. Even know corporations are making a profit they will say we have to keep trying to top last years profits. They continue to outsource and make disposable products. I did not ask them to do this. Keep the American manufacturing jobs here. I guess I am a outlier and look at quality first.

daddyjt

meucci2977 wrote: »

@daddyjt That is a interesting way at looking at customer service and price. I agree with you price sells . Let me ask a question. When you say the customer has spoken and has chosen lower price (I agree) did they ask the retailer to provide poor customer service simply because they want the best price? Our is it because the corporations are trying to keep the shareholders happy and cut customer service even know they were profitable before it becomes a vicious cycle of how low we can keep staffing levels.Lets say for example Lowes was profitable in all four quaters of the year. Corporate says we must beat expectations next quater and makes more cuts. Did the consumer want this or Lowes corporate? Same with product quality . Did the consumer say we want are products made oversees.I dont think the consumer said hey please move our jobs overseas and make poor quality products. Even know corporations are making a profit they will say we have to keep trying to top last years profits. They continue to outsource and make disposable products. I did not ask them to do this. Keep the American manufacturing jobs here. I guess I am a outlier and look at quality first.

First, yes - you (and most here, I presume) are in fact "outliers" that put quality first. The world has become disposable, from major appliances, computers, clothing, tools, and audio gear. Seriously, how many television repair shops are there now? Your 50" LCD tv cr@ps out? Just go to WalMart and buy a new one for <$400. DeWalt drill dead? Just buy a new one for $100. Seam tear on your favorite pair of pants? Just buy a new pair. Gone are the days of electronics repairmen, tool repair shops, seamstresses, etc. YES, I KNOW some of these shops remain, but nowhere near the levels just 20 years ago. And YES, the customer chose this. Want examples?

Kirby vacuums. Built like a tank, and built to last generations. Metal housing, repairable innards. Cost? Around $2,000 from knowledgeable dealers that traditionally provide outstanding service. What do customers overwhelming choose to purchase? the ~$120 model at Walmart.

High quality cutlery. Vanishing are the days that the majority of people purchase quality kitchen knives with quality construction and quality steel designed to last generations. I still use my grandfather's carving knife, and I have it sharpened every year or so. Ask me how hard it is getting to find someone who really knows how to put an edge on a knife. Why? Because MOST people have gravitated towards cheap garbage knives that they just throw away and replace when they get dull, because they are not worth sharpening.

Kobalt hand tools. When I started with Lowe's, Kobalt mechanic's tools were manufactured in the USA by JH Williams, to virtually the same spec as Snap-on tools. Pricey, yes - but awesome, American made hand tools manufactured to the highest specification. Then, we rolled out the Kobalt "homeowner" line - still the Kobalt name and warranty, but 1/2 the price, and manufactured in Taiwan. The "homeowner" line was short-lived, because it shortly became THE line. That's right, the customer OVERWHELMINGLY chose it over the more expensive, higher quality, USA made tools. Thus, the JH Williams manufactured tools went away, replaced by the Taiwanese manufacture.

Now, on to your questions about what I will term "corporate greed". What would you say if I told you that "Lowe's corporate" and the "customer" are one in the same? Lowe's, as well as all publicly traded companies, are accountable to the shareholder. Corporate profits drive stock price and dividends, which is in the interest of shareholders. There are several checks on the type of corporate greed you are alluding to - if the company profit is too high, this leaves openings for competitors to move in and steal market share. If profits are too low, investors will move to other companies. It's a delicate balance, but works, as long as external forces (read - government) are kept at bay. Further, if corporate greed causes companies to sacrifice customer service, that leaves an opening for other companies to move in and steal market share with superior service - If that's what customers want and are willing to pay for - which brings us back to the start of this whole thing - people are overwhelmingly voting with their wallets that service isn't worth paying for.

BjornB17

daddyjt wrote: »

meucci2977 wrote: »

@daddyjt That is a interesting way at looking at customer service and price. I agree with you price sells . Let me ask a question. When you say the customer has spoken and has chosen lower price (I agree) did they ask the retailer to provide poor customer service simply because they want the best price? Our is it because the corporations are trying to keep the shareholders happy and cut customer service even know they were profitable before it becomes a vicious cycle of how low we can keep staffing levels.Lets say for example Lowes was profitable in all four quaters of the year. Corporate says we must beat expectations next quater and makes more cuts. Did the consumer want this or Lowes corporate? Same with product quality . Did the consumer say we want are products made oversees.I dont think the consumer said hey please move our jobs overseas and make poor quality products. Even know corporations are making a profit they will say we have to keep trying to top last years profits. They continue to outsource and make disposable products. I did not ask them to do this. Keep the American manufacturing jobs here. I guess I am a outlier and look at quality first.

First, yes - you (and most here, I presume) are in fact "outliers" that put quality first. The world has become disposable, from major appliances, computers, clothing, tools, and audio gear. Seriously, how many television repair shops are there now? Your 50" LCD tv cr@ps out? Just go to WalMart and buy a new one for <$400. DeWalt drill dead? Just buy a new one for $100. Seam tear on your favorite pair of pants? Just buy a new pair. Gone are the days of electronics repairmen, tool repair shops, seamstresses, etc. YES, I KNOW some of these shops remain, but nowhere near the levels just 20 years ago. And YES, the customer chose this. Want examples?

Kirby vacuums. Built like a tank, and built to last generations. Metal housing, repairable innards. Cost? Around $2,000 from knowledgeable dealers that traditionally provide outstanding service. What do customers overwhelming choose to purchase? the ~$120 model at Walmart.

High quality cutlery. Vanishing are the days that the majority of people purchase quality kitchen knives with quality construction and quality steel designed to last generations. I still use my grandfather's carving knife, and I have it sharpened every year or so. Ask me how hard it is getting to find someone who really knows how to put an edge on a knife. Why? Because MOST people have gravitated towards cheap garbage knives that they just throw away and replace when they get dull, because they are not worth sharpening.

Kobalt hand tools. When I started with Lowe's, Kobalt mechanic's tools were manufactured in the USA by JH Williams, to virtually the same spec as Snap-on tools. Pricey, yes - but awesome, American made hand tools manufactured to the highest specification. Then, we rolled out the Kobalt "homeowner" line - still the Kobalt name and warranty, but 1/2 the price, and manufactured in Taiwan. The "homeowner" line was short-lived, because it shortly became THE line. That's right, the customer OVERWHELMINGLY chose it over the more expensive, higher quality, USA made tools. Thus, the JH Williams manufactured tools went away, replaced by the Taiwanese manufacture.

Now, on to your questions about what I will term "corporate greed". What would you say if I told you that "Lowe's corporate" and the "customer" are one in the same? Lowe's, as well as all publicly traded companies, are accountable to the shareholder. Corporate profits drive stock price and dividends, which is in the interest of shareholders. There are several checks on the type of corporate greed you are alluding to - if the company profit is too high, this leaves openings for competitors to move in and steal market share. If profits are too low, investors will move to other companies. It's a delicate balance, but works, as long as external forces (read - government) are kept at bay. Further, if corporate greed causes companies to sacrifice customer service, that leaves an opening for other companies to move in and steal market share with superior service - If that's what customers want and are willing to pay for - which brings us back to the start of this whole thing - people are overwhelmingly voting with their wallets that service isn't worth paying for.

All this sounds great but keep in mind Polk is selling a $6,000 pair of speakers so I think that negates your argument.

rooftop59

BjornB17 wrote: »

daddyjt wrote: »

meucci2977 wrote: »

@daddyjt That is a interesting way at looking at customer service and price. I agree with you price sells . Let me ask a question. When you say the customer has spoken and has chosen lower price (I agree) did they ask the retailer to provide poor customer service simply because they want the best price? Our is it because the corporations are trying to keep the shareholders happy and cut customer service even know they were profitable before it becomes a vicious cycle of how low we can keep staffing levels.Lets say for example Lowes was profitable in all four quaters of the year. Corporate says we must beat expectations next quater and makes more cuts. Did the consumer want this or Lowes corporate? Same with product quality . Did the consumer say we want are products made oversees.I dont think the consumer said hey please move our jobs overseas and make poor quality products. Even know corporations are making a profit they will say we have to keep trying to top last years profits. They continue to outsource and make disposable products. I did not ask them to do this. Keep the American manufacturing jobs here. I guess I am a outlier and look at quality first.

First, yes - you (and most here, I presume) are in fact "outliers" that put quality first. The world has become disposable, from major appliances, computers, clothing, tools, and audio gear. Seriously, how many television repair shops are there now? Your 50" LCD tv cr@ps out? Just go to WalMart and buy a new one for <$400. DeWalt drill dead? Just buy a new one for $100. Seam tear on your favorite pair of pants? Just buy a new pair. Gone are the days of electronics repairmen, tool repair shops, seamstresses, etc. YES, I KNOW some of these shops remain, but nowhere near the levels just 20 years ago. And YES, the customer chose this. Want examples?

Kirby vacuums. Built like a tank, and built to last generations. Metal housing, repairable innards. Cost? Around $2,000 from knowledgeable dealers that traditionally provide outstanding service. What do customers overwhelming choose to purchase? the ~$120 model at Walmart.

High quality cutlery. Vanishing are the days that the majority of people purchase quality kitchen knives with quality construction and quality steel designed to last generations. I still use my grandfather's carving knife, and I have it sharpened every year or so. Ask me how hard it is getting to find someone who really knows how to put an edge on a knife. Why? Because MOST people have gravitated towards cheap garbage knives that they just throw away and replace when they get dull, because they are not worth sharpening.

Kobalt hand tools. When I started with Lowe's, Kobalt mechanic's tools were manufactured in the USA by JH Williams, to virtually the same spec as Snap-on tools. Pricey, yes - but awesome, American made hand tools manufactured to the highest specification. Then, we rolled out the Kobalt "homeowner" line - still the Kobalt name and warranty, but 1/2 the price, and manufactured in Taiwan. The "homeowner" line was short-lived, because it shortly became THE line. That's right, the customer OVERWHELMINGLY chose it over the more expensive, higher quality, USA made tools. Thus, the JH Williams manufactured tools went away, replaced by the Taiwanese manufacture.

Now, on to your questions about what I will term "corporate greed". What would you say if I told you that "Lowe's corporate" and the "customer" are one in the same? Lowe's, as well as all publicly traded companies, are accountable to the shareholder. Corporate profits drive stock price and dividends, which is in the interest of shareholders. There are several checks on the type of corporate greed you are alluding to - if the company profit is too high, this leaves openings for competitors to move in and steal market share. If profits are too low, investors will move to other companies. It's a delicate balance, but works, as long as external forces (read - government) are kept at bay. Further, if corporate greed causes companies to sacrifice customer service, that leaves an opening for other companies to move in and steal market share with superior service - If that's what customers want and are willing to pay for - which brings us back to the start of this whole thing - people are overwhelmingly voting with their wallets that service isn't worth paying for.

All this sounds great but keep in mind Polk is selling a $6,000 pair of speakers so I think that negates your argument.

No, it doesn’t, because 1. They still make most of their money on the disposable lifestyle crap they sell on amazon and at Best Buy and 2. While $6000 is comparable to what a pair of SDA-SRSs cost in 1985, the rest of polks speakers are way cheaper than they were in the 80s and 90s. How do you make those speakers for less money and still make FAR more profit? Build them overseas and cut customer service are two main reasons.

Also, I venture that most people will buy the L800s from a dealer, and the dealer will be responsible for the customer service...

pitdogg2

BjornB17 wrote: »

daddyjt wrote: »

meucci2977 wrote: »

@daddyjt That is a interesting way at looking at customer service and price. I agree with you price sells . Let me ask a question. When you say the customer has spoken and has chosen lower price (I agree) did they ask the retailer to provide poor customer service simply because they want the best price? Our is it because the corporations are trying to keep the shareholders happy and cut customer service even know they were profitable before it becomes a vicious cycle of how low we can keep staffing levels.Lets say for example Lowes was profitable in all four quaters of the year. Corporate says we must beat expectations next quater and makes more cuts. Did the consumer want this or Lowes corporate? Same with product quality . Did the consumer say we want are products made oversees.I dont think the consumer said hey please move our jobs overseas and make poor quality products. Even know corporations are making a profit they will say we have to keep trying to top last years profits. They continue to outsource and make disposable products. I did not ask them to do this. Keep the American manufacturing jobs here. I guess I am a outlier and look at quality first.

First, yes - you (and most here, I presume) are in fact "outliers" that put quality first. The world has become disposable, from major appliances, computers, clothing, tools, and audio gear. Seriously, how many television repair shops are there now? Your 50" LCD tv cr@ps out? Just go to WalMart and buy a new one for <$400. DeWalt drill dead? Just buy a new one for $100. Seam tear on your favorite pair of pants? Just buy a new pair. Gone are the days of electronics repairmen, tool repair shops, seamstresses, etc. YES, I KNOW some of these shops remain, but nowhere near the levels just 20 years ago. And YES, the customer chose this. Want examples?

Kirby vacuums. Built like a tank, and built to last generations. Metal housing, repairable innards. Cost? Around $2,000 from knowledgeable dealers that traditionally provide outstanding service. What do customers overwhelming choose to purchase? the ~$120 model at Walmart.

High quality cutlery. Vanishing are the days that the majority of people purchase quality kitchen knives with quality construction and quality steel designed to last generations. I still use my grandfather's carving knife, and I have it sharpened every year or so. Ask me how hard it is getting to find someone who really knows how to put an edge on a knife. Why? Because MOST people have gravitated towards cheap garbage knives that they just throw away and replace when they get dull, because they are not worth sharpening.

Kobalt hand tools. When I started with Lowe's, Kobalt mechanic's tools were manufactured in the USA by JH Williams, to virtually the same spec as Snap-on tools. Pricey, yes - but awesome, American made hand tools manufactured to the highest specification. Then, we rolled out the Kobalt "homeowner" line - still the Kobalt name and warranty, but 1/2 the price, and manufactured in Taiwan. The "homeowner" line was short-lived, because it shortly became THE line. That's right, the customer OVERWHELMINGLY chose it over the more expensive, higher quality, USA made tools. Thus, the JH Williams manufactured tools went away, replaced by the Taiwanese manufacture.

Now, on to your questions about what I will term "corporate greed". What would you say if I told you that "Lowe's corporate" and the "customer" are one in the same? Lowe's, as well as all publicly traded companies, are accountable to the shareholder. Corporate profits drive stock price and dividends, which is in the interest of shareholders. There are several checks on the type of corporate greed you are alluding to - if the company profit is too high, this leaves openings for competitors to move in and steal market share. If profits are too low, investors will move to other companies. It's a delicate balance, but works, as long as external forces (read - government) are kept at bay. Further, if corporate greed causes companies to sacrifice customer service, that leaves an opening for other companies to move in and steal market share with superior service - If that's what customers want and are willing to pay for - which brings us back to the start of this whole thing - people are overwhelmingly voting with their wallets that service isn't worth paying for.

All this sounds great but keep in mind Polk is selling a $6,000 pair of speakers so I think that negates your argument.

When you buy those and have a problem a few years down the road, do you want to call and get a knowledgeable CS rep on the line or someone flipping through pages of questions to ask you and not even knowing how to respond to your answer if it doesn't align with the book template ? Do you want that person to have in depth knowledge about the product and know how to help you fix the problem? OR Do you want a busy line, no one to answer the phone or when they do answer the phone and just about to get to the problem and the line goes dead and start all over ? Do you expect those 6000.00 speakers to last decades OR do you expect them to be unsupported in 5 yrs ?

Up until about 10 yrs ago Polk was still producing drivers for 40 y.o. legacy products and had folks who built them and knew them inside out and backwards.

About 10 years ago you could come in here and see many threads that RAVED about how Polk CS went above and beyond for something that was DECADES out of warranty

DO YOU SEE THOSE NOW?

smglbrth

One would wonder if companies just came right out and said "Here is a new product line, it's cheaper because we outsourced it to other countries. They aren't American made like the more expensive products we offer. However, if you do choose to purchase the less expensive products over the American made products then be forewarned. This will mean our American factories will close, many will lose their jobs (maybe even your neighbor) and we will no longer offer any American made products".

I bet that would get peoples attention...

rooftop59

smglbrth wrote: »

One would wonder if companies just came right out and said "Here is a new product line, it's cheaper because we outsourced it to other countries. They aren't American made like the more expensive products we offer. However, if you do choose to purchase the less expensive products over the American made products then be forewarned. This will mean our American factories will close, many will lose their jobs (maybe even your neighbor) and we will no longer offer any American made products".

I bet that would get peoples attention...

Nope it wouldn’t. Most people already know and it doesn’t matter...for most people, emotions and immediate practical considerations drive moral and practical decision making...

smglbrth

You're probably right, unfortunately...

tonyb

Daddyjt speaks much truth in his analysis. You can take it a step further and consider why people vote with their wallets.

2 words......disposable income. The average family has seen out of pocket costs skyrocket, leaving them no choice but to seek out cheaper alternatives on other non essential or luxury items. Just Healthcare alone....and I don't have to tell anyone about that. All while wages remain relatively stagnant.

Those with a garage full of Amazon boxes, are having a need fulfilled. Everything runs hand in hand.

xsmi

Interesting how this conversation turned to globalization...

meucci2977

@daddyjt Its interesting to see somebody viewpoints who has worked in retail and sees the consumer spending habits.@rooftop 59 I agree with you 100% it wouldnt matter because they already know or simply dont care. Price sells and they will spend two hours on there $800 intelligent phone trying to save $10 bucks on a item.@tonyb you hit the nail on the head. For families who are barely treading water to keep the lights on they have no choice to buy the cheapest socket set from lowes when they need to fix the family truckester to get back and forth from work. It seems like a never ending vicious cycle. I go out of my way to buy American made. From my blue jeans,pocket knives,flashlights,work boots,guns,dinner ware,glass ware,butcher knive,tools. All made here by Americans. I often ask people where are your kids going to work? Oh by the way my car amp and sub is made here and no there not just assembled here . Amp enclosure made here ,boards are soldiered here. Sub baskets are made here.Hard to believe I know. Support your fellow Americans find something you need or want and see if its made here first !!!!!

mhardy6647

aiyeeee... paragraphs @meucci2977, please! ... paragraphs!
(or at least, some carriage return/line feeds)

BlueFox

mhardy6647 wrote: »

aiyeeee... paragraphs @meucci2977, please! ... paragraphs!
(or at least, some carriage return/line feeds)

Yes. Thank you.

rooftop59

mhardy6647 wrote: »

aiyeeee... paragraphs @meucci2977, please! ... paragraphs!
(or at least, some carriage return/line feeds)

he typed it on his $800 intelligent phone

One thing I will add, @meucci2977, is that that future of American jobs is most certainly NOT manufacturing - that ship has LONG sailed. Some experts opine that very soon even most medical care will be done by robots, which has already begun. Factories are becoming more and more automated every day. So, while its a nice sentiment, your purchasing American made products is only a temporary stop gap, even if lots of people did it we would be playing a losing game...

Education is the key to jobs. You simply cannot make a decent living with a high school degree only like you could 50 years ago...

gp4jesus

I’m acquainted w/these CS issues in another industry in one the companies.

On both sides of the company/employee divide, the $ rules. I know first hand the reps barely know enough to be dangerous. If you get into something related to their service, equivalent, or both their supervisors don’t know. One them “dissed” me big time. 2-3 days later had the “privilege” to write a wonderful detailed review on said supervisor.

😢