Is it just me, or is it getting harder to get good service anymore? As someone who works with the public, I understand the importance of good customer service. Perhaps that's why the following has really ticked me off:

We are in the midst of doing some major landscaping in our yard. The first frustration came right from the start. Getting anyone to come out to give us an estimate was like pulling teeth. Finally we got two different landscaping companies to come out. After hearing good things about one of them, we decided they would do the work. One of the projects is to have a walkway constructed to our rear gate. We take care of my inlaws and since they are both disabled, it is impossible for them to take the journey across the grass to the park behind our house. It took about three weeks and several phone calls to the landscaper to get the proper stone and have it delivered. Another two weeks passed with three skids of stone sitting in my yard and no landscaper in site. My wife's phone calls were never answered. It took a call from me telling them to send the bill for the stone and I'll hire someone else to do the work before they called back full of apologies and excuses for not getting back to us (I won't even go into how silly some of the excuses were!). They promised weather permitting to start work last Friday. Well, last Friday came and went and no landscaper. I was ready to snap, but my wife told me to calm down and give them one more chance. Well, low and behold they showed up yesterday and started digging without even knocking on our door! I was at work and luckily my wife was home and heard all the commotion in the back. They were about to start digging in the wrong spot! After getting things straight, the walkway at least looks quite good. I was surprised to see them back today finishing things up. I had several other projects planned for them to do but I think I'll try to find time to do them myself. I understand many folks in this business tend to pick and choose the more lucrative jobs. I could understand the poor response if I was asking them to do a job that was only a few hundred bucks. This project is substantially higher. Maybe it's a small town thing as my next example may confirm:

As you know I have been promising a logo for the site. I also need a logo for my new part time business. I hired a designer located nearby (again by good references) to design them for me. I met with her and gave her many examples of the style I wanted for both logos. Well, we are getting on two months and after two lackluster examples, I decided to take my lumps and go with another artist located in Toronto. My mistake for not chosing a "car guy/gal" to do the work. So, it will be a little while longer before you see a logo, but this time I think the wait will be worth it. It was the same type of experience that I had with the landscaper- phone calls and emails not returned, lackluster performance, lame apologies,  and a seemingly non-caring attitude. Am I the only one experiencing this type of service? I know we have been riding on high times in the last few years, but the economy is really starting to slow down. Shouldn't these small businesses be bending over for their customers?
That's my rant.
  Todd