Where has my butcher gone?

I had two types of customer care experiences this last week. I’m still taken back by the attitude of the two different service providers.

In the older days a  good cook will have a good relationship with his/her butcher or grocer or dairy store.  The relationship will be off such a nature, that the service provider will know his customer and will provide the service or the delivery of goods to the customers requirements. 

Last week I was on my way to the  butcher again, as he is the only one in our area where you can order a special cut of meat” Rack of Lamb”.  I had a conference and we planned to serve a rack of lamb for lunch.  With my recipe and picture in hand I explained and showed the recipe to the lady at the butchery and requested a rack of lamb for 7 people.  Firstly they looked if they did not know what I was talking about and then eventually the young man came and offer to do the cut of meat for me because he has seen it before in a cooking book! It was a disaster to say the least, I had to recut the lamb to serve it to the clients.

I went to the butcher for a second time to order some meat for another conference (hoping and silently praying that this time it will be diffirent). This time it was for Lamb Shank, once again  recipe in my hand with picture, I showed the picture to the lady and asked for nicely cut lamb shanks.  She blatently told me she is not prepared to cut the lamb shanks to  my specification even as I was prepared to pay for her extra effort.  I was stunned!
So off I went to Woolworths  were you do not see the butcher to cut you meat, but you have well cutted meat presented perfectly in whatever cut you might need (lamb shanks included).  There is not a human being that you need to explain to but there are gorgeous presentations of well cut red juicy pieces of  meat that is so inviting that I really do not need a human being standing there. 
Even if the meat comes with a extra price, after my numerous experiences I have decided that I will rather buy from Woolworts that trying to support my local butcher again and again.
Even if my motto is to support local , local was not prepared to deliver and supply a service. The idea that you will have a good relationship with your butcher, it is a fairy tale long gone.

Local business owners are always so up in arms whenever big chain companies come and force themselves in their market and take away their customers… What customers, really?

We are living in a vigilant consumer society and consumers know what they want and they are prepared to pay to get it!
We don’t need bad service ’cause once again the big shot retail store has shown that they know where their gold lies and happy customers equals happy returns.

I just wonder where my business would be if I had such a bad attitued towards my customers.