#Engagement Rings In Costa Mesa

[wmharoldjewelry]

Engagement Rings In Costa Mesa, CA

Discover the perfect engagement ring in Costa Mesa, CA, at WM Harold Jewelers. WM Harold is renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship and personalized service and offers a stunning selection for every style and budget. Whether you're seeking a classic solitaire or a unique design, WM Harold Jewelers provides expert guidance to help you find the ring of your dreams. Visit their showroom today to begin your journey toward forever.

[hydeparkjewelers]

Stylish Hexagon Diamond Rings for the Unconventional Bride

More and more brides are moving away from popular engagement rings in Costa Mesa and towards alternative cuts and unique gemstones. One such cut is a hexagon cut that reflects your style and personality preferences.

Hexagon rings are rare and distinctive and offer you a ton of room to custom-design your ring yourself. This style is ideal for brides who are searching for a fresh vintage aesthetic with a classic twist.

Reasons to love hexagon diamonds

One of the biggest reasons why a lot of brides tend to prefer hexagon engagement rings in Irvine is that they offer a unique feel. While this stone shape is rare, being versatile, it perfectly pairs with a range of cuts, settings, and styles to meet your needs.

Hexagon rings bring a lot of light into the center of your diamond offering you a ton of shine and shimmer. These stones pair beautifully with a two-stone, cluster, or a solitaire setting as it brings out the beauty of the diamond.

Just keep in mind that if not cared for properly, the edges of your stone could dull over time. Hexagon rings can also snag on clothing and other soft surfaces owing to their defined edges and so you need to ensure that you pick a durable setting like a prong, solitaire, or bezel that can secure the diamond.

Some jewelers will place a round or oval-cut custom jewelry in Irvine into a geometric setting to make it look hexagonal. You can even add smaller side white diamonds for added shimmer.

Always make sure you choose a high-grade and excellent cut for your gemstone. Ensure that it has next to no flaws and small imperfections so that it can shine brightly.

If a diamond isn’t your style, you can choose another gemstone like a sapphire, morganite, ruby, or emerald. Just make sure that it’s durable and tough enough to weather daily wear and tear.

The Takeaway

You can take your ring to a professional to clean, repair, and maintain it so that it looks new and shiny for years to come. Your jeweler will polish your metal band, tighten your setting, and buff your gemstone so that it’s in good condition. If cared for properly and looked after, you can even pass down your hexagon diamond as an heirloom piece to future generations for years to come.

[winstonscrown]

How to Shop for an Engagement Ring – A Buying Guide

Traditionally yellow gold, silver, and platinum fine jewelry in Costa Mesa was a popular choice. However, over the years, brides are now choosing metals that are tougher like cobalt, tungsten, and titanium which are ideal for active and outgoing brides who work a lot with their hands. Always consider your lifestyle and style preferences along with your budget before you choose metal. You can also decide about the type of engraving or finish you want for your piece.

[wmharold]

Discover your dream engagement ring at WM Harold in Costa Mesa. With a wide selection of classic and modern designs, you'll find one that perfectly captures your unique love story. For more visit:https://www.wmharold.com/product-category/engagement-wedding/engagement-rings/

[nathanalanjewelers]

Custom jewelry Costa Mesa

At Nathan Alan Jewelers, our collection of Custom Jewelry Costa Mesa, CA, represents the ultimate in luxury and refinement. Explore the exquisite world of custom jewelry at Nathan Alan Jewelers by visiting our Costa Mesa showroom.

[jewellerystorebrooks]

Discover Luxury Jewelry for Every Occasion in Orange County

When it comes to finding high-quality jewelry, Orange County’s coastal cities offer a wealth of options. Whether you’re searching for the perfect engagement ring, a custom piece of jewelry, or looking to sell some of your treasures, these cities have you covered.

In case you are wondering how you can find stunning luxe jewelry for every occasion, here are a few things that you should consider.

Fine Jewelry Stores in Corona Del Mar

Jewelry Store Calgary, Alberta offer a selection that is both elegant and diverse. These stores pride themselves on providing exceptional craftsmanship, whether you are searching for a stunning diamond necklace or a unique bracelet.

Whether you’re marking a special occasion or just treating yourself, the personalized service and attention to detail ensure that every purchase feels like a bespoke experience.

Many of these stores also offer custom jewelry design, where you can bring your vision to life with the help of skilled artisans.

Finding the Perfect Engagement Ring in Costa Mesa

For those ready to take the next big step, Engagement Rings Calgary, Alberta are known for their beauty and variety. Costa Mesa’s jewelers offer everything from classic diamond solitaires to more intricate designs featuring alternative gemstones.

With such a wide array of styles, you will have no trouble finding the perfect symbol of your love. Many stores also provide custom design services, allowing you to create a ring that’s entirely unique to your relationship.

Expert jewelers in Costa Mesa will work closely with you to ensure your engagement ring reflects your personal style and story.

Selling Jewelry in Newport Beach

If you are looking to sell your valuable items, Lab Diamonds Calgary, Alberta are well-known for offering fair and competitive prices. You can sell gold, diamonds, or designer pieces. These buyers have the expertise to provide accurate evaluations.

The process is straightforward and professional. So, it is easy to turn your precious items into cash without stress. The buyers are known for their transparency and customer service, ensuring you feel confident and comfortable throughout the transaction.

Conclusion

Orange County’s jewelry scene is nothing short of extraordinary. Whether you are browsing beautiful pieces or searching for your dream engagement rings, ensure you always work with a trusted jewelry store. That way, you can be certain of the craftsmanship, quality, and authenticity of your piece.

[travis-and-jodi]

Travis & Deanna ~~~~~~ some old pics of me & you

For ten years Deanna Reid was Travis’ best friend. They met in 1998, when Travis had just returned from his mission in Colorado. It didn’t take long for them to realize the bond they had was something special. It had nothing to do with PPL or religion, although they both were LDS and shared the same ward. It also was devoid of sex or gratification. It was just two people trying to get started in life and connecting on an authentic level.

What started as friendship eventually grew into more and within a few months of dating, Travis started talking about marriage. But Deanna was only 21 years old and thought it was important to complete a mission of her own. So in June of 2000, Deanna left for Costa Rica where she would remain until November 2001. They were able to stay in touch, but only through letters. Travis was devastated that she left and frequently professed his love.

But Travis was in his early twenties and was finding it hard to maintain the long distance relationship. He started seeing somebody else, a girl named Linda Ballard. He wrote to Deanna to let her know.

There’s always been a pattern of Travis needing to connect quickly. No doubt, that vulnerability was born out of neglect and the loss of both of his parents.

For a brief time, Travis shared a good relationship with Linda. So much so that he bought a ring for her in 2001. This was the engagement ring that Jodi borrowed from Travis in 2008. But Linda was not a fan of PPL. In fact, she wanted Travis to quit his business which, of course, he wouldn’t. It became a major point of contention between the two and eventually ended their relationship. But the timing worked out well because Deanna was just about to return. By January 2002, Travis and Deanna were dating again.

The pair seemed to pick up pretty effortlessly from where they left off. In her book, Our Friend Travis, Sky describes this as a happy time in Travis’ life. She says Deanna “meant everything to him”.

When you examine the Travis that was dating Deanna several yearsago to the Travis we saw in 2008, there are some obvious differences that are hard to miss. The blazing ego and focus on money has not yet become a driving factor in his life. Travis seems a lot more humble and easy-going. Deanna describes their relationship as fun.

The other big difference is Travis’ ability to communicate with Deanna. They talk about everything, including his past, which he has since not been able to do with any of his other girlfriends. But a change creeps in after Deanna. We find Travis too intimidated by Mimi to fully be himself. Her family was filled with scholars and musicians and next to her he felt inadequate. Lisa was young and not quite experienced enough yet to handle a discussion of that magnitude, about the deep pain and betrayal that comes with family dysfunction. With Deanna, there was no pretense, there was no T-Dogg; there was just love.

(VANITY: Jodi Arias by Lisa Wilson & Nick van der Leek)

JANUARY 26, 2008

06:15:12 DEANNA to TRAVIS: Turns out we’re not going to CA… Just thought I’d let ya know. But I am going snowboarding for the first time tomorrow! Wish me luck! Night travi.. Love you :-)

06:22:32 TRAVIS: Only bunny slope be careful. Love you too.

06:26:06 DEANNA: Don’t worry I’ll be careful… promise

From 2002 to 2004, Travis and Deanna were living in Riverside, CA, and were in an exclusive, committed relationship. Deanna was working for a company called Knox. They were located in Irvine, CA, but were moving their headquarters to Phoenix, AZ. Deanna decided she wanted to make the move as well. Travis also felt it was time for a change, and property was also more affordable in the Mesa, AZ, area than Southern California. They could both further their futures and continue their relationship.

Once they settled into their new places in Arizona – Travis with a new home and Deanna with an apartment – their relationship progressed and they became sexually intimate. That intimacy would continue over the course of the next year, but being serious about their faith [which required chastity] they decided it was time to speak with their Bishop. They stopped having sex and divulged all their sins. By breaking the Laws of Chastity, Travis lost his temple recommend.

But that wasn’t the only crack in Travis’ and Deanna’s relationship. Once again, the issue of marriage reared its ugly head. Ironically, this time, it was Deanna who wanted to get married but this time Travis couldn’t commit, he said he just wasn’t ready.

So what had changed? Five years prior, he desperately wanted to marry Deanna. And then shortly after, he wanted to marry Linda Ballard. But now, five years down the road, and three years into the best relationship of his life, he couldn’t make the commitment. Why?

In 2005, Travis had a very different life. He was finally starting to see the fruits of his labor with PPL. He was also on the verge of making a triple digit salary, while his best buddy, Chris Hughes, was becoming a millionaire. Travis bought his first house for $ 250,000, and at 3500 square feet, it wasn’t exactly your typical starter home. Next on the list, Travis bought a BMW.

When you consider where Travis was 15 years prior, starving daily in a roach-infested home, can you blame him for enjoying this lavish new life? Being so completely deprived of life’s necessities at such a young age sparked a fire in Travis that burned out of control. You see it all the time, people going from one extreme to the next. Giving up one vice only to get lost in another. That’s exactly what Travis did. He replaced poverty with money and sex. And when that becomes your priority in life, there’s simply no room for a woman like Deanna.

With all of these other women that Travis engaged, he didn’t have to be that starving child, he could be so much more. And that’s when he became T-Dogg. He systematically dismantled the life he had with Deanna, because the thought of ever being hurt by her was the equivalent of his parents dying and leaving him all over again. Subconsciously, he probably thought he was doing himself a favour by having relationships that just scratched the surface. But as we know, by 2008 Travis was spiralling out of control. With every empty association, he needed another to fill a new void created. It was addiction running rampant and it effected every decision Travis made.

Travis always said that whoever he dated would have to accept Deanna in his life. He had no intentions of ever giving that friendship up. But for a girl like Jodi, that was never gonna happen. People have always focused on Mimi being the girl that sent Jodi over the edge, but in reality the thorn in Jodi’s side was always Deanna. And Jodi never missed an opportunity to get her jabs in whenever she could. She even dissed Deanna in the 19 page letter she wrote to the Alexander family in July 2008, after she killed Travis.

“It wasn’t until February 2, 2007 that we decided to make things official. Things went really well despite one small hang up: Deanna Reid. I had no hostility toward her, from what Travis said, she seems like a very nice girl. But he made it clear that she could under no circumstances ever know about us because if she found out she would freak out and he was tired of dealing with her every time he tried to date someone. I was very understanding of this, as I had dealt with a similar situation in the past.”

All of this was a crock of shit. Even though Travis intentionally sabotaged his relationship with Deanna, he never stopped loving or caring for her, not even for a day.

APRIL 11, 2008

02:43:55 DEANNA to TRAVIS: Found some really old pics of me and you today. They were making me laugh! I love you Travi :-)

03:32:53 TRAVIS: And I love you :-)

APRIL 22, 2008

07:12:19 DEANNA to TRAVIS: I’m glad we hung out today… Thanks for always being my friend! Good night.

Deanna testified for the prosecution in the original trial in 2013, as well as the penalty phase in 2015. Both times she was a rock for Travis and his family.

Check out the look on Jodi’s face while Deanna testifies, it says it all doesn’t it? [1: 12]

Jodi’s just doodling away, making her artwork, but the look of disdain on her face is impossible to miss. I think if she could have jumped over the table and stabbed Deanna in the neck with her pencil, she would have. But Deanna’s a fighter; she stood her ground, not only with Jodi but with Jennifer Willmott too [1: 50].

Deanna was Travis’ constant. Even though they didn’t end up together, she was forever that person in his life. Chris Hughes acknowledges this in his letter to Travis in January 2007:

“In the 5 years I have known you, you have never committed to one woman, yet you have had dozens of women who would have loved just that. In those 5 years, the one constant has been Deanna. But she has been in a constant state of I don’t even know what since I have known her. You tell her you love her on many occasions, yet there is no commitment, yet the relationship, whatever it is, continues.”

June 9th, 2021 3:36pm Youtube 2000 2000.06 2005 2007 2008 2007.02 2007.01 2002.02.02 2008.01.26 2008.04 2008.04.11 2008.04.22

If there was one bright spot in all of the shit that Travis endured the last few years of his life, it was the friendship of Deanna. She stood by him, and supported him, in every way possible. She never lost sight of the man that was buried behind his vanity.

(VANITY: Jodi Arias by Lisa Wilson & Nick van der Leek)

[kwatermanphoto]

Smokin!! One word says it all #streetwear #allstreetwear #newyork #sandiego #losangeles #orangecounty #mesmerizing #posing #mood #shade #editorial #fashion #lgbtq #maeve #nightlife #calilife #dateidea #friends #cute #gold #diamonds #engagement rings #indianbride #fashionstyle #mensfashion #heartthrob #sexystyle #hotguys #davidyurman #headshots (at Costa Mesa, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPcMbS8j0af/?utm_medium=tumblr

[wmharoldjewelry]

Exquisite Emerald-Cut Diamond Rings with Vintage Glam

Are you considering an emerald-cut diamond ring? If yes, then you made the right choice. Emerald-cut engagement rings in Costa Mesa, CA offer a flattering feel and make your stone appear larger than other cuts.

While this cut is not the sparkliest, it’s just as stunning and creates a glamorous, mirror-like effect. This diamond makes your fingers appear slender and has a larger surface area than most other cuts.

Reasons to love emerald-cut diamond rings

One of the main reasons why a lot of brides tend to prefer emerald-cut diamonds is that they easily stand out from the rest. If you’re looking to sell diamonds in Orange County, CA, then make sure you actually see the diamond in person or ask your jeweler to send you high-definition pictures and videos of the stone.

While emerald diamonds are affordable, it all depends on the type of stone, metal, and setting you choose. It can range from affordable to high-end.

Your jewelry store in Laguna Beach, CA will tell you that these diamonds look stunning on their own and the setting will only enhance the beauty of the stone. Emerald-cut diamonds look beautiful with halo and solitaire settings as they balance out the facets of the diamond.

This cut has been around for centuries making it ideal for vintage-inspired brides. If white diamonds aren’t your choice, you can also choose colored diamonds or sapphires and rubies for a pop of color to your piece.

In Summary

Unlike other cuts, emerald cuts put the focus on the clarity of the stone rather than the sparkle.

Since emerald-cut diamonds have such large and open facets,they show small imperfections easily. This means that you need to ensure that your stone has next to no small flaws and imperfections along with an excellent cut.

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Affordable and Durable Stainless Steel Engagement Rings for All Brides

If you’re the type of bride who’s searching for Engagement Rings In Newport Beach that are durable, affordable, and classic, stainless steel rings are the ideal choice for you. While traditional rings are made from yellow gold, rose gold or platinum, stainless steel can also be a cost-effective option.

These rings can be worn daily, especially if you tend to be active, outgoing, and work a lot with your hands. This allows you to keep your precious rings at home and simply wear your stainless steel ring.

Reasons to love stainless steel rings

One of the main reasons why a lot of brides tend to prefer stainless steel Diamond Necklaces in Newport Beach is that it’s quite durable. Whereas other metals like gold and silver rate between a two-point-five to a three on the Mohs scale, stainless steel rates a five-point-six.

This metal is resistant to chemicals, tarnishing and corrosion along with being easy to care for and maintain. You can be assured that this metal will not rust with daily wear and tear and does not need to be plated to preserve its shade and shine.

Stainless steel is also eco-friendly and as it takes a low amount of energy to manufacture and is completely recyclable. Being cost-effective, it’s not risky to wear because if it gets lost, misplaced or broken, repairing it will not be expensive.

Just keep in mind that this metal offers a metallic shine that may look a bit less high-end compared to the soft glow of platinum, gold, or silver.

Your Diamond Rings In Costa Mesa will advise you that stainless steel doesn’t have a high resale value since it’s not considered a fine metal and so will not make an heirloom piece. If you are looking for heirlooms pick pieces like platinum or gold that are valuable.

These rings have just become popular and so only a handful of jewelers keep them. If you’re set on diamonds, then you might need to get your piece custom made since most stainless-steel rings come with cubic zirconia instead.

With so many different types of stainless steel, you can easily choose the look you want. While some brides opt for geometric patterns, others pick engravings or a brushed antique look.

In Conclusion

Make sure to take your ring in to a professional to clean, repair, and maintain it once a year so that it stays in good condition.

[winstonscrown]

How to Shop for an Engagement Ring – A Buying Guide

So, you’re looking for the perfect custom engagement rings in Newport Beach. And, while engagement ring shopping can be fun, it’s easy to get trapped in a whirlwind of romance and pick a ring that trendy rather than something you resonate with.

Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to choosing the perfect piece so that you get the ring of your dreams.

Understand the shape you want

If you know the type of diamond cut your partner loves, this makes it easier to shop for wedding rings in Costa Mesa. Round cuts are popular and expensive, while pear, oval, and marquise cuts are affordable and classic.

You can even look for vintage-inspired cuts and gemstones like diamonds, sapphires, and rubies that are tough and can easily weather daily wear and tear.

Picking a metal for your ring

Traditionally yellow gold, silver, and platinum fine jewelry in Costa Mesa was a popular choice. However, over the years, brides are now choosing metals that are tougher like cobalt, tungsten, and titanium which are ideal for active and outgoing brides who work a lot with their hands.

Always consider your lifestyle and style preferences along with your budget before you choose metal. You can also decide about the type of engraving or finish you want for your piece.

Carat size and clarity

While some brides prefer to splurge on their center stone and keep their setting simple, others opt for a larger carat size and higher grade. Make sure that your gemstone is free from small flaws and inclusions as this can lower the value of your gemstone.

When it comes to diamonds, if white diamonds aren’t your style, you can choose other gemstones like rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and amethysts. These colorful stones offer a vibrant pop of color and will not show small imperfections easily.

The Takeaway

Make sure you get your ring finger measured before you choose a ring. Your ring should be so loose that it falls off or so tight that it cuts off your circulation, it should be comfortable enough for daily wear.

Some jewelers will not resize or alter a vintage piece as it can affect the integrity and value of the ring. In such cases, you can check if your professional jeweler accepts exchanges or returns and invest in another piece you love.

[wmharold]

Color and cut of diamonds: Two key aspects to consider when buying engagement rings 

Your wedding or engagement day is likely to be among the most cherished and important events of your life. Hence, it is important that people properly search and buy the perfect Engagement Rings In Huntington Beach, CA that act as physical evidence of the bond they share with their spouse. You and your spouse will tie knots for life, and your diamond engagement rings will highlight the commitment you both have toward the relationship. Hence, you need to prioritize buying the ideal Diamond Rings In Huntington Beach, CA, for the event. Among other things, you need to properly check the cut and color of the diamonds while buying an engagement ring, as they shall determine the worth of the ring, both in regard to its price and appearance.

Cut of the diamond

The cut of the diamond determines its sparkle and brilliance. A diamond with the right cut shall be the best the most. While high quality diamonds ideally must have a great shine, if their cut is not right, then the stone may look sub-par even after having excellent color clarity. An ideal cut shall offer a flash of maximum brilliance, and it decreases as you move to a poor cut.

Color of the diamond

Color is the second most important feature to ponder over after the cut. The best quality diamonds are expensive and colorless. The color of diamonds is subjective, and you can select the hue of your choice. The color of the diamonds shall impact the entire look of your ring. Intensely colored diamonds are comparatively rare to find, and usually cost more.

People can simply visit a good Jewelry Store In Costa Mesa CA, check out the collection of diamond rings there, and purchase the one whose color and cut seem to be most impressive.

[shaizstern]

Article from WSJ: Everyone Hates Customer Service. This Is Why.

Technology lets companies see how badly they can treat consumers, right up until the moment they bolt

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN KUCZALA; PHOTOS: ISTOCK

By Sharon Terlep

In corporate parlance, it’s called the “breakpoint.” It’s how far customers can be pushed before their heads explode.

From long waits at the airport to rude store clerks to ineffective helplines, shoddy customer service is a universal frustration. Today, companies crunch data and use artificial intelligence to determine exactly how angry a customer has to be to bolt. Many are walking right up to that line.

Technologies can track how long a customer will wait for a human to answer the phone and how many ads they will tolerate. They can monitor the tone of a customer’s voice. Companies know what steps they must take to keep shoppers loyal—and which they can skip.

This knowledge has contributed to a decline in how customers are treated, say analysts, consultants and former executives. A smaller number make the counter case: that companies are using their better read to improve the customer experience.

“There is more data available on just how disgruntled someone can be,” said Megan Burns, CEO of consulting company Experience Enterprises.

Sally Robey reached her breakpoint with AT&T Inc. after six calls and a collective four hours on the phone with customer-service agents over the price of an unlimited phone plan. “It’s like they have a stranglehold on us,” said Ms. Robey, who had been an AT&T customer for 30 years when she decided she was done.

Sally Robey, in her home in Wilmette, Ill., says made six calls and spent four hours on the phone with customer-service agents over the price of an unlimited phone plan. PHOTOS: EVAN JENKINS FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL(2)

Dogged by overage fees on her family’s seven-phone wireless plan, Ms. Robey, a mother of four from Wilmette, Ill., set out to get a plan with unlimited data. An AT&T cable subscriber and customer since 1988, she eventually got a better deal from Verizon CommunicationsInc. and returned to AT&T to see if it would match the rates. AT&T declined.

“I said, ‘This is ridiculous, you’re not doing anything to keep us,’” Ms. Robey said. The agent, she said, told her: “No, there’s nothing I can do.”

It was only when Ms. Robey was in the act of switching phone numbers to Verizon from AT&T that the wireless carrier buckled, she said.

“Then they were, like, ‘Oh, we want to keep you.’ ” She ended up staying because the company gave her what she wanted right before she was about to leave.

An AT&T spokeswoman declined to comment on Ms. Robey’s situation but said the company contacted her on the matter.

The telecom giant is among the companies employing artificial intelligence to gauge customers’ behavior patterns and personalities to pair them with customer-service agents.

“Matching the right agent to customers improves the likelihood of a positive outcome, measured by resolution rate and satisfaction scores,” an AT&T spokeswoman said. The company declined to comment further.

Some companies now equip call centers with software that analyzes a caller’s tone of voice and pace of speech to determine how upset the person is. Angrier callers get routed to agents skilled at de-escalating conflict, who are in turn warned in advance.

San Francisco-based cloud communications provider Dialpad Inc. transcribes call-center conversations in real time, sensing when a call is taking a turn for the worse. That can help prompt a manager to listen in, view the transcript and step in if necessary without having to ask customers to repeat themselves.

“Voice is the last offline data set,” said Dan O’Connell, chief strategy officer, who says analyzing the tone of calls can help business quickly address customer concerns.

Computing power and processing power have expanded exponentially, said John Birrer, chief of staff of Afiniti Inc., a company that makes call-center software. “That allows you to make a millisecond decision when a call comes in to decide in a sophisticated way how to handle the call,” he said.

Afiniti crunches data gleaned from consumers’ demographic profiles, credit scores and past interactions with a company to determine which customer-service agent is the best fit. An algorithm then matches the caller to the agent who has had the most success with that type of caller.

“Every agent has their own personality and every customer has their own personality,” said Mr. Birrer. “We try to pair people.” AT&T uses the company’s system.

The emergence of companies that sell their products directly to shoppers means more firms have data on exactly when, how and why consumers buy—or don’t buy—their products. Since they don’t use a middleman they can know, for instance, that two delayed shipments won’t cost the company business, but three will.

Online sellers don’t have to worry as much about driving customers away with ads that pop up during the checkout process because they know it takes a certain number until people actually cancel their purchase, according to an industry consultant who worked at a company that used such a system. Retailers track consumers’ clicks as they go through the ordering process, allowing them to discern how many ads can appear before shoppers bail.

When she was about to change companies, Ms. Robey says she got the deal she wanted. PHOTO: EVAN JENKINS FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Just as data can be used to measure customers’ threshold for bad service, it also helps pinpoint which shoppers are most profitable and, therefore, worth the effort and expense to please.

“Companies have gotten good at figuring out what does and doesn’t move the needle and what things will increase sales and what will not increase sales,” said John Mitchell, president and managing principal of Applied Marketing Science, a customer-service consulting firm.

“Breakpoint” is an informal term used by some companies and consultants to describe the point at which consumers quit, whether it’s canceling a subscription service, no longer buying a product or switching to a rival company.

Matt Dixon, a longtime customer-service consultant, is now product chief at Tethr, an Austin-based company that uses artificial intelligence to analyze customer interactions. 

Mr. Dixon said there is a disconnect between what companies think customers want and what they actually want. For instance, it’s most common for customer-service agents to have empathetic personalities, a sought-after trait in the field.

But in an analysis of how well customer-service agents perform, a personality type known as a “controller,” someone who is “outspoken and opinionated,” did far better, Mr. Dixon said. Yet only 2% of managers interviewed in the study said they would consider hiring such a person.

“People want to deal with someone who is smarter than they are and who will fix their problem,” he said.

Executives might not even have to solve the problem to put the customer at ease. A Harvard study of Twitter interactions from March 2015 to April 2016 found replying speedily to a complaining customer and making the response personal is an effective way to retain business, even if the company doesn’t resolve the issue.

The study examined more than 400,000 customer-service tweets involving airlines and wireless carriers in the U.S. Researchers contacted the posters and found consumers who engaged companies on Twitter were more likely to prefer the brand or pay more for it, even if their tweet was negative or neutral.

Dan Russo, a once-disgruntled Wells Fargo & Co. customer, has come to appreciate an efficient approach to customer service. He says that three years ago, he was unemployed when he incurred hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees, triggered because a direct-withdrawal for a gym membership, which he believed he had canceled, left his bank account short. That caused a handful of other small charges to bounce.

Furious because the purchases that bounced amounted to less than $20, he said he pleaded with a bank agent to remove the fees. He said he called at least seven times, going through different departments and supervisors.

Mr. Russo, a 36-year-old regional vice president for a construction company who lives in Costa Mesa, Calif., switched to an online bank—where, he said, “You call, the phone rings, and someone answers. No sub menu, no ‘hit option 9.’ ”—and has been pleased with his experience.

“I think these big banks know people will call in, get frustrated and hang up,” he said. “They know they can charge fees before someone leaves, and they know there’s a perception that it’s hard to change banks.”

A Wells Fargo spokesman declined to comment on Mr. Russo’s situation. The bank provides customers with a list of outside entities that make withdrawals to customers’ accounts to help them track recurring payments, he said. It also has added features to prevent overdraft fees, such as automatically sending an alert to online banking customers when their available balance drops to zero or below.

There is plenty to blame for the collective angst over poor customer service. Companies are bigger and employees more transient. Consumers have more avenues to shop and are therefore less loyal. The outsourcing wave of the 1990s and 2000s shifted legions of call centers to developing nations, where workers make little money, are disconnected from the companies they work for and often face language barriers.

Businesses have digitized basic customer-service functions, such as checking bank statements and making online returns. That means customers who connect with customer-service agents are generally those with the most complex problems. That leads to more difficult interactions.

Gutted customer-service operations are a lasting legacy of the financial crisis. More than 80% of companies pared customer-service or contact-center staff amid the recession, according to DMG, a West Orange, N.J.-based consulting firm.

“They just kept cutting and downsizing” during the financial crisis, said Richard Shapiro, founder and president of the Center for Client Retention in New Jersey. Customer-service departments and employees are generally the first and easiest cut companies make in difficult times. “If a general manager all of a sudden had a high profit we knew why: they cut their customer service department,” he said. “But a year later they would have problems.”

HappyOrNot Ltd. is a company that allows businesses to track customer satisfaction in stores and airports using red-and-green buttons and touch screens. Customers tap the devices—a green smiley face for happy, or red frowny face for not—to provide immediate feedback. Co-founder Ville Levaniemi calls the concept a “service panic button.”

Unhappy customers are by far more likely to reply, he said. The company needed to build heartier machines for airports to withstand angry punches to the red frown. Touch screens had to be programmed to recognize repeat entries by the same person trying to amplify their negative opinion.

“It’s kind of cathartic, it provides them a channel to vent their dissatisfaction,” he said.

Historians point to another factor in the erosion of customer service: communications technology. Automated call distributors, which routed calls to customer-service agents, furthered the ability of companies to deal with customers remotely and en masse, depersonalizing the relationship.

Continental Airlines was one of the first big companies to make broad use of call distributors using a system developed in the early 1970s.

Passengers waited to talk with customer service agents at Denver International Airport in June. Airlines were known for their customer service in the 1960s.PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES(2)

It is perhaps fitting that the industry which pioneered one of the most transformative technologies in customer service is also the one often linked to its declining standards.

Airlines in the 1950s and 1960s were known for doting flight attendants and perks such as fine dining and souvenirs for children. Delta Air Lines Inc. founder C.E. Woolman, who led the company in the 1930s and 1940s, would sometimes bring delayed passengers home for dinner and to sleep, said his daughter, Barbara Woolman Preston, according to the company’s website.

Deregulation of the airline industry in the late 1970s led to an explosion in competition. While the shift made commercial flying far more affordable, it also led to decades of cost cutting and increasingly limited service so loathed by current-day travelers.

The airline industry last year was near the bottom of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which rates industries based on customer surveys. Last year, airlines averaged 39th out of ACSI’s 46 benchmarked industries. In 2018, internet-service providers and subscription-television services were the lowest. Brewing companies scored highest.

While customer frustration is more palpable today, whether people are truly treated worse by companies now is a matter of debate among researchers, analysts and companies.

Ewan Duncan, a McKinsey & Co. senior partner who consults on customer service, is among those who say the perception—not the actual experience—has grown worse in recent years. The social-media echo chamber and the fact that live customer-service agents are tackling more complex problems gives the impression things are worse than they are, he said.

“When you’re sitting on a plane and don’t have a gate, you’re grumpy and you tweet it out,” Mr. Duncan said. “If you have a good experience, you thank somebody and that’s it.”

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