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Purpose Despite increased emphasis on customer or market orientation over the past several decades, there is considerable evidence that many customer service practices have created a “Janus face” situation in which stated marketing philosophy often differs from practice. This paper aims to explore those issues in marketing practice. Design/methodology/approach This paper develops a typology of “new age” practices in customer service that seem to serve to annoy, alienate and even potentially harm consumers. Consumer-coping mechanisms for dealing with such practices are then discussed, arguing that the practices themselves are not in the best long-term interests of the firm. This paper concludes with suggestions for how firms can avoid a “Janus face” situation and better serve today’s educated consumers. Findings Too many of today’s ostensibly “marketing”-oriented companies are more concerned with selling and much less concerned with retention or real relationships. Unfortunately, even if companies are doing many things correctly, this does not sound like behavior that should exist in the so-called “marketing era” in the 21st century. Research limitations/implications The negative implication of extolling service excellence while delivering the opposite to customers is undesirable. Research that addresses the service challenges that firms face in this fast-changing marketing environment is crucial to advancing academic knowledge. Practical implications As marketing moves into 2020 and beyond, it is critical to correct these service issues and problems. Companies cannot really afford to drive away customers in the dynamic age of relationship marketing fueled by rapidly advancing technological change. Originality/value This paper presents a typology of “new age” customer service problems.

Consumers’ participation in regulatory decision-making in infrastructure sectors can be critical to ensure effective regulatory governance. Providing avenues for enabling consumers’ voice in the regulatory process expands the information base available to regulators in their decision-making, and is critical for ensuring sustainability of policy and regulatory decisions. However, in the reform process of many developing countries’ power sectors, the primary focus has been on the sector’s technical aspects, with inadequate effort to improve the experience of consumers, whether through better quality of service or by ensuring their participation in the regulatory process. This shortfall has often undermined the public’s understanding of and demand for reforms, often reflected in political reversal of key policy decisions. This paper examines the level and quality of consumer participation and protection in five states in India through a review of documents, surveys of consumers, and detailed interviews with key stakeholders. As mandated by law, all states have established standards of performance regulations and set up grievance redressal mechanisms; however, these bodies have not reached the desired level of effectiveness. Similarly, although provisions for consumer participation in regulatory proceedings exist, their adoption is often symbolic and without substantive and deliberative participation. Drawing on analysis of the Indian experience and international best practices, the paper recommends a paradigm shift in pursuing enhanced consumer satisfaction and voice in regulatory decision-making as a central objective of power reforms.