Inrecentyears,Israeliconsumershavegrownmoredemandingasthey’vebecomewealthierandmoreworldly-wise.Foreigntravelisanationalpassion;thissummeralone,onein10citizenswillgoabroad.Exposedtohigherstandardsofserviceelsewhere,Israelisarereturninghomeexpectingthesame.Americanfirmshavealsobegunarrivinginlargenumbers.ChainssuchasKFC,McDonald’sandPizzaHutaresettinganewstandardofcustomerservice,usingstrictemployeetrainingandconstantmonitoringtoensurethefriendlinessoffrontlinestaff.EventheAmericanhabitoftellingdepartingcustomersto“Haveaniceday”hascaughtonalloverIsrael.“Nobodywakesupinthemorningandsays,‘Let’sbenicer,’”saysItsikCohen,directorofaconsultingfirm.“Nothinghappenswithoutcompetition.”Privatization,orthethreatofit,isamotivationaswell.MonopoliesthatuntilrecentlyhavebeenfreetotaketheircustomersforgrantednowfearwhatMichaelPerry,amarketingprofessor,calls“therevengefulconsumer.”WhenthegovernmentopenedupcompetitionwithBezaq,thephonecompany,itsinternationalbranchlost40%ofitsmarketshare,evenwhileofferingcompetitiverates.SaysPerry,“Peoplewantedrevengeforalltheyearsofbadservice.”Theelectriccompany,whosemonopolymaybeshort-lived,hassuddenlymoppedrequiringuserstowaithalfadayforarepairman.Now,appointmentsarescheduledtothehalf-hour.ThegracelessElAlAirlines,whichisalreadyatauction,hasrestraineditsemployeestoemphasizeserviceandisboastingabouttheresultsinanadcampaignwiththeslogan,“Youcanfeelthechangeintheair.”Forthefirsttime,praiseoutnumberscomplaintsoncustomersurveysheets.4.TheexampleofElA1Airlinesshowsthat________.
WhenpeoplediscoverthatIworkasafilmandTVextra(临时演员),theyalwaysaskmethesamequestions:Emily,isiteasytogetwork?Isn’titboring?Doyougettomeetfamousactors?Doesitpaywell?Myanswersareprettystandardaswell:Yes,sometimes,onceinawhile,and...kindof.Thelifeofanextraisbothmoreinterestingandmoreboringthanyoumightimagine.Extras,whoplaythepeopleincrowds,onstreets,orinthebackgroundofindoorsscenes,cancomefromallwalksoflife.Unlikemanyextras,I’matrainedactor.Idogetrealspeakingroles,butworkcanbehardtocomebyifyou’renotapopularstar.I’mregistered(注册)withanagencythatdealsonlywithextras,soIgetcallsallthetime.TheagencyexplainswhoI’llbe-someoneinacrowd,amemberofajury,aclerk-andtellsmewheretogo.Calltimeisusuallybrightandearly,soItrytogettobedatareasonablehour,Sometimesbeinganextraisa“hurryupandwait”job.Inmyfirstextrarole,Iwasoneofagroupofofficeworkerswhocomeoutofabuildingjustasacarexplodes(爆炸)inthestreet.Wewaitedforhoursforthescenetobeshot,andthenwentinandoutofthebuildingaboutfiftytimes,tryingtoactterrifiedbyanexplosionwhichwasnotreal.Thenwehadlunch,changedclothes,andspenttheafternoonsascustomersinadepartmentstore.ItmaysoundlikeIdon’tenjoythework,butIdo.Beingpartofthebackgroundinaconvincing(令人信服的)wayischallenging,andbeingonafilmorTVsetisalwaysfascinating.Alotoffamousactorsdon’tevennoticetheextras,buttheoneswhodomakethejobalotoffunforeveryone.Asforthemoney,it’snothingcomparedtowhatthebigactorsmake,butitprettymuchpaysthebills.And,asabonus,I’vebeatenmyhighscoresonallmyphonegames,thankstoallthetimeIspendsittingaround,waitingforsomethingtohappen.29.Accordingtothepassage_________.