Customer service is a different set of skills. Anybody and everybody can learn customer service if they want to, and get rid off the middle men with some effort and some investments. But most companies simply don't want to invest in it and leave it to middle men instead.

Also, most business owners do not have a clue of what they're doing. They inherited the business, or caught a ride on low interests etc. That's why there's still fierce competition and newcomers eating their lunch.

I agree with you that it is completely backwards!