WWW,
You advise people to drop their customer attitude when dealing with instructors. I beg to differ. I know that most (all?) instructors are poorly paid, overstretched, etc. Yet most (not all) of the ones I've flown with manage to retain their enthusiasm and professionalism for the job.
But there are exceptions. When my first instructor left, I was handed over to another one. He turned up for my first lesson with him an hour late. In the course of our (rather grumpy) conversation, I found out that he'd just been told that he was receiving a pay cut - had to work five days but was only being paid for four (three guesses which company he works for!). So he'd gone to have a sulk and mull the news over. OK, I understand. But over the next half a dozen lessons his motivation never improved, and rather than looking forward to my lessons I began to dread them. So I asked to change instructor.
My new instructor couldn't have been more different. Despite the fact that he'd been there longer and was equally affected by the pay cut, he was dedicated, professional and always gave 100 per cent to his students. If I'd stayed with my second instructor I think I'd still be doing circuits now!
So I think you should expect a minimum standard for the money you are paying. Yes, you have to be able to get on with different people as part of CRM. The difference is that with CRM someone else is paying you both to be there, but as a student you are paying for both of you!