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TwitterThe term Customer Service should now have, in my opinion, a question mark attached to it. Lately, I have been scratching my head over the situations I have encountered. It’s magnified even more for me because my son has just gotten his first job in the field.
His father and I have been coaching him in ways to handle co-workers and customers. He has to learn to engage his “edit” function when dealing with the absurdity that is retail these days.
Case in point: I was at a huge superstore with a known fast food restaurant inside. I wanted a drink and when the cashier deigned to break off her conversation with the handsome male standing to the side, I politely gave my order. She stared at me for a full minute (causing me to wonder if I had a protuberance of sort) then said, “We ain’t got no more.” I said “Pardon me?” and waited for clarification of that statement. She sighed as if I was the one at fault and told me that “we ain’t got no ice, and the soda won’t work.” Then she resumed her conversation with the good-looking man, who agreed with her eye rolls at me.
Not to be deterred, I grabbed a bottled drink and went over to the jewelry counter to pay. I went there because the express lanes were not express at all at that time because the 20 items or less sign was being ignored. I asked the associate if I could pay for my drink at her station. Another stare down, and a grudging “I guess” on her part let me find an end to this Twilight Zone of service.
I have every confidence that my son will rise to the challenge, but that doesn’t make the butterflies doing the samba in my gut slow down at all. It’s almost like sending him off to his first day of school again. I want to be able to peek into his workplace and make sure the other people are treating him fairly and sharing the work load evenly. Will the other workers be nice to him and help him find his way? How much trouble would I get into if I snuck back into the “employees only section” to make sure he filled out his time card correctly? I can still come running if he needs me, but my son is an independent soul. Always has been, to my chagrin.
I can only hope that he will do his best, color inside the lines and be polite no matter how inane the situation may get. I will be there for him, as much as he will let me, as I have always been. This time, I’ll be keeping watch from afar … in the minivan, with a set of high-powered binoculars making sure his work days go smoothly, ready to pounce on any unreasonable customer. At least, until I get banned from the parking lot, or store.
Z. Carlson is married with two children. She works part-time.
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Posted by: Amy G on 09/07/2010 @ 8:47 pm:
Amen Sister! Having worked in a customer service or account management (read overworked customer service rep) position for most of my adult life, it amazes me that businesses can remain profitable. I’ll put up with an awful lot to NOT have to get on the phone with people from my cellular provider, my bank and others that don’t even begin to the know the meaning of “customer service.”
Posted by: Mara on 09/09/2010 @ 12:34 am:
Z- it is stressful when our children get jobs and it is like starting kindergarten again. My daughter worked the late shift often and that added additional stress. The bottom line is that no matter what happens, it will be a learning experience. I hope it is a very positive one for you and your son. I, too, am amazed at how some employees treat customers. It is very sad at times. Has it always been this way and we are just noticing it more? Or have things gone down hill? All we can do it hope that our children will set a good example for others.
Posted by: mamacita on 09/09/2010 @ 2:26 pm:
So very true that customer service is a lost art! When I was a waitress I would bend over backwards to make the patrons happy, even if they were being condescending jerks. It is alarming how many people (not just teenage employees) act like they are doing you a big favor by getting your food, or answering a simple question about the merchandise in their store! It really does put a damper on your day when you get treated like a second class citizen while spending your hard earned money at establishments that don’t seem appreciative of your business. The new philosophy isn’t “The customer is always right” anymore, it’s something along the lines of “Get the money quickly, we don’t care if they come back ever again, at least you made a sale “. I find that I am willing to pay MORE just to find stores that truly do have polite and courteous staff that seem genuinely interested in my needs and my continued returns to their place of business.