So my friend and I were talking the other day and our conversation led us to the topic of customer service. She was telling me about a recent experience where she had called in to her job, she's a yoga instructor for a gym, and asked the front desk receptionist what days does the payroll week end and begin? The receptionist's response was "I don't know" and that was it. She didn't follow up with "Let me check or Let me find out for you," or anything to that effect. So my friend's next question was "Can you ask someone?" "I can't," she said "no one is here right now." Hmm...so I would think the receptionist would say something like "No one is available right now but when I find out I can give you a call back," but did she...nope. My friend was just a little upset and floored by it.
So what did my friend do? Well she drove down there, found the manager and asked him. She then went to the receptionist (she asked for her name before they ended their phone conversation) and told her when the payroll period was. My friend said that the look on the girls face was priceless, not to mention speechless and to add a little drama she told the girl to "wipe that look of your face because I'm only trying to help you in case another employee asks you the same question you won't look stupid again." (Yesss...hi five to my friend!)
We then started talking about how the "young adults" if you want to call them that, nowadays have no respect for people and no customer service skills. When we were their age, which was not long ago, less than 10 yrs., we were courteous and helpful. We never would have said "I don't know" and left it at that. We always went above and beyond, it was the right thing to do so why wouldn't we. So what's changed? Don't people care anymore?
I wish I could say that it's just kids being kids but that can't be the whole truth. As a parent now, I think it has to do a lot with a person's home life. Are parents teaching their children manners? How to be polite, helpful, and courteous? Are they setting good examples? From my own experiences I find that people in general are just grumpy and very impolite and for lack of a better word, that sucks! An example for you, everyday I smile at people when I'm out and about. There is no real meaning behind it only that I want you to know that I see you, and I acknowledge you. When I go to a store I always hold the door open for the person behind me and I'll say more than 60% of the time, that person will not say thank you. My 4 year old son does the same thing and even he doesn't get a thank you. So what do they do in the moment of politeness, well most of the time I'm ignored. Sometimes the person will look me in the face and still not smile or say a word and it really is upsetting. Maybe I shouldn't care about people's reactions or even expect a proper thank you but I'd like to believe that there are still manners being taught.
I don't know if you've seen them but there are some commercials on TV where you see one person being nice to another person and it's almost like a trickle effect and the entire commercial it's people doing polite things for another. I wish this really was the case but as far as I can see it's not which is so unfortunate. Really the would would be a better place if this would happen more often.
Well, I guess to each his own. All I could do is continue to do what I've been doing and teaching my children to do the same and hopefully once in a while someone will catch the polite bug and the trickle effect will occur.
