25+1 things vanishing in America: polite customers
Filed under: Extracurriculars, Career
For our recent series Vanishing in America, I wrote a post bemoaning the disappearance of customer service in the U.S. retail industry. Many readers rightly took me to task for appearing to place all the blame on waiters, clerks and call center reps. They pointed out that it takes two to tango, and when otherwise nice people are forced to deal with rude, inconsiderate and pushy customers all day long, their attitude is bound to suffer.Do any of these situations ring a bell?
- The customer in line in front of you at the big box store is haranguing the cash register clerk, demanding last month's sale price for the TV he intends to buy.
- Halfway through checkout, the grocery shopper realizes he forgot cottage cheese, and leaves the clerk and those in line behind him hanging while he walks back to the dairy section.
- Bright and early on Monday morning a woman comes into the fashion store to return an expensive dress she bought on Friday, and is indignant when the clerk points out the wine stains.
- The diner behind you told the waiter that she didn't want any onions in her French Onion Soup. Although he'd tried a dozen ways to politely explain to her the folly of her order, she insisted on ordering it. When the soup is served, she bitches him out for ignoring her request.
- The kid comes into the store, latches onto a sales rep and asks her help in finding just the right helmet for his motocross riding. After trying on every lid in the place until he finds the perfect one, he thanks her, but doesn't buy it, explaining that he can get it cheaper online now that he knows what he needs.
- The resource librarian is speechless to respond when a mother introduces her two preschoolers, explaining to them that the nice lady behind the desk will keep an eye on them while she runs to the bank.
Customer service and polite, reasonable customers; you can't have one without the other.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-10-2009 @ 11:17PM
nova_sys_eng said...
Enjoyed reading "25 things - Customer service", and it's counterpoint, 25+1 things- polite customers" The theme of "Polite Customers" is pretty straight-forward: "don't be rude". However, the situations you describe in the former will serve better to illustrate what I've found will alleviate the sensation of disconnected-ness I've felt and you described in "Customer Service"
Drive-thru: A drive-thru is designed for hurry-hurry (you and the attendant). Park your car. Go inside. Over time, focus on 2-3 of the employees and take the time to strike up minor conversations. Over time, you will cease to be a nameless 'drive-thru' and become a person. Make your big city small by patronizing one drive-in and a small number of employees.
Stop for gas: Same drill. Park your car. Go inside. Become a person to the clerk. I have made a point of frequenting only one specific gas station 95% of the time. They know me there. This was even easier than the drive-thru for me. Again, make your big city small by patronizing one gas station as often as you can.
Call my Doc: Well, ninety seconds wasted listening to a menu is probably more economical than driving to the doctor's office for this errand. But, if you have time, forging a relationship with the Dr's staff by visiting in person for occasions like this will pay off when you DO call, e.g., "Oh, hi Tom! How are you?" when you DO have to call.
K-Mart, Kroger's (any retail): I had the same trouble re: the carousel (at Wal-Mart) and the uncaring attitude by cashiers. Same symptoms same cure: I picked out 2-3 clerks over time and made a point of going only to them. Same approach: small talk, chat - get to know them a little bit. It's amazing what happens when you see each other as people instead of ciphers. Now, most of the time, the clerks spin the carousel to check for bags on my behalf. Make your big city small
Online banking: Designed to ensure both sides of the transaction become automatons. Visit the branch, meet the people. Once you get used to interacting with people again and doing without the "convenience" of online banking, it won't be so hard to start doing your banking with perhaps a local or regional credit union that doesn't engage in the business practices you described.
Check email. Oh yeah, I hear you on this one. Toxic. It's like the news though. I watch it (read e-mail) selectively. Delete! As for computer trouble, if you take my advice (i.e., forge relationships with the people you do business with) you may find yourself introduced to a guy with reasonable rates
UPS: Can't figure out how to approach this one other than using them as infrequently as possible. Even if you can catch them on your porch, they just want have time to chat.
News station: If your issue is important to you, I'll bet you can figure out what needs to be done. It doesn't involve them reaching out to you. It does involve you introducing yourself to them face-to-face and (calmly) explaining how resolving your issue will benefit them. If there is nothing there, maybe it's time to find another news station (or turn the TV off)
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4-13-2009 @ 10:57PM
Ralph said...
As a retired Library Associate, I can tell you that in my library system a librarian would tell the mother that parents, guardians or caregivers are solely responsible for their children, and if the children cannot care for themselves or cause a disturbance, in accordance with state law, if necessary, they will be turned over to police for protection.
Librarians share tours of duty on the referance desk, are allowed break time, and simply put do not in any way share in the responsibility for taking care of children. Yes, latch-key children come into the library after school, but these children are not the responsibility of the library system or any librarian. We have deputized Special Patrolpersons, who are there to maintain order and when necessary enforce state laws.
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4-13-2009 @ 7:02PM
R.W.J said...
What I believe is also going away is our very freedom
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4-14-2009 @ 2:16AM
anibeth said...
Maple syrups are not disappearing. Please, enough with the compulsive exaggeration! There are plenty of maple syrups for everyone to use. The only thing that should disappear is artificial maple flavored syrup and other products with artificial ingredients. Artificial maple syrups do not belong on our table and in our food.
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4-14-2009 @ 7:05AM
Eva said...
Just what are stick shift carDs?
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4-16-2009 @ 1:54PM
pegeva said...
RE: Rude customers/ customer service
I work at a large chain grocery store on the East Coast.I am in the deli -dept. Let me tell you I move at work, constantly.
I am always pleasant & helpful, I use a lot of suggestive selling tactics to get my customers to buy the healthy kinds of meats and cheeses. We also make alot of food like subs, sandwiches, pizza, stromboli, etc.
The place is sometimes a madhouse! I try to be patient but I can tell yopu some people have zero patience. I cant help the lady in front of you wants 4 slices of 10 items!
Some people will not wait and go find a manager to complain. It drives me up a wall to see how parents let their brats run thru the store and beg for a slice of cheese ( we give out american slices to the kids) Some of these kids demand pepperoni, or the most expensive salad samples.Its like entertainment at work,just to watch people,
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4-26-2009 @ 9:26PM
Joseph said...
I work in retail, Gap Outlet to be exact. Outlet is a place where you'll see a customer's true customers, because customer's dont think outlet deserves as much respect as a retail Gap store. While some of my coworker's dont offer the customer service they should, most in my store do. Customers differ by day, take sunday, the worst day for customer service. However, a vast majority of our customers don't care about the associates, and the apperance of our store, our even respect. It's getting worse and worse by month.
It's really sad that we try so hard to please our customers by bending over backwards, and we still get treated like crap. From working in retail, I say I hate to see our country in 30 years.
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