Customer Service Comes First

Some will go out of their way to be nice and others will almost snap your head off.

Retail employees have to put up with a lot. Sarcastic customers, products not arriving, negative workplace environment, etc. But, do we as costumers have to put up with their negativity? No way.

As someone who worked in retail and food service, if I learned anything I learned that the costumer always comes first. What happened to that mind set? Do bosses no longer train their employees to be nice and to care? I’ve witnessed employees who seem to be bored with what they do and how they do it. Are they hiring the wrong people to do the job? I hear many employers say that people no longer want to work and when they do come to work, they don’t do the job set before them. Is it getting harder for employers to find people who truly want to work, who put their best food forward, and have genuine concern for their job. In my opinion, most employees are only out for one thing and that’s their paycheck. They don’t invest themselves into learning about the job and what it all entails. They don’t learn to love their job. Do they not realize that we as the customers, pay for their salaries?

As I was picking up food at a drive-through window one day, the employee took my money and as she was waiting for my food to be ready, she started texting on her cell phone. What? She is not getting paid to text. She is getting paid to serve the customer.

I asked a simple question the other day at a business and the worker nearly bit my head off. I didn’t let it bother me because everyone has a bad day but the way he answered me actually scared me. He didn’t have to be so abrupt.

Then on the opposite side of the spectrum, there are retail employees that go out of their way to say hello, be courteous and gracious. Those are the kinds of people that make a positive shopping experience. I noticed, that during the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, retail employees are more understanding, happier, patient, and kinder. Why can’t the Christmas/holiday spirit live on throughout the entire year?

If you are like me, when I check out, I try to go to the cashier who smiles, greets me, holds a conversation with me and is diligent in his/her job. That person truly makes my day and I’m glad I shopped where I did.

It’s all about being patient on both sides, the customer and the employees. Not only does the employee have to be gracious but the customer has to be kind too. Let’s try, this year, to be kinder to one another and make eating out and shopping a positive experience for everyone.