Given the current economic state and all the unknowns you'd think most people in the workforce right now would be bringing their "A" Game to their jobs. Apparently not.
I was at my childhood home in New England last week for a surprise visit to my folks and my gram (will post more on that later...) and took the kids to Friendly's Restaurant. THE Friendly's Restaurant where I worked some 23 years ago and where my boss on day one said--"I don't care if you flunked a test, were late for curfew and got grounded by your folks, or broke up with your boyfriend. When you come into this restaurant it's all about the customers and you put on a happy face. Or don't come in that day." I will never forget the advice and I have taken it to heart all these years.
Evidently the wisdom did not get passed down to the woman who served us there last week. She had a full blown hissy fit when we walked in and was spouting off about dirty tables, a staff member that walked out, one other girl that was leaving shortly, how ridiculous the situation was, how poorly run the restaurant is and how she was ready to walk. Welcome.
Fast forward to this week and the girls and I run in to Applebee's for an early dinner. A young family sat beside us and chatted quietly as our server bustled about. While he was nice enough he looked very harried and he just had three tables and the family nearby was leaving. After they departed he gathered up his tip and loudly exclaimed, "Ohhh, lucky me- TEN PERCENT!"
After dinner we had to grab some things at Petco. I noticed I was overcharged for one of the dog's items so the sales person had to call a manager. Enter the guy who's dying to go home. After grabbing my receipt, stomping into his office and barking at another guy that the sign was mislabeled and the items were ringing up incorrectly her returned to face me. "I can't wait to get outta here," he snapped. No kidding.
Today we finally had time to decorate for fall so the girls and I ran into Michael's for a couple of things. As a long line of people grew behind me I inched closer to the counter. The sales woman then announced she's now closed and they're opening another check stand elsewhere. All the people behind me jump in the next line and I am dead last. What happened to, "I'll take the next person in line?"
Clearly there is a message here. I need to stay home and stop spending money.
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2 comments:
You would love British customer service then!
I was always so "impressed" by the shop assistants in London stores who looked down their noses at customers who deigned to ask them a question. I'm sure they felt that their job would be just dandy, so long as they did NOT have to actually serve anyone!
I wrote a similar post on the wonderful world of Air Canada's customer service. When the ticket desk gal just shrugged her shoulders and said "not my problem" and walked away, when my flight between Vancouver and London was overbooked and I had no seat; Oh and that would be moi travelling on a bereavement ticket to attend my father's funeral in London.
Yep, she certainly won the Official "Go to Hell" Customer Service Award that day!!
Carrie
I think I've written about this before too - so unbelievable that people don't understand that their actions have such in impact on others or that they really can't see beyond themselves to care. There's nothing that sets me off more than bad customer service - sorry for your experiences and you just wish that this kind of stuff made it into the email boxes of the people who own those businesses - or maybe they wouldn't care either.
Hope the week got better!
Hugs,
R
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