A lesson in manners

A smile costs nothing, as my mother used to say. Why is it then that so many people (particularly customer service operators) have forgotten that? I am far from perfect, I don't know anyone who is, but in all my years in customer service I can remember 2 times when I could've been considered rude. The first was when I returned to work at Safeway after my Mum died and was rather uncommunicative as I scanned people's groceries. One woman said to me caustically 'A smile wouldn't hurt love.' I didn't like her but fair enough, she didn't know my problems and I did have a face like a fried fart. The second time I got into a fight with a complete mole of a customer who was giving a colleague a really hard time. I told her she should strap on an apron and do it herself (make a choc-dip soft serve). A suggestion she apparently did not agree with.

Since I am never a rude bitch of a customer am I to assume that every person who provides bad service has just lost a member of their immediate family? I think not. A more likely answer is: they are nasty, vile creatures, who should not be in the industry. More frightening still is bad service from someone who actually owns the business. One assistant at Myer can't really damage the reputation of the department store, but one assistant in a tiny shop certainly can.

In my efforts lately to help a friend sell advertising space in her totally gorgeous magazine I have been visiting some of the local retailers looking for support. On the whole, people have been great. But there's always the great miserable lumps who seemingly put no stock in repeat business. One woman who owns what I would consider to be a specialty store did not even look up from her task to listen to me. She carried on, eyes down, before telling me abruptly that she would never be involved. Charming. What doesn't she understand about a small town? I won't shop there now. Not because she didn't advertise, that's completely fair, but because she was so rude.

Instead of people putting their energy into frowns, impatience and disinterest, wouldn't it be nice if they just smiled? It's not that hard. And even if you are in a rotten, stinking, foul mood, smiling and laughing can help reverse it. And bring customers back to your shop.

Until tomorrow my smiley, happy friends xx