Pass the Service

With each interaction of customer service personnel, it is shockingly evident how rare customer service is nowadays. I think my favourite examples of poor service involve waiting at a coffee shop counter as the colleagues behind the counter sort through their personal plans for after today’s shift. I once joined the conversation they were having as I waited to give my money, which supports the business that pays their wages and facilitate their dreams of tonight's party. When I joined in their very awe inspiring conversation, they did not think my comments were worthy and found my participation in such an important topic as rude and obnoxious. Of course, I thought it was funny.

How did we create a generation of uncustomer service? We all hear the stories of Generation Y and their need to be consulted on decisions pertaining to their happiness and well being. All because their parents often felt guilty for leaving them alone as they participated in a better lifestyle for their family with the decision to have two healthy earners, leaving a void of the role model of typical June Cleaver mother figure of 60’s. As parents over compensated for leaving Junior alone, they often gave in and would over compensate for the void of parent role models. Experts have hinted this has led to the dilemma of Generation Y. Fair enough and I agree, but who told them it was ok not to epitomize customer service?

I grew up in two families; one of my single mother and one of my father and step mother. All parents worked and we would often come home to chores and preparation for dinner. My parents expected all of us to help out, regardless of the Moms working or not. And even though both of my Moms worked, there was no slipping in the courtesy or manners we executed. In fact, I think the Moms were grumpier from working, so they prompted us even more for manners. Perhaps it was their way of getting the day’s frustrations out, but one thing is for sure, there was no skimping of manners.

I equate manners into customer service. Customer service is often common sense and generally a large part of any training and development program of any business; good or bad. New colleagues are walked through the do’s and don’ts of routine. They mimic their colleagues as they learn. Businesses also expect a fair level of common sense in judgment from their colleagues. Do businesses need to tell colleagues to be hospitable to others?!

Pass the service please.