This is the latest in an occasional series of blog posts commenting on upcoming retirement.
I made a personal pact not too many years ago to speak out when I get treated badly when I do business with someone.
Maybe it’s just because I am getting older — and as I draw closer to full-time retired status — which entitles me to some degree of crotchetiness.
The “service industry” has its name for a purpose: it is to inform those who work in that particular industry to provide good service to those with whom they are interacting.
That’s a simple concept to grasp, right? Right!
An event occurred some years ago that gave me the impetus to make the pact. I walked into an Amarillo coffee shop — I won’t mention which one — and apparently caught the barista in the middle of a very bad moment, or perhaps a bad day. He was rude to the max. I finished my transaction, walked out, went home — and then wrote a letter to the store manager complaining about the barista’s treatment of good ol’ yours truly. The manager responded with a note of his own — accompanied by a hand-written apology by the barista.
I’ve on occasion — along with my wife — verbalized displeasure with service. I have learned, as I’ve grown a bit older, that it’s a pretty painless endeavor.
Yesterday, it happened again. I went to a fast-food joint to make a small purchase. This place, too, shall remain anonymous. The young woman who took my order was, shall we say, apparently unhappy to take my money and provide me with the meal I had ordered.
No “thank you, sir.” No welcoming facial expression. No “Welcome, how may I help you?” Nothing, man!
I paid for my order, went home, consumed my lunch, and then wrote the store manager a note — which I just mailed this morning.
I’ve found these exercises to be somewhat cathartic. They are cleansing. They give me some emotional relief.
I don’t intend to make big deals of these encounters moving forward. My thought today is just to share with you the satisfaction one can get just by expressing oneself candidly.
Don’t misunderstand. I’m not going to be firing off missives at every single slight. I’ll do it only when someone inflicts such a slight on me when I’m in no mood to take it.
It’s also a good practice to speak to management when service received goes beyond the norm. Notice the reaction when you ask for a manager. Watch the face of the manager as she or he approaches you. Continue watching reactions when you offer a compliment. My how they change! It is an easy way to make someone’s day.
You can honor great service by just contacting the Amarillo Convention and Visitor Council and nominating someone for a Prime Service Award. Every nominee is recognized with a pin and certificate and can end up being named Prime Service Employee of the Year. We just need the person’s first name and where they work. We can take care of the rest. Look up Prime Service at http://www.visitamarillo.com or call in at 806-374-1497. One way to lower the amount of bad service may be to praise great service!
I feel the same way John…after having a small cafe for 11 years, I know the value of customer service…usually I just mutter “this is the part where you say thank you” as I pull away from the drive-thru. 🙂