Sometimes dealing with others requires a touch of class.
Now, I know I'm not the one you normally think of when we talk about acting politely and cordially, but I do know how the game works. I think the world would be a much nicer place if everyone just knew how to act when dealing with another person.
Example #1: I was having a problem topping up my cellphone, ( I have a pay and talk, because unlike my computer, I'm not on my cell all the time,) and due to these problems, my minutes had expired. Now when I did get it topped up, all my minutes were gone, and I was back at the highest per minute plan. Was I pissed? You bet. But when I called Telus, I calmly explained to the lady on the line what my problem was, and I even hinted that my difficulties might have been my fault, and could she please do anything to sort out the situation. Bang! She fixed my rate plan, added back any minutes I lost, and reset my top up to allow easier renewals next time. I made sure to get her name and to thank her, and I just e-mailed Telus to let them know how impressed I was.
Example #2: Some person who I've never seen before comes up to me as I'm speaking to another customer and asks me if we have any boxes in the back. They don't say excuse me, they don't ask politely, and they give me the Look of Death when I ask the other customer to excuse me for a moment. I look at them, they look at me, and I politely inform them that we have no extra boxes to give away. I don't even go look. I come up with a fabrication about how they've been picked up already. But the point is that if you don't treat others with respect and at least some small amount of civility, then you can just go fuck yourself. Nobody's gonna do shit for you.
At work I always try to be polite with everyone I work with. I usually ask instead of tell and I try to help out and be part of the team. People work better for you when they like to work with you. If you're a dick , why would they go the extra mile for you?
And I'm all about the extra mile.
Later.
I think we all have a part to play when we're successfully interacting. I, for one, really regret it when I hose my part. Be nice to the lamer if she comes back and doesn't act like a fucktard.
ReplyDeleteBut it's not hard: we say please and thank you, we consider the other person's situation and we behave civilly.
In my time over the line, there, I was surprised how many times I just didn't see this kind of thing occuring. I'm talking about service-sector businesses, for some of it, where actually interacting successfuly with customers is really kinda part of the job. But I guess if the customers are rude almost every single time, the one guy who says Please maybe won't get someone at their most accomodating.
Incidentally, this is part of what pisses me off about beggars.
I feel it all comes form us blowing smoke up the customer's collective asses and has now become a culture of entitlement. We in the service arena have always said that "The customer is always right"...bullshit sometimes the customer is just a fucktard. So now after years of this "yes sir Masta..I'll get you anything casue yous always right...yes sir you the customer me your servent" attitude they have taken it to far and now think they are just entited to things and this breeds this rudeness...I belive it was saud best in Clerks...
ReplyDeleteRandall-"you know who I could do with out?"
Dante- "Who?"
Randall- "The customers at the video store"
Dante-"really?..which ones?"
Randall--" All of them"