Customer service has always sucked in Australia. No tipping. You just don't get that false cheery falling over yourself to serve stuff they do in the US. It's usually somewhere between adequate and utterly meh.
Customer Service Quality
- Thread starter Gryffindorian
- Start date
I think I'm the odd guy out. I'll tip a front-end bagger if they take my bags out to the car (spent many a hot summer doing that sort of work for pocket money, so the good ones get my sympathy)--which is rare, I hardly ever see baggers anymore. I tip at a restaurant--which is falling out of fashion it seems. And I tip the assistants at my tire guy's shop cause they always bust ass getting the work done and they've always been pleasant an helpful no matter how busy they are.
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Amaris
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When I worked at Marsh Foods, as baggers we weren't allowed to accept tips. Our management said that our wage was perfectly adequate ($5.65 per hour in 2000), and accepting tips was an insult to our customers.
It's the official policy at Krogers too (at least it was in the 90s). We still got tips from some customers; the only thing ever said by management was "don't talk about it, just put it in your pocket and never, never, NEVER mention it in the store".
The last few times I'm been out with business associates and/or friends, whenever I give the wait-staff a tip the response has been along the lines of "You still tip? No one tips anymore, waiters make min. wage now". (Which I know is dead wrong in some cases--least it was the last time I worked food service five or six years ago). And from other conversations I've had with people, it seems the going opinion is "Tipping is dead"
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Amaris
Guest
Oh yeah, and I still accepted tips. There was one little old lady who told me she would be offended if I didn't take the tip (we had no buggies available and I carried all 12 of her bags to her car, at the end of the lot, in the freezing cold). She tipped me $2 and I've never forgot it (as you can see).
Yes exactly. I am by no means a person who knows a lot about computers, and I should by no means be the "smartest person in the room" when I walk into best buy's electronics department.
"1) some customers are simply impossible to satisfy", etc.
He was saying that the problems don't always lie with the person working in the store.
It's called that person is a human fucking being and if they've got problems they're going to come out in one way or another.
Oh, and it may behoove you to know that words do have more than one meaning and "industry" is one of them. "Customer Service Industry" is an accepted term.
From Dictionary.com:
Emphasis mine or applicable terms.
I really think that the quality of customer service can depend on a number of factors, including the management, how the employees are trained and treated, etc. For instance, there are several Chick-Fil-A locations in my town. The one closest to me, and thus the one that I frequent most often, is staffed by a bunch of high school kids. You would think that this would make for an unpleasant experience, but I have honestly never seen a more polite, friendly group of kids working in a store in my life. They all seem to have been well-trained and their behavior reflects this. Meanwhile, across town, the staff is completely different. Not nearly as friendly or polite. The employees don't seem as happy. Not that the service is bad, but there's a noticeable drop in quality. So even though it's the same company and the training and guidelines for customer service should be identical, there is quite the difference.
I was at a Citgo a while back, pumping gas, when an employee of the place comes out to collect trash. All six pumps where being used and she lights up a cigarette.
I was stunned!
She was one pump over from me so I felt it was my responsibility to say something.
I asked her if she was new and she said she wasn't. So then I pointed out that she should be well aware of the "no smoking" signs and laws when around gas pumps. She shouted at me that she didn't care because "it was her first one today".
Meaning she'd only now gotten to enjoy a cancer stick that day.
I said to her that shouldn't matter and that I didn't want authorities picking me up in pieces just because she couldn't resist the need to smoke. She yelled back that she didn't care and that she was having a bad day and needed a smoke!
I finished pumping my gas. Quickly walked inside and reported her to the manager. The manager, a lady in her mid to late 30's, replied "yeah she's like that". I've never gone back. (Some people having "bad day's" could get you killed!)
BUT, I've NEVER had a bad experience at Chik-Fil-A. There's a company that knows how to train their employees! Everyone should follow their model (imho).
I've also learned that the "public" could use a little training in manners as well.
If we'd all just realize that we're all human beings and should treat each other with respect and dignity then we probably wouldn't have to worry so much about customer service.
I was stunned!
She was one pump over from me so I felt it was my responsibility to say something.
I asked her if she was new and she said she wasn't. So then I pointed out that she should be well aware of the "no smoking" signs and laws when around gas pumps. She shouted at me that she didn't care because "it was her first one today".
Meaning she'd only now gotten to enjoy a cancer stick that day.
I said to her that shouldn't matter and that I didn't want authorities picking me up in pieces just because she couldn't resist the need to smoke. She yelled back that she didn't care and that she was having a bad day and needed a smoke!
I finished pumping my gas. Quickly walked inside and reported her to the manager. The manager, a lady in her mid to late 30's, replied "yeah she's like that". I've never gone back. (Some people having "bad day's" could get you killed!)
BUT, I've NEVER had a bad experience at Chik-Fil-A. There's a company that knows how to train their employees! Everyone should follow their model (imho).
I've also learned that the "public" could use a little training in manners as well.
If we'd all just realize that we're all human beings and should treat each other with respect and dignity then we probably wouldn't have to worry so much about customer service.
You get what you pay.. it's that simple.
If i get paid minimum wage and have to deal with obnoxious customers all day (yes.. that's the flip side for those working in customer service) you will get bare minimum service and at the cashier that's take your stuff, swipe it, collect the money and give back change and maybe a "good day" at the end.
I can understand these people and i don't mind.. i'm also not the one to engage in pointless conversation when i just want to get out of the store.
If i go to the large retail chains for anything i either browse on my own or know already what i want and at most will ask an employee where it is located but i never expect competent or indepth knowledge about the product and why one manufacturer is better than the other. I do my research at home and the only thing i do at stores is to look up prices (which usually are lower online too). If i really need indepth experience and advice i'll go to a small specialty store.
Personal experience also tells me that what you pay you get.. we are in the process of building up a customer service department in my logistics company (and taking over the duties which so far have been done by people from our main customer) and they have hired usually university educated people for the job but pay them far less than what they should get with their education so it's no wonder that almost everybody left as soon as they found a better employer, i.e. 3 out of 6 have left after a few months for monetary reasons and i fully expect that at least one guy will leave to within the year.
If i get paid minimum wage and have to deal with obnoxious customers all day (yes.. that's the flip side for those working in customer service) you will get bare minimum service and at the cashier that's take your stuff, swipe it, collect the money and give back change and maybe a "good day" at the end.
I can understand these people and i don't mind.. i'm also not the one to engage in pointless conversation when i just want to get out of the store.
If i go to the large retail chains for anything i either browse on my own or know already what i want and at most will ask an employee where it is located but i never expect competent or indepth knowledge about the product and why one manufacturer is better than the other. I do my research at home and the only thing i do at stores is to look up prices (which usually are lower online too). If i really need indepth experience and advice i'll go to a small specialty store.
Personal experience also tells me that what you pay you get.. we are in the process of building up a customer service department in my logistics company (and taking over the duties which so far have been done by people from our main customer) and they have hired usually university educated people for the job but pay them far less than what they should get with their education so it's no wonder that almost everybody left as soon as they found a better employer, i.e. 3 out of 6 have left after a few months for monetary reasons and i fully expect that at least one guy will leave to within the year.
Geez, Trekker, don't get a brain hemorrhage or anything. I already worry about your health and mental well-being. Is that your definition of being a human fucking being? Letting your emotions run loose regardless of the time, place, and circumstances without any regard for your actions or the consequences? You almost sound like you fit the profile for a workplace "grenade" who's ready to explode any day.
I'm a human being, too, but I try to manage my emotions pretty well. I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. But when I get angry or upset, I take a deep breath. I try to walk away and distance myself from the situation, if at all possible. I don't yell at people or act grumpy or let my feelings affect my job performance. Instead, I log in to a forum and post and rant about my Sith Lord of a boss and the dumb people I encounter at work. Being a human being also means being able to adapt to certain situations. Being a human being also means having tact, class, or a certain degree of discreetness. Being a human being also means having good judgment, and these qualities are what separate us from the rest of the animal world.
Holdfast hit the nail on the head when he said, "If you expect customers to care about your feelings, you shouldn't be working with the public." Customers can be harsh and stupid, but they're essential to business. If you're having trouble processing or channeling your feelings, maybe you shouldn't work in the field you're in.
I respect and acknowledge your feelings as a human being and as a fellow member of this BBS, but this thread isn't really about your emotions; it's about my perception from a standpoint of a paying customer.
Fair enough. I haven't entirely lost my faith in the service industry, of which you're a part. My experience has been pleasant for the most part when I go to supermarkets, restaurants, stores, hotels, hospitals, etc., but a few bad apples do have a tendency to stand out.
You can expect whatever you like, but in the real world, most people simply will not react in the way you would like.
This is not because they are bad people but simply because of the context of the setting. This is no slight against your job by the way, it happens the same to anyone in contact with the general public. Let's use my profession as an example from which we can later extend to your trade: when you see a doctor, you see them as a doctor first and a human being second.
This social stereotyping operates at its strongest when the interaction is brief, the different social role very obvious, and the people are strangers to each other.
For instance, see a doctor wearing scrubs in an ER for 10 minutes, and they are highly unlikely to break social role in your eyes. You will treat them as a "doctor" not a "human" for the entire interaction. Have them as your neighbour and the interaction will be entirely different, and you'll start seeing them as a rounded human being.
By extension, if someone sees you behind a retail counter, wearing the store uniform, and only interacts with you for 2 minutes, the vast majority of people will not see you as a human, but as a service provider and so allocate you a different social identity to themselves.
This all operates at an unconscious level; the customers would treat you entirely differently in another context. And even the most right-on, politically-correct people stereotype in this way. It's only overcome through actively choosing to behave differently, but most people operate on autopilot when doing their shopping or running errands, so the opportunity to do this is very limited. Of course there are differences in the social role assigned to different jobs, but the core principle of a non-human identity being assigned to you is identical (just the effect differs).
This is precisely why I say that if you cannot accept this different, non-human, role, you should think carefully about whether your job is right for you. Because there's no fundamental way to change this, short of changing an entire society's cultural norms. If you can't brush it off by compartmentalising it away in a non-harmful way, then it will inevitably cause you stress. Alternatively there are ways of dealing with that distress through a range of stress relieving mechanisms, but I think it's generally preferable to deal with the root causes (if possible).
You should treat people as you would expect them to treat you. I work in the retail sector and know how it can be, from both sides of the counter. So I can emapthise with the customer service assitant (or whatever title they have). Yes I have encountered poor service from time to time. I once returned an item to a store on behalf of my parents but because I didn't have my parent's card I had difficulty in obtaining a refund. My view is that you should either refund me cash or refund to another card.
My daughter and I have season tix to the local minor league hockey team. We've got the aisle and the next seat in.
A few weeks ago, there was a large group of residents/clients from a group home at the game. Needless to say, they had to climb past us to get to their seats. Some had physical problems in addition to their mental handicaps.
The care workers were unbelievably apologetic. Almost to the point of being obnoxious. Yeah, the people you're caring for have some handicaps. Big deal. They were more polite than most people, so relax.
The one care taker continued to apologize to me like she feared I was going to explore and ream her and her clients.
The next morning, I shot off a complimentary email to the administrator of the group home. I told him that it was a pleasure to sit with his clients, and that, while the apologies from the care workers was appreciated, the clients weren't really doing anything worth apologizing over. Within an hour, the guy wrote me back, told me he never gets correspondence of this nature (all he ever hears is negative things about his clients), and that I made his day.
Point being, this entire scenario gave me pause to think about how rude we've become as a people that care workers feared my wrath over their handicapped clients just trying to enjoy a game, and that when I said something NICE to their boss, he was floored.
A few weeks ago, there was a large group of residents/clients from a group home at the game. Needless to say, they had to climb past us to get to their seats. Some had physical problems in addition to their mental handicaps.
The care workers were unbelievably apologetic. Almost to the point of being obnoxious. Yeah, the people you're caring for have some handicaps. Big deal. They were more polite than most people, so relax.
The one care taker continued to apologize to me like she feared I was going to explore and ream her and her clients.
The next morning, I shot off a complimentary email to the administrator of the group home. I told him that it was a pleasure to sit with his clients, and that, while the apologies from the care workers was appreciated, the clients weren't really doing anything worth apologizing over. Within an hour, the guy wrote me back, told me he never gets correspondence of this nature (all he ever hears is negative things about his clients), and that I made his day.
Point being, this entire scenario gave me pause to think about how rude we've become as a people that care workers feared my wrath over their handicapped clients just trying to enjoy a game, and that when I said something NICE to their boss, he was floored.
^That's great. I know it's not easy working with them. Most of them are wonderful, but too many people are ignorant. When I lived in Cincinnati, there was a proposal to open a group home in an adjacent town. It was in a nice location, but within weeks of the proposal, the town was full of signs saying no to the proposal. Many of them felt the residents would be a danger to the public.
What's worse, I mentioned this to some people who lived in different parts of the area. They attributed it to the "ritzy snobbery" of that town, even though the said neighborhood was a working class one.....
What's worse, I mentioned this to some people who lived in different parts of the area. They attributed it to the "ritzy snobbery" of that town, even though the said neighborhood was a working class one.....
My Manager and I(being his direct line manager), just give a small award to a member of staff that received praise from a customer for making their day. The member of staff was pleasantly suprised by the small plaque.
Most people don't think about commenting on exceptional service or service that exceeds what is expected. Though I don't think the level of service provided in retail enviroments is overly bad, of course there is always room for improvement. But most of us are customers of somebody.
Just as you are a customer to the shop, the shop is a customer to it's supplier, who is a customer to the manufactuer, who is a customer to the provider of raw ingrediants.
In business there is always room for improvement. But sometimes staff to get blamed for things that are beyond their control.
Most people don't think about commenting on exceptional service or service that exceeds what is expected. Though I don't think the level of service provided in retail enviroments is overly bad, of course there is always room for improvement. But most of us are customers of somebody.
Just as you are a customer to the shop, the shop is a customer to it's supplier, who is a customer to the manufactuer, who is a customer to the provider of raw ingrediants.
In business there is always room for improvement. But sometimes staff to get blamed for things that are beyond their control.
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Amaris
Guest
When I worked at Ames, in the electronics department, they used to do the ol' bait and switch routine. They'd release a circular with an item on sale, but we would only have one or two in stock (which the Manager told us was just enough not to be illegal). Guess who took the brunt of the customer complaints?
Where the heck do you live?
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