I really do love going out somewhere like restaurant or Walmart and watching the one random irate individual spout off random, senseless frustrations that puts them at the center of attention. “I ordered NO PICKLES!” a person yells. Or how about, “What do you mean you won’t honor my coupon from a completely different store?!” Although I receive a good laugh for these moments, every person who publicly erupts in similar attitudes should be ashamed of themselves. The business world is so diluted with constant complainers; in the rare occasion when a legitimate complaint arises it is easily taken in the wrong way.There are quite a few people already who understand the stress of a profession in customer service. Day in and day out, careless consumers who wonder around just trying to pick a verbal rant with an employee. Even in the worst situations, dealing with problems while remaining calm will 100% of the time make those faltering moments more productive.
No one is perfect, sometimes it is the employees fault for turning a situation sour, but chances are their bad attitude is carried over from the previously angered redneck. If you find yourself unable to be nice about a problem, then don’t bring it up.
Where is the “service” in the service industry? I walk into a huge department store with 30-something registers to find only 4 are open, each with a line long enough Andy Dufresne could make his escape from Shawshank before I make it to the cashier. Another example of the disservice industry at it’s best is found at certain sandwich shops, where the casual mood takes precedence over all else apparently. I guess the employees are under the impression that they are at a cool place to hang out that also just so happens to have deli meats. They will take requests if you have the audacity to want to partake in actually EATING something, but they don’t have to be happy about it, or even attempt to hide their displeasure.As someone who has worked in retail more than enough to develop post traumatic stress disorder, I don’t actually blame the employees who make possibly enough to cover the bills while dealing with assholes such as me all day. It was always an awkward situation when parents would threaten their hyperactive brats with me, “If you don’t stop touching everything that man over there is going to get really angry with you!”...leave me out of your flawed parenting techniques! I would just respond with “Nah, I don’t mind! See?” and proceed to rip a price tag off and throw it on the ground. Good luck controlling your kid now, lady!
The entire service industry, retail brick-and-mortar stores in particular, is a miserable experience for all involved. I’d rather just stay home and make my own damn sandwich while buying all the useless shit I need online. No need for the human contact, no need to put on clothes, no need to shower. Perfect.