Friday, December 8, 2006

At least treat me as a human...

C worked in a health food shop. The shop opened from 10 am to 6.30 pm. Despite this, many customers would choose to come at the last possible minute and the shop will have to stay opened for them. This is quite understandable as the shop does not have a branch and these customers usually come after their work.
In one incident, a customer called in close to 6.30pm and requested the shop to stay open a little longer as she is on the way. She only arrived at 7. That's alright, at least she is courteous and appreciative. Well, some are fake and act nice only so they can receive a favour but let's not dwell too deep into that for now.
Then another called at almost 7, when all employees should long have been gone but still demanded that they wait for her. C informed her that they are still open but they are closing soon. They will however, continue to serve her if she arrive before they leave. Reasonable?
Not to to this customer. She started making noise and demanded that they stay open. When C thought she should let the manager take the call, even the manager will not take it and told C that they are closing now. The customer was upset and scolded C for not willing to wait another mere 5 minutes although she never informed earlier that she is that close by. She even asked C if C is trying to get her into an accident by rushing her to come over quickly, although C never did rush her. Reasonable?
As an employee, we are obliged by contract to serve the customer during our shift and by sheer goodwill beyond our shift. On one hand, we understand if a customer could not come earlier if he/ she worked far away. One the other hand, which God dies and gave customers the right and power to treat any other human as anything less? To expect the courtesy of being served beyond the opening hour is one thing, to be a bitch about it is quite another. The shop is opened on Saturday till 6 pm, which is always a viable option. Of course as a customer, she does not care if others are working past their shift as long as she does not have to sacrifice any time from her precious Saturday day off to visit the shop.
Customers have their rights but just as there are many traders who take advantage of an ignorant customer, there are just as many, if not more customers who abused their right. Perhaps the above are lousy examples but the topic here is not about consumers' right but about treating others, including those below you as the human that they are instead of as some hungry broken dogs begging you to feed them. THEY. ARE. NOT.
There is also another who put up a full-fledged diva act everytime she comes in. If you thought some of the diva attitude of celebrities that we read about in papers or magazines are unreasonable, imagine having to face them. A Mrs knows-it-all who speaks loudly as if she owns the place and expected to be treated like a queen. She treated everyone there including C, like they are nobody. Forget that she goes to the same church as C, she is probably to proud to be associated with anybody of "lesser status". Bitch.
I worked as a customer service representative before and have more than my fair share of experience with customers who treated others as dirt but I been known known for my high tolerance and have put all of this behind me, save for one.
This Mr B called in the moment I started work and keep bombarding me with the f-word. I was serving Singapore while he was calling from Australia. While it was not my fault that the call was wrongly routed to me, I recognise that it is definitely the company's fault so I held on. I certainly do not need to put up with his language, especially since the company's policy was that we have the right to tell the customer to refrain from using those words or we will hang up. But I was in a good mood that morning and was feeling generous. The company been good to me so I want to give the customer an "outstanding customer experience". Silly me. At the end of the call, he demanded for my name because he is not happy with the way I spoke to him. WTF?
I gave him my name in full and spelt it out for him but my manager never ask to see me regarding the call. And I still have a happy birthday the next day.

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