I am stunned.
Everyday, I see something that leaves me speechless in the area of customer service.
I want you to stop, and think about a time where you went to ask someone for help in the field of their expertise, and instead of getting help or justice, you were treated with disrespect, judged, ignored, brushedoff, mislead or lied to, just because they decided you were inconveniencing them, or they did not want to invest time to find the answer or simply could not be bothered.
How did you feel? How did it affect your view or trust in the business? Did you share your experience to others? Of course!
Now to be fair- I have worked in the service industry, and I have seen my share of unbelievable, childish, unrealistic expectations, embarrassing and incoherant screaming fits, uncalled for and ignorant insults and down right foot stomping tantrums. Some people of the public seem to think that public service workers are there to be abused and have aggressions and frustrations taken out on. There is not doubt that you see the worst of human behaviour.
One thing I suggest is to not let it get to you, and Remember that a person may have just had a bad experience just before they talked to you. You NEVER know what situation might have crossed a person's path just before their path has crossed yours.
Sometimes taking a moment to ask if they are ok- or find out what is really bugging them, can help calm them.
I have seen where no amount of calming even tones, common sense or logic,- not even addressing their emotional side works- because they just need to be right, or need to bully people, or even get attention.
No amount of compassion or consideration for what that person might have experienced to have set them off - or made their day so unbearable that they need to take it out on everybody.
Those are the days that Those in the Customer Service Industry earn their raises and several merit badges.
Having said that- and considering the two sides of the same coin,.. It is important to ask a question.
WHERE DOES IT END?
THIS just perpetuates a cycle of negativity and meanness in the world, and if we let it suck us into the anger- we end up spreading and becomeing the very thing we hate and were offended by.
It is important to be the one to stop the cycle. Make the conscious choice to stop it and change it. Transmute the negativity and send out a positive energy instead.
Now as a someone who works in the service industry who swears that they are dedicated to help people everywhere, only to have them scoff and brush off someone who is being 'shanghai'd' by different by another branch of the same tree.
Seriously? where is your integrity?
Does that not infuriate you that someone is giving your professional industry a bad name?
For someone who was devasted when a serious issue was on their OWN plate, only to experience being brushed off and taken lightly. How did you feel when you were scoffed at during your plight- that ended in shaking you to the core and leaving you to savour the bitter taste of dissappointment and disillusionment of your hopes and dreams.
Have you forgotten your anger at being dismissed? Or having your trust shattered?.. - ONLY TO GO AND DO the same thing in a different arena and context TO SOMEONE ELSE?
WOW. seriously? If I come to you and call you on it- will you listen? Past experience tells me not.
How can I follow somone like that? Should I follow someone like that?
So , the next time you get frustrated with someone- or want to judge them, put yourself in their shoes- and see if there is something familiar about what you feel. Make sure that the experience you are brushing off or judging , is not the universe sending you the experience from the other side of the coin.
So next time someone treats you like crap- stop and think what you might have done to have karma pay you back.
"WHAT YOU DO UNTO OTHERS, YOU DO UNTO ME"
THINK ABOUT IT.
~Questamaya
People that have been hung out to dry by the system- are doing the same to others. they are becoming the the very system that treated them unfairly.
