What's Up With That?: What happened to customer service?

What's Up With That?: What happened to customer service?
by Wendy Harmon on March 8th 2012 (10:11AM EST)

Every Thursday NWNC Today brings you What's Up With That?, an insightful look into what's happening around us; socially, psychologically, and mentally. How are things in today's society affecting the way we think, work, play and/or conduct business.

Today we're going to be discussing customer service, or the lack there of (as demonstrated in the photo above). You probably hear your parents or grandparents talk about this a lot (or you yourself may recall), when customer service was a common occurrence and not a passing phase. I can remember when I would be with my grandparents and they would stop at the local Sunoco gas station on Bridge Street in Elkin. Not only would an attendant come out to greet you (no matter the weather) and put gas in your car, he would also wash your windows, check the air pressure in your tires and check your fluid levels. Today I'm lucky if I can get the outside machine to read my card or when I do go inside have the cashier actually look me in the eye without her rolling them (you know, how dare I interrupt her while she's texting her friends while on the job!). These events seem like they happened on different worlds, not the same county in a span of less than 30 years! I truly wish I could state that this is an isolated incident, but the truth of the matter is it happens everyday all around us. There's a lack of respect for each other that is growing day by day. Who's to blame? Technology, big business, employers, employees, that guy that cut you off in traffic, or society as a whole? Honestly, who's to say 100% what the correct answer is, even if there is one! But, the truth of the matter is that each one of us as an individual is part of the problem and a part of the solution!

Remember my previous article on Responsibility with the fool, the wise man, and the brilliant man? I hope you do since it was posted the day before ;) Again, we need to take responsibility. If you don't take it then your only adding to the problem that we all dislike very much. With an attitude of, "It's not my problem.", "That's above my pay grade.", or "Well, that's just the way things are done now." I call BS! Attitudes and views like this are what is compounding the problem! To fix the problem take responsibility and fix your attitude. Whether it's your problem or not, fix it! Even if you can not fix the problem wholly (I can understand management issues) at least get the ball rolling so it can be fixed! Don't think something is being done to the best of its abilities, speak up! Things will stay the same if you remain quiet. Silence gives consent. If you're tired of the status quot it's up to you to change it. Here's a news flash, businesses need YOU! If the business (no matter how big or small) lacks on customer service and it makes you unhappy, then stop giving them your business. If they're belittling your value, why do you increase theirs? No business can run without customers, and without customers there is no income, no income means no need for employees, and finally complete failure of a business.

So, if you've ever been one of those people who thought, "That's above my pay grade" or "It's not my problem", it better become YOUR problem, because the individual (customer) whom you've just ticked off is truly who controls your paycheck!

Witty Bits: Wise or Brilliant

Witty Bits: Wise or Brilliant
by Wendy Harmon on March 7th 2012 (10:26AM EST)

"The difference between a fool and a wise man is that a fool goes and does something blindly. A wise man knows it's a bad idea, but does it because he has to. A brilliant man finds a way to make it into a good idea."

In the statement above I give you the option of three choices. The fool, the wise, and the brilliant. Most of us know why the fool is a fool, he (or she) jumps in without thinking and blindly charges in. Perhaps they are fueled by their emotions (which can be a good and powerful thing) or perhaps they were fueled by pride or ego (isn't that part of your emotions? I suppose technically, but lets keep it separate for now). We've all seen the fool; perhaps even in ourselves, as they are in that "go get'em" attitude but for several of the wrong reasons. If the entire time you're trying to achieve your goal and you're constantly saying to yourself; "Call ME an idiot will you! You said I didn't do my best, I'll show you!", at first this seems like proper motivation, but is it really? True, proving self-worth is very important especially to yourself because if you don't put value in yourself who will do so likewise. Ah ha! The first mistake of the fool! He is not proving his self-worth or value to himself, but his perceived value toward the individual who damaged his pride and bruised his ego. If you're entirely fueled by the sole desire to prove one individual wrong who said something that hurt you, you're either going to run out of steam quickly, or be fighting an uphill battle for a LONG time.

So, the wise man KNOWS it's a bad idea, but does it because he has to. Well, isn't he going to do the same thing? If he's truly a wise man than, no. Let's put our wise man in the same situation as our fool. He was called an idiot and was told that he did not do his best. Obviously someone who is influential in his life has some persuasion over him (be it a boss or manager or father figure). Yet again it may flare the temper of our wise man, but hopefully only enough to get him to think, "Why would I be told such a thing?" Our wise man might be fueled by his emotions as well in order to perform or achieve better, but since he is a wise man he will do something the fool did not. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!! He is responsible for how he performed, how he acted, and how he handled the situation. No one else, the entire responsibility is on him! Now, with this step included with our wise man unlike or fool, even if he goes about with a somewhat similar mind set of "I'll prove you wrong." He has a much higher chance of success because he will be evaluating himself, not the world and circumstances around him.

Finally, we come to our third individual, the brilliant man. He in a sense is the twin brother to the wise man but has taken his awareness one step beyond. Not only has he admitted responsibility and has taken it, he has also challenged himself to increase his value. He stays positive, focused, and takes a bad idea and turns it into a good idea! He knows that life is a balance, a yin-and-yang, a darkness to the light, so when he is presented with the darkness, he goes in search of the light. It's there; it always has been, sometimes it takes some spelunking to find it. Thomas Edison once stated, "I did not fail 5,000 times in making the light bulb, I FOUND 5,000 ways NOT to make a light bulb!" He took responsibility, admitted that it was all on him but in reverse took a negative and turned it into a positive.

My challenge to you for today, and tomorrow, and next week, and . . . well you get the idea . . . Is to start taking responsibility and instead of viewing or stating things negatively, look for the light side and start thinking positively. I can assure you you'll be a happier person in the long run and will succeed more often!