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I don't think it's a problem with just being rude to service personnel -- anyone who is rude to service personnel are probably going to be rude to just about anyone. Either you are someone who inherently respects the value other people bring to the wrold -- or you aren't.
By service jobs, I mean housekeeping and cleaning jobs. I have a job that requires cleaning and housekeeping at a fairly large company. One day a company executive( who I don't directly work for) comes in, snaps his fingers, and says rather loudly "hey cleaning lady, there's dirt on the floor over here". Or someone will just tell me they want something done rather than ask.
But it's not just in the company I work at. I was at a hotel one time and somebody said "housekeeper, you can clean our room now." Once I went to a restaurant, someone had to get the attention of a waiter by whistling at him.
I don't care how badly I need the job, I would walk out. Screw that. I wouldn't tolerate some buffoon snapping his fingers at me and saying "hey cleaning lady".
Who DO you work for?? I would go to HR and file a formal complaint. This jackasss is NOT permitted to degrade you like that. He's doing it because you're letting him get away with it. Next time he does that, look directly at him, walk out, and go straight to HR.
There are some customers who are rude to those in the service industry...but there are also some in the service industry who are rude to their customers...especially in the fast food industry. There are rude people everywhere.
Some people are rude to some service workers
The worst are bad treatment of korean store owners serving the ghetto areas
The runner up are those who won't tip the waitress
Yes, people can be very rude. They seem to think that because they are indirectly paying your wages they have the upper hand. And they do. However, if they frequent the place, they also have a reputation themselves - and names that go along with that reputation - when they walk out the door.
The nicest customers are those who have had customer service jobs in their lives previously.
This^. OP, if it makes you feel any better, I think most of us who have ever worked with the public in ANY capacity experience rudeness from time to time.
I'm a librarian who has worked in busy public and academic libraries. Without a doubt, working in public libraries, where staff interact with a cross section of the population, involves dealing with far more rude people than does working in an academic library. I've always said that I'll take the average 20-year-old student over the average 60-year old grumpy "taxpayer" any day.
It's interesting to note, too, that the public libraries I've worked in have usually been in affluent areas, whereas the academic librarians have usually been in less wealthy environments. The students simply didn't possess the same sense of entitlement that the older crowd did. Ironically, they're better-mannered, as well. I now work in a large, urban library where we daily serve a disadvantaged demographic. Regardless of the challenges that reality poses, I still find it easier in some respects that dealing with self-absorbed, affluent suburbanites.
And for what it's worth, I've often noticed that male staff members, whether professional or support, receive far less of the rude, disrespectful treatment than do female staff members, professional or support. It's possible that workers in service industries often encounter rude treatment because they are - more often that not - women.
Most patrons/customers are a pleasure to serve, though, so I'm quite adept at shrugging off any rude behavior I encounter or witness. But I worked in the food business and other customer service positions as a high school and college student, so I was well-prepared for a career in public service.
I have to say it also depends on OUR attitude. I work in an extremely busy, very large, retail store and 99% of my customers are just great. I encounter very little rudeness and when I do I counter it with being extra nice. They can't complain that I was TOO nice, right? lol I figure I'm going to get back what I put out there mostly and it seems to work pretty well.
That's probably true for most people, but there are some out there- and one will encounter them in nearly any business, who are looking to get anything they can for free in response to their complaints of "bad customer service", or dissatisfaction with the service or items they wanted. Being nice to those folks won't change their minds, because no matter what you say, or how you might try to accommodate the demand of those folks, they'll twist it around, lie about it, and they won't be satisfied. And when they finally get what they want for free or at a substantially reduced price, they won't be grateful, they'll feel entitled to it.
I don't think it's a problem with just being rude to service personnel -- anyone who is rude to service personnel are probably going to be rude to just about anyone. Either you are someone who inherently respects the value other people bring to the wrold -- or you aren't.
I disagree. Some people think that because of their station in life they are inherently better than low-wage workers. They don't treat other people on their "level" that way. That doesn't mean most of those people probably can't see they're jerks - but they don't experience the same treatment, at least not directly.
***Sidebar: I will get flack for this last part and I really hate to say it.***
With that being said, many service employees are quite rude and disrespectful to customers. Although they take tons of crap themselves, when I encounter them, I sometimes think (but would, of course, never say) "You are likely unskilled and uneducated and are likely inexperienced, at least at any work other than your service job. Tons of other equally-qualified people would love to have your job. Why should you have it?" Perhaps it's a bad attitude but the reality is they are very replaceable. However, that doesn't make them inferior to those with more to offer. I don't really get upset about bad service but I do about rudeness from these employees, which is quite common in my experience, just like from anyone else - and I do notice it more from these workers than others.
That's probably true for most people, but there are some out there- and one will encounter them in nearly any business, who are looking to get anything they can for free in response to their complaints of "bad customer service", or dissatisfaction with the service or items they wanted. Being nice to those folks won't change their minds, because no matter what you say, or how you might try to accommodate the demand of those folks, they'll twist it around, lie about it, and they won't be satisfied. And when they finally get what they want for free or at a substantially reduced price, they won't be grateful, they'll feel entitled to it.
I get people every week trying to take advantage of our ad matching policy. If an ad says "limit 2 please", that's what it means and THAT is what we match. You'd be surprised how many will bring as many as 6 or 8 and expect me to match them all. This is especially true with milk. I tell them I'll give them the match if they want to make separate purchases. Most do! I will give them three, or four, as a customer goodwill thing but no more than that. The bosses leave that up to our discretion and doesn't happen that often.
You are right...there are plenty of people out there like that and there always will be. Thankfully they are in the minority and in our life for a few short minutes. We can deal.
I don't think it's a problem with just being rude to service personnel -- anyone who is rude to service personnel are probably going to be rude to just about anyone. Either you are someone who inherently respects the value other people bring to the wrold -- or you aren't.
I don't agree. There are plenty of people whose degree of niceness is based on your status.
I have people walk up and interrupt me while I'm helping another customer find something and then get MAD when I tell them I'll be with them as soon as I can because you know, I'm with this customer now.
Happened to me yesterday, guy complained to my manager who more or less dismissed it, he was probably nasty to her too.
My wife has this friend we took out to eat one time, she made a scene over little things, asked for more mayo but the big tub was not enough, told my wife she was leaving too big of a tip, I don't ever want to go anywhere with her again. A month later she was bragging about getting her and her daughter's meal for free at the Outback by complaining and sending the food back.
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