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Old 07-09-2008, 05:39 AM
 
314 posts, read 846,213 times
Reputation: 62

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Okay, first I would like to clarify that we have only been here a couple weeks, so I am not saying that I am a expert on the subject, but my hunny and I have been astounded by the opposite; customer service has been overtly friendly. You have to keep in mind, we are coming from New Orleans which has the most "Northern attitude" of any Southern city I have ever lived in but people here are sometimes almost comically nice. I work in the service industry and am very familiar with the concept of being nice to a customer not matter what; my pay as a tipped employee depends on it. So, I have been pleasantly surprised at how genuinely nice people we have had to deal with here are. I was thinking about it and came up with what seems to be the root of it, lack of pretention. Folks here, even in Mt Lebo, seem to be more comfortable in their own skin than most places I have lived. There is less of a "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality. Maybe it is the "blue collarness" or perhaps the Mid-Western sensibilty, I don't know but that is my observation so far
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Old 07-09-2008, 08:27 AM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,209,612 times
Reputation: 35920
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallysmom View Post
"The customer is always right" died about the same time those on that side of the counter served rotten horrid people like themselves.
Yes, we have "fired" a few patients, too, for being downright obnoxious, swearing at the staff, things like that. My niece worked in a bar/restaurant in downtown Denver owned by the mayor, LOL. She said the policy there was "the customer was always right. . . until they had a drink"! I still think though, the server's first approach has to be nice, even if the customer comes in snarling. "A soft answer turns away wrath", to paraphrase a Bible verse.
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Old 07-09-2008, 08:57 AM
 
314 posts, read 846,213 times
Reputation: 62
I agree, Kat. I have approached many a grumpy table or customer with a gigantic smile and heartfelt kindness and had them eating (literally) out of my hands in no time but some folks just can't be tamed. I, honestly, believe some people want a bad experience because A) they thrive on misery or B0 they want something free. Unlike alot of folks in the service industry, I really strive to make each experience pleasurable. It is how I would want to be treated.
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Old 07-09-2008, 09:35 AM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,209,612 times
Reputation: 35920
I, too, strive to treat my parents (I work in a pediatrician's office) the way I would like to be treated. I've had my share of doozies though, including one a dr. fired for saying f*** to me (and several others). That is no way to conduct business!
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Old 10-17-2008, 03:27 PM
 
48 posts, read 242,804 times
Reputation: 50
Florida has the most rude people I have ever met! Consider yourself lucky you don't live here. Also, the worst drivers on the planet. Can't wait to get out.
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Old 10-17-2008, 04:14 PM
 
Location: Forest Hills
374 posts, read 1,281,164 times
Reputation: 65
I have lived here my entire life and I agree with the OP. I hate it when I get on an elevator and get cold looks. Does it really hurt to say hi?
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Old 10-17-2008, 05:00 PM
 
49 posts, read 188,022 times
Reputation: 35
Jinxd-13 - I'm right there with you. I did a thread a few days ago about how nice people were here and it barely got a yawn. I think people here can be their own worst enemy. Either that or they have never lived anywhere else. The only thing people said to me when they found out we were moving here is how nice people were..even in service industries. That can't be just some giant lie fabricated by dozens of people we talked to before moving here. Every town has rude people. I call them grumpies and Pittsburgh has some but nothing and I mean nothing like Boston, NYC or Fairfield County, Ct. I lived in France for a year. Don't even get me started about rude. Let's also not forget that some people really are going thru tough times right now. Lots of people in bad situtations financially. It's everywhere. If I was out of a job, broke and had a family..I just may not say "hi" to anyone for a long time.
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Old 10-17-2008, 05:18 PM
 
49 posts, read 188,022 times
Reputation: 35
Anyway- I just actually did read all the posts on this thread and I have to say the Pittsburgh forum is getting me a little down these days. It's funny but as rude at CT and Mass can be, the forums are just not as aggressive as they are here. True, they are not as active but I don't walk away from them feeling like an idot for having lived there. I sometimes feel after reading many posts that we most be the dumbest people in the world to have moved here.
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Old 10-17-2008, 07:58 PM
 
1,139 posts, read 2,485,619 times
Reputation: 421
Try not to let this forum get to you. This particular thread is older and I'm not sure why it was brought back up. A lot of people on here just like to flame or start trouble. If it becomes too much for you, step away from it and then come back later after it has calmed down or the mods have forced it to calm down
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Old 10-17-2008, 08:13 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles Area
3,306 posts, read 4,133,348 times
Reputation: 592
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juniper5 View Post
Jinxd-13 - I'm right there with you. I did a thread a few days ago about how nice people were here and it barely got a yawn. I think people here can be their own worst enemy. Either that or they have never lived anywhere else. The only thing people said to me when they found out we were moving here is how nice people were..even in service industries. That can't be just some giant lie fabricated by dozens of people we talked to before moving here. Every town has rude people. I call them grumpies and Pittsburgh has some but nothing and I mean nothing like Boston, NYC or Fairfield County, Ct. I lived in France for a year. Don't even get me started about rude. Let's also not forget that some people really are going thru tough times right now. Lots of people in bad situtations financially. It's everywhere. If I was out of a job, broke and had a family..I just may not say "hi" to anyone for a long time.
Just to note I wrote this post because after I moved I realized...one day over diner that I haven't received bad service since I moved. Then we started to talk about all our bad experiences in Pittsburgh. Also, I left Pittsburgh before the economy started to get bad so that isn't the issue.

As I said in my original post, it could be simply that we weren't raised in that part of the country and therefore misinterpret the locals.

Regardless, I'm curious what part of the area you spend most of your time. Do you live in the actual city? The suburbs?

Anyhow, I was not trying to imply that Pittsburgh was the rudest place on earth. Just that we in particular found it rude. I've never lived in Boston or NYC so I have no idea how it compares to those cities. But here in the Pittsburgh forum you can't say anything negative without it becoming melodramatic. If you say something even modestly negative, you "just like to flame or start trouble".
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