Do you let things that people in customer service do slide?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I use self checkout whenever I can, as well as food delivery instead of going out to eat.
Fortunately even places like the DMV let you do more and more things online, too.

NP. I'm not criticizing those choices, PP, and I do a lot of the same things myself. But I do think one reason for the precipitous decline in customer service is that since the pandemic started, some types of business have shifted so heavily toward self-service, self-checkout, takeout, delivery, that they have little incentive to hire people who have good service skills and less incentive to train employees in how to provide good customer service. And many restaurants during the pandemic lost their experienced, longtime servers, and the replacements are inexperienced and often just don't care about providing service.

I think that ship has sailed, for the reason you stated or for other reasons.
Even before the pandemic things were gradually shifting. I used food delivery a lot in 2019, too.

[Anonymous]

It has to be really bad for me to complain. On the flip side, when I get great service I inform the company about good service.

But yes, it is bad. I was so taken aback by a non-Chick Fil A worker smiling broadly and greeting me that I immediately wrote to the corporate office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look them in their eye and say “Who hurt you!!”

That is bizarre and completely inappropriate.

[Anonymous]

I have had some horrible experiences lately with medical receptionists. I feel like I’m bothering them by needing to schedule an appointment. It’s gotten to the point where I try to do online scheduling whenever possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have been rude AF everywhere. Do I let it slide? Depends on how nasty they are to me but as New Yorker I do usually stand up for myself.

Yeah but if you are a white woman and complain about sh*t service you get called a “Karen.” Because we are apparently all supposed to be ok with the decline of manners.

You don’t make the rules about “manners” (which I suspect is simply code for maintaining your privilege). Don’t be so thinned skinned.

^^^ exhibit A about how Karen is actually misogynistic and racist. Because sometimes sh!t service is actually sh!t service, but this person doesn’t think you should be allowed to complain about it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. It's very rare that I don't get passably friendly service.

+1

And I have to say as a teen and when I was a young adult I worked part time in retail and food service and actual nasty or mean customers where the exception not the rule. This is still true today. It’s rare that I see a customer actually being mean or nasty to a retail worker or food service. But I do think both retail and food service workers will classify someone who makes a request that something be checked on that will take effort would say that the customer was being rude and nasty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some blue haired B was following and watching me around a store subtly until I noticed. I'm a poc. Plan to report that shthead

I'm Asian, middle-aged, average-looking female living in the suburbs of DC. I get followed and watched by personnel of all races, ages and genders.

It's the first time it has actually happened to me. On top of that that woman constantly lies about rewards I have on my account and says she can't see them all the time when their sister stores can see them. I think she is a racist. I also think it's not right you're being followed. For sure others aren't while they're paying attention to you.

[Anonymous]

What’s the alternative—spend my life energy complaining about something that won’t be fixed? No thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some blue haired B was following and watching me around a store subtly until I noticed. I'm a poc. Plan to report that shthead

I'm Asian, middle-aged, average-looking female living in the suburbs of DC. I get followed and watched by personnel of all races, ages and genders.

I've been followed around stores lately too I think these stores have hired overzealous loss prevention they won't actually stop anyone leaving with cart fulls of unpaid for mech. but they're letting everyone know they are there to "deter" shoplifting. It's getting really old now though.

I was definitely being monitored by obvious undercover loss prevention people at Ulta last week. Although I think that’s a big thing for them and all cosmetics stores: so many tiny, high-dollar items which are I guess easy to snatch

[Anonymous]

I worked customer service for only a few mo this in college and it was enough to understand what it’s like to open a store, hear its annoying canned music all day every day, deal with a racist and rude boss, and explain 500x a day to people why their coupon wasn’t valid or they couldn’t just have their order for free. I was routinely asked to do things that weren’t my job. And then receive a paycheck that was already paltry and wince at the amount after tax.

And I smiled and was polite through it all because …. it was only a few months. If I was still doing that job today I can guarantee you the politeness ship would have sailed long ago. Service jobs are overstimulating and the way is not great. Nobody cares about you, they see you as a means to a transactional end, but expect to be treated like royalty.

So, in conclusion - I do give grace.

PS I still don’t know why medical receptionists are soooooo salty! Haha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have been rude AF everywhere. Do I let it slide? Depends on how nasty they are to me but as New Yorker I do usually stand up for myself.

Yeah but if you are a white woman and complain about sh*t service you get called a “Karen.” Because we are apparently all supposed to be ok with the decline of manners.

+1

That term is racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have been rude AF everywhere. Do I let it slide? Depends on how nasty they are to me but as New Yorker I do usually stand up for myself.

Yeah but if you are a white woman and complain about sh*t service you get called a “Karen.” Because we are apparently all supposed to be ok with the decline of manners.

No, you are supposed to consider that your comfort during a 30 second interaction is just not that important and it doesn’t need to be avenged if you don’t get smiled at. If your feedback to management is just about you, your feelings and your expectations, that’s not very compelling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s the alternative—spend my life energy complaining about something that won’t be fixed? No thank you.

+1 It has to be egregious, possibly even illegal to be worth my time to address.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have been rude AF everywhere. Do I let it slide? Depends on how nasty they are to me but as New Yorker I do usually stand up for myself.

Yeah but if you are a white woman and complain about sh*t service you get called a “Karen.” Because we are apparently all supposed to be ok with the decline of manners.

No, you are supposed to consider that your comfort during a 30 second interaction is just not that important and it doesn’t need to be avenged if you don’t get smiled at. If your feedback to management is just about you, your feelings and your expectations, that’s not very compelling.

DP. Nobody complains to management about not getting smiled at--you're being ridiculous and you know it. We're talking about a service person actively being unhelpful and rude.

[Anonymous]

Seriously, what's up with the medical receptionists? Yelp my doctor and you'll see tons of reviews about "she's great but the front office is from hades," and while I agree, none of those reviews are even mine.

I worked as a waitress at several places and I get that customers can be jerks.

But that's no reason for customer service to lead with being jerks themselves.