He Told Her to Do What?!?

My colleague, #Cindy, is amazing. I've been working with her at the rink for two years now and if I ever needed and could afford a personal assistant I would hire her in a heartbeat. She's hard-working, funny, overwhelmingly positive, and her hearty laughter is always contagious. One of the things I admire most about Cindy at work is her ability to turn a difficult customer into her best friend in about four minutes flat. I've seen it done multiple times and it's as astonishing as it sounds.

Earlier this week Cindy willingly took a phone call from a woman's personal cell phone. The woman's husband was frustrated about something concerning our new registration system, and when he refused to listen to Cindy's explanation, he told her to "shut up." Cindy promptly handed the phone back to the woman in front of her (who had her approximately 10-year-old son with her) and said "he just told me to shut up. I will be happy to speak with him when he can have a civil conversation with me."

Good for Cindy. But unfortunately, this blog isn't about her.

I'm appalled at the audacity of this man to tell a perfect stranger (trying to help him no less!) to SHUT UP. Keep in mind this man is a father who is responsible for setting a good example for his child(ren). What kind of rude, entitled society do we live in where people get what they want by being disrespectful and mean to others? Has this man never worked in a customer service role? Just thinking about the coping mechanisms this man must have needed to employ to survive his childhood is frightening to think about!

I know not everyone is like me, but personally, if someone is being rude and yelling at me I am LESS likely to consider giving them what they want. Why would you go out of your way to give a mean person what they want?

Let's be sure to act with courtesy and respect towards others - it's an easy but impactful way to make a positive impression on those around us, to make the world a better place for everyone. It reminds me of this quote, variations of which have been attributed to Plato, Socrates, Philo, and more:

"Be kind. For everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about."

Do you have crazy customer service stories? Thoughts? Comment below!

Cindy on her birthday back in February...she is well-loved!

#CustomerService #Respect #Courtesy #RoleModel