Customer Service-My thoughts

A customer (also known as a client, buyer, or purchaser) is the recipient of a good, service, product, or idea, obtained from a seller, vendor, or supplier for a monetary or other valuable consideration. (from Wikipedia).

It amazes me how we, society as a whole, have lost the idea of Customer Service.  We have become so preoccupied with ourselves, we forget what we're really doing.  In the past month, I have experienced poor customer service on several occasions.

--I was at the Commissary (the Army's grocery store), checking out.  Not only did the cashier not greet me when I came to the register, but, as my receipt was printing, he was standing there, blowing on his hand, walking back and forth away from the cash register.  He was completely oblivious to my receipt.  I snapped my fingers in front of him and said, "Focus! Focus!"  It was as if I had awoken him from a dream world.  Where's the customer service here?

--My refrigerator sounds as if it's about to take off on a runway.  I asked the apartment management to take a look at it and get it fixed.  When the workers came to fix the fridge, they knocked an angel off the top of the fridge, the wings broke off, and they simply placed it on the counter and left the apartment.  I was in the apartment when this all happened (found it after they left) and was floored they didn't have the decency to apologize or even acknowledge they had just broken something of mine.  Really?

It must be remembered, however, that a customer isn't just someone who is purchasing goods.  As the definition states, a customer is the "recipient" of goods or services.  An exchange of money doesn't have to occur to be considered a customer.  That being said, aren't we all customers of one another?  Think of how much less stress we would experience in our lives if we treated each other with the best customer service?  Imagine how much less ridiculousness would be happening at work if we employed this concept?  After all, in a work environment, aren't we the recipients of one another's services?  I have been dealing with such useless, childish behavior at work, it simply saddens me.  How can people consider themselves professionals when they act like children?  If they chose to treat their coworkers with quality customer service, none of this nonsense would be happening. 

So, I leave you with these thoughts to ponder:  What can you do tomorrow to improve the customer service you provide to your coworkers?  What's stopping you from providing the best customer service possible to those you work with?  How much better would your work environment be if everyone treated each other with great customer service?

Just my thoughts.

--DV