I spent six years working in a retail environment. It started out as a flexible position that allowed me to work a full time job and finish up my Bachelor's degree. Then I got comfortable and made really good friends and found myself taking on more responsibility instead of devoting myself to finding a "real" job until, six years later I wasn't having fun anymore and had lost most of my professional self-respect in the process. It's hard to take pride in your work when The Boss eliminates all elements of creativity and makes it abundantly clear that they think a monkey could do your job (which might be preferable because monkeys don't ask questions).
I learned a lot during that time in my life, whether I was enjoying it or not, and it certainly changed how I behave as a consumer. Here are five of the most outstanding lessons that I carry to this day.
5. Letting frustration dictate your behavior relinquishes all power to the source of your pique.
From behind the counter, I dealt with individuals who irritated me. If I let it get to me, which I sometimes did, then I found myself irritated with completely unrelated people or circumstances. Resenting the loss of my good mood, I tried to regain some of that power by taking it out on other people. I finally realized I control my emotional state. Allowing others to influence my mood gave them control over my behavior, and no matter what, my actions would only reflect on me, not my back story.
4. Misuse of sarcasm makes you sound stupid.
You never know who you're actually dealing with on a bus, or in line at the grocery store, or at the mall. That salesman may very well be smarter than you. It's safer to keep your snark to yourself, or accept that they will make fun of you with their friends and family, possibly for years to come depending on how big an ass you make of yourself.
3. Your procrastination is not their problem; it's their bread and butter.
If you want something done right, you plan, meet your deadlines, and leave plenty of time for circumstantial delays. If you want something done NOW, especially if you want it done well, you'd better be willing to pony up the dough, because (just like in shipping) priority service is going to cost you.
2. The customer is not always right.
Maybe they were in centuries gone by, but in today's society, too many people fall back on that line to cover their own glaring ineptitude, get something for free, or just to enjoy some sort of power trip. We have made it socially acceptable to be an absolute prat, and inexcusable to ever be wrong.
People make mistakes, right? No. YOU make mistakes. Every single one of us is wrong sometimes. If you hire an expert, accept that they know better than you. Be aware that your righteous indignation may be misplaced, and double check all the facts before you start slinging around the "I must be right because I'm paying for something" nonsense.
1. If you need someone's help, don't be a jerk.
Violators of this simple, obvious rule never cease to amaze me. Why do some people think that they get better service by being snarky, sarcastic, rude, aggressive, disrespectful, obstinate, or even simply unpleasant? If you need something done, especially if you're in a hurry, you better be polite to the person you're asking to serve you. Polite language, realistic expectations, and a healthy awareness that you are not the only person in the room will go a long, long way towards getting your problems addressed without body fluids being introduced to your lasagna, dry cleaning, wedding programs, or whatever you happen to be asking someone to make or do for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment