Service: What Goes Around, Comes Around?
Young Jeremy wrote an article about service in the Today papers today.
Such a kind-hearted boy he is. His every word clearly shows how he spares a thought for others, even people who are total strangers to him. It really warms my heart to be hearing such amazing words from a 15-year-old. Practising thinking for others and understanding its value is something so hard to come by for anyone, needless to say for a boy of his age. This virtue has no correlation with the number of years of education you receive, or the level of income you earn; it all comes from within your heart. It can’t be taught; it has to be spontaneous, it is a totally natural reaction. Most importantly, it is invaluable because the rewards are intangible, you can’t see it, you can only feel it.
I felt connected with Jeremy as I read his article, because I share the same thoughts as he does. It is just me..I used to always put other people’s feelings before my own, to the extent that it has indirectly become a burden to me. I realised it gets so difficult sometimes..there you are being the goody-two-shoes yet others are not appreciative and they are simply not concerned about your feelings. Ya, why should they?
I’ve learnt to draw a clearer line now, knowing that I have to objective at the right times. Other people’s feelings - especially my family’s and friends’ - are still of utmost important to me, but I also know when I ought to focus on what is right. Jeremy’s article reminded me of my bad experience at Naff yesterday. Their service level has been alright after frequenting the shop a couple of times since a month ago, but unexpectedly, yesterday’s was a disaster.
The same SA who always served me looked quite sian when I saw her yesterday, maybe she wasn’t in a good mood but I was indifferent. I went on to try 3 skirts on but I didn’t get any as none was to my liking. When I was making my way out of the shop, I accidentally spotted a pretty mini cardigan. I tried on the white one but it didn’t fit me fantastic and the colour also wasn’t what I was looking for, so I had to “reject” the SA again. I shook my head, signaling to her from afar that I didn’t want the white one. When I saw her walking towards me - already looking very unhappy - I asked her if she has a beige colour one. Guess what? She blatantly stormed past me without turning to answer or even acknowledge me! After taking a few more steps, she then DECIDED to show some reaction..reluctantly turning her body back slightly (not even 45 degs) and muttered “don’t have”, and walked off. WHAT THE….
My whole shopping mood was totally ruined by the SA’s lousy service. Although I am fully aware that as a customer I have no obligation to purchase anything after trying on, I still felt a little bad initially for “causing her trouble”. But after the kind of attitude she showed me, I had no regrets at all for not buying anything and she doesn’t deserve to be given any excuse!
Yes, Jeremy is right that customer service people are humans after all. I used to think this way and I would empathise with them by thinking up plenty of excuses to cover their mistakes. But there is still a limit to which customers can tolerate and understand. Ultimately it is still their job and their duty to serve customers appropriately. I am not here to see your black face leh, heLLO? Yes you are in a bad mood, fine. But I wasn’t the one who caused you to be in a bad mood so is it so hard to put on a smile to greet your customer? It is not whether you can or not, rather it is whether you want to or not, I am really not asking for too much.
Besides we are not talking about kids, but adults whom should know what is emotion management. In my case, I don’t think it is even about service, it is just basic courtesy. What’s more, I was nowhere being an unreasonable, impatient customer with a take-SA-for-granted attitude; I was already very nice and polite, thanking them everytime I returned the clothes that I tried on. I think I even smiled to the SA more than she smiled at me throughout that 15mins in the shop. I had done my part as a customer, so is it true - what goes around, comes around?? Beats me..
If your shop has super good products that customers cannot resist coming back to, then maybe bad service isn’t too big an issue to affect your business. But for Naff, I would think twice before I head back there because how am I to know whether the SA is in a good mood or not on that day? Your shop is not the only one; I still have plenty of other boutiques that I can choose to go to. I think the SA really doesn’t know how insulting it is to deliberately treat your customer as transparent and walk away ignoring a question she had asked. Sorry, but that’s really beyond anything that I can accept.
An SA need not be professionally trained in order to provide good and effective customer service, sometimes all it takes is a heart and the sincerity to serve.. I’ve seen this for myself, luckily.
Such a kind-hearted boy he is. His every word clearly shows how he spares a thought for others, even people who are total strangers to him. It really warms my heart to be hearing such amazing words from a 15-year-old. Practising thinking for others and understanding its value is something so hard to come by for anyone, needless to say for a boy of his age. This virtue has no correlation with the number of years of education you receive, or the level of income you earn; it all comes from within your heart. It can’t be taught; it has to be spontaneous, it is a totally natural reaction. Most importantly, it is invaluable because the rewards are intangible, you can’t see it, you can only feel it.
I felt connected with Jeremy as I read his article, because I share the same thoughts as he does. It is just me..I used to always put other people’s feelings before my own, to the extent that it has indirectly become a burden to me. I realised it gets so difficult sometimes..there you are being the goody-two-shoes yet others are not appreciative and they are simply not concerned about your feelings. Ya, why should they?
I’ve learnt to draw a clearer line now, knowing that I have to objective at the right times. Other people’s feelings - especially my family’s and friends’ - are still of utmost important to me, but I also know when I ought to focus on what is right. Jeremy’s article reminded me of my bad experience at Naff yesterday. Their service level has been alright after frequenting the shop a couple of times since a month ago, but unexpectedly, yesterday’s was a disaster.
The same SA who always served me looked quite sian when I saw her yesterday, maybe she wasn’t in a good mood but I was indifferent. I went on to try 3 skirts on but I didn’t get any as none was to my liking. When I was making my way out of the shop, I accidentally spotted a pretty mini cardigan. I tried on the white one but it didn’t fit me fantastic and the colour also wasn’t what I was looking for, so I had to “reject” the SA again. I shook my head, signaling to her from afar that I didn’t want the white one. When I saw her walking towards me - already looking very unhappy - I asked her if she has a beige colour one. Guess what? She blatantly stormed past me without turning to answer or even acknowledge me! After taking a few more steps, she then DECIDED to show some reaction..reluctantly turning her body back slightly (not even 45 degs) and muttered “don’t have”, and walked off. WHAT THE….
My whole shopping mood was totally ruined by the SA’s lousy service. Although I am fully aware that as a customer I have no obligation to purchase anything after trying on, I still felt a little bad initially for “causing her trouble”. But after the kind of attitude she showed me, I had no regrets at all for not buying anything and she doesn’t deserve to be given any excuse!
Yes, Jeremy is right that customer service people are humans after all. I used to think this way and I would empathise with them by thinking up plenty of excuses to cover their mistakes. But there is still a limit to which customers can tolerate and understand. Ultimately it is still their job and their duty to serve customers appropriately. I am not here to see your black face leh, heLLO? Yes you are in a bad mood, fine. But I wasn’t the one who caused you to be in a bad mood so is it so hard to put on a smile to greet your customer? It is not whether you can or not, rather it is whether you want to or not, I am really not asking for too much.
Besides we are not talking about kids, but adults whom should know what is emotion management. In my case, I don’t think it is even about service, it is just basic courtesy. What’s more, I was nowhere being an unreasonable, impatient customer with a take-SA-for-granted attitude; I was already very nice and polite, thanking them everytime I returned the clothes that I tried on. I think I even smiled to the SA more than she smiled at me throughout that 15mins in the shop. I had done my part as a customer, so is it true - what goes around, comes around?? Beats me..
If your shop has super good products that customers cannot resist coming back to, then maybe bad service isn’t too big an issue to affect your business. But for Naff, I would think twice before I head back there because how am I to know whether the SA is in a good mood or not on that day? Your shop is not the only one; I still have plenty of other boutiques that I can choose to go to. I think the SA really doesn’t know how insulting it is to deliberately treat your customer as transparent and walk away ignoring a question she had asked. Sorry, but that’s really beyond anything that I can accept.
An SA need not be professionally trained in order to provide good and effective customer service, sometimes all it takes is a heart and the sincerity to serve.. I’ve seen this for myself, luckily.
posted by Jshan @ 8.9.05
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