Customer Service

What has happened to Customer Service? For the most part it has become an automated recorded voice when trying to reach someone or a self serve situation. Recently I have noticed the huge down turn of customer service. I don't know if today's generation even knows what it means?! Now before I sound too old and stodgy, you need to understand my training and background.

When I entered the work field (more then just babysitting) I began my working history at Menard's. I started as a cashier. We were put through a weeks worth of training on how to handle customers. It was drilled into us that customer's are always right (even though I didn't really think so). Well, Menard's must have changed their training now that Ray has passed on. Menard's employees do not have nor appear to have had the same training that I did when I was working there.

It's very hard to get anyone to stop and help you, let alone an answer. There use to be this thought process of customers that they were always right and unless you treated them as such, they would demand more. That role appears to be changing. Too often and not only at Menard's, have I run into the employee or coworker who has the mentality that they are always right and they have the right to demand until they get what they want. Sometimes they even have the mindset that "if I ignore them or ignore the situation" it will some how disappear. Vanish into thin air!

It is hard to see that when I was trained and taught that you set aside your own issues, your own desires and you do "whatever it takes" to please the customer. After all, they are a contributing factor in how you get paid or what you get paid with. They are the reason the store exists in the first place.

If you are a business owner or someone who desires customers or clients to help grow your business, please take a tip from me. Get some customer service training - it's out there, everywhere and it is even free. Make it a priority for your employees to treat the clients or customers with as much care as possible.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Hopefully that means kind, courteous and considerate of their needs.