As a corollary to Banana Lee’s excellent and much commented-on post about the service industry and tipping and whatnot, I wanted to look at the non-waitstaff, non-tipping, customer service experience as well, as after venturing into the service world*, I often think we’re living in the end times of the customer-service industry as a whole.
Though part of that is managing expectations. For instance, the other day I went to New Seasons for some food and drink products, and when I got in the checkout line, the checker was talking to another employee. No big deal, and even though she continued to talk to that person while she rang up my groceries, she did it (the ringing, not the talking) quickly, efficiently, and with nary a wasted step.
But here’s the thing: I was a little miffed by the experience. See, as the self-proclaimed “friendliest store in town,” New Seasons has conditioned me to expect good customer service, which includes a greeting and maybe even some eye contact to let me know that I am not just a cog in the machine, but an *sniff* actual human being. Had I been at Fred Meyer or Safeway or probably any other store, my quick and easy exit would have had me exalting the great gods that miracles really do happen, but because it was New Seasons, I expected better.
Good thing I don’t have to try and figure out their tip.
*mostly corporate — the small-business indy places are usually much better in this regard, though there is the semi-occasional “cooler than thou” dilemma in some of those spots