A Little Whine with that Cheese?
by Mary Jane
Mapes
My husband and I went out for dinner to relax and celebrate a special
occasion. Upon approaching our table, with head down and no eye contact, the waitress
mumbled something about having to tell us about the house wines. When I attempted to
clarify what she'd said, she snapped back with, "I hate having to tell people about
the house wines available. I hate sales, and I think the whole thing is stupid, but they
make me do it!"
Attempting to console the poor thing, I said gently, "Well, sounds
like you obviously don't enjoy it, but, look at it this way, it's just a part of the
job."
"No it's not," she snorted. "My job is to give you
excellent customer service!" I said nothing more.
My husband ordered stuffed manicotte and a salad. I ordered a salad, and
asked if she would please bring it when she brought my husband's meal. Her face registered
resistance. "That's not gonna work. They put the salads in the same bowl, and you
help yourself." Not wishing to create any more stress for her, I said, "No
problem. Bring me the salad whenever it's convenient for you."
Clearly she understood that her job was to deliver excellent customer
service. Unfortunately, she didn't know what excellent service looked (or sounded) like.
Instructing service providers to give good service and then neglecting to
provide the education and training needed ranks at the top of common mistakes
organizations can't afford to overlook.
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