Business as Usual

“Business as usual.”

That is what our country’s leaders are telling us.  I agree!  However, let me share an observation that seems to repeat itself every so often.  Here are a couple of examples.

I watched someone make a complaint to a sales clerk at a department store.  The clerk responded by saying that the customer was being very petty in view of what has been going on in the world lately.

The other night a hotel guest complained that the room service department took an hour to get the meal to him.  The front desk clerk responded in an irritated fashion that he should be lucky to have room service and somehow was able to connect the bad service to the “war on terrorism.”

Unfortunately, there were several other incidents similar to the above that I’ve noticed in the past few weeks.  One of my upcoming clients called and asked me to incorporate some information into my presentation that addressed examples similar to the above examples.  It seems that several employees feel that the little complaints and details that they usually take care of aren’t important anymore compared to the terrorist attacks and the war the US is currently involved in.

The employees are entitled to their opinion.  However, their job is not the place for them to air their views and opinions.  Despite how trivial someone’s problem or complaint might be, it should still be dealt with in a professional and courteous manner, no matter what is going on in the world.

You see, these people with requests, complaints, problems, etc., that may seem trivial are still customers.  And if not treated the way they want to be treated, they will go somewhere else.

Our professional athletes are excellent examples of the right way to do business.  At the beginning of the game, they take a moment to reflect, honor, remember, etc.  And, then they go to work.  You don’t see them putting in a partial effort.  They put their heart and souls into their jobs.

So remember, it is “business as usual.”  Our customers and clients expect it and want it!

Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.

(Copyright ©MMXI, Shep Hyken)