[quote]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Jana:
I'm surprised how many employees continue to take the sniveling, cavalier attitude by customers with the "POOR ME'S", but most of us do it on a daily basis. Of course, this statement doesn't include "ALL" customers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You're kidding, right? It's a service industry, not a collaboration or a team sport. Customers pay, employees provide service. Sure you might encounter rude customers, but you get paid to deal with customers. We don't pay to deal with rude or hostile employees, on the phone, at the gate, in the RCC, or on the plane. The money flows one way, the service with a smile flows the other. Capitalism at work.</font>
My statement that you quoted was in direct response to a previous post that stated UA's customer service personnel are sniveling and cavalier and crying "poor me". I was merely pointing out that this particular customer is guilty of the same attitude and behavior.
You're most correct in that you pay for a service in which I'm paid to provide. I am paid to deal with customers, even the rude or physically violent customers.
I was told that I did the correct thing when I walked away from a customer that shoved me and again when I walked away from the customer that spit on me. (Both situations in which I was the messenger only.) They, too, thought I was paid to take this treatment. I realize they were angry with UA and not so specifically with me- but I know I'm NOT paid to be their psychiatrist.
The next shover, slapper, spitter, hitter (slapped and hit while employed by another airline) gets the same back at them.
Any FT-er that has been served by me knows that I'm a dedicated employee. To tell me to eat crap because I'm being paid to eat the crap is near-sighted.
What comes around, goes around. I may be your customer, too. Indeed, it is a collaboration and team effort.