sewjoyce

Bless your heart!! That would be ONE job I could never do :lol: :lol:

Honey

I HATE Walmart and shop there as little as possible :hunf:

Scissor Queen

You'll notice I said "did." I am not working for a tax prep firm this year or ever again. I have had it with obnoxious customers complaining about everything and everyone. I am still doing taxes but only for people that are nice. If they're not nice or demanding in any way they can take their taxes somewhere else. Go ahead, complain to the boss!! LOL

Bethy

I've heard everyone on this site talking about the customer and the employee and I've been on both sides of the plate, but my customers were actually patients. Now of days patients are not called patients,or customers but clients. I guess they are still clients. I haven't been able to work in 2 years and when I was working they were customers. Sometime in the last 2 years they became clients. I had been working in x-ray for close to 40 yrs. and we've called patients a lot of different names, but client just doesn't seem to fit to me. I guess it does in some things. I have always thought of my clients as patients, because it fit for me. I have seen my share of different customers, clients and patients in all those yrs. I have seen them in all shapes sizes and mind set. Sometimes in my mind, my remark to some of them has been, Have you lost your mind? and then on 2ND thought, they probably had! I've been hit, no slugged by drunks, cussed out by furious people, pinched by little old ladies and men. I've been thrown up on, pooped on and had idiots pull their IV's out because they wanted to. Why am I saying this, well, my point is, most of them were out of their minds when they did those things. Sometimes it was by their own doing when they messed with drugs, or drank too much or decided their family or friend read an article and said they didn't need their meds. Sometimes, I've had to yell at them just to get their attention so we could do what ever it was just to help them. Family members out of the rooms would hear me yell and the only thing that saved my butt with them was because I explained that I might be yelling because of their ability to understand that I was trying to help them. I normally would keep someone with us so they could see both sides. Drunks, I would yell out because they were out of their minds and once slugged, twice yell! What I'm trying to say here is that there are always 2 sides to most stories. As an instructor (past-tense) I have seen a change in the mind set of some of the newer students. Some of these students were not younger either, but the younger ones had a different attitude. Some were in it for the passion. Some thought everything should be given to them or they tried to work you so they could get through things with out doing more than standing in the room, watching the clock to see how much longer an exam would take so that they could get me to sign them off and they could be on their way. Now, would you want someone doing anything on you besides maybe bringing you a warm blanket. Wait maybe just even a blanket. That is what I mean about the differences that I've seen. Young and old, there are all personalities with ambitions and none.
I'm sorry to have taken so much space and soapbox, LOL Bethy

garysgal

I voluntered at a store where everything is free. It was started to help out the community and has been going for over 16 years. Anyway, working with the public is hard and I feel for anyone who has to work with people-it can be fun and it can be a nightmare. Fortunately, most of the experiences I had were fun, and the people for the most part were greatful and glad to be able to "shop" in a free store, but there were some that would make my day just by not coming in!! For example, when we had plumbing problems and had to close the restroom ( people went next door) and someone would walk past the closed signs, and use the bathroom even tho they knew it was closed. This was an adult and I know she could read, but they don't care. Anyway, my point is that we all need to understand what the clerks are going thru and remember that no one is perfect and we can all (and do) get on other people's nerves. I have found that most people respond favorably when you go the extra mile and smile and say something positive.

Maire

Bethy, as a retired Nurse Practitioner I hear what you are saying. We would both have plenty of stories! In the last couple of years before I retired it was so painful to be told at inservices that after 50 years in nursing that my patients were now just customers.
And since now that is the mindset do people who are ill or have problems go to their clinician for help realize that they are regarded as a customer, not a patient?
I do realize it is just semantics, but in my mind it greatly reduces the patient to just a number in line at the deli.

ctmhjenn

i just hand shoulder surgery today...and i want u 2 know Bethy, i 4 one love u for your heart and dedication.. i can't tell u how wonderful it was 2 b treated with kindness by everyone starting w/ the Dr. u can bet there will be a letter out as soon as i can write. yes,we all have 2 b kind even if it kills us, thats what it means to have compassion. I have been literally the face of the company and i know how tough it is...my motto..is; it never is about YOU..it is about them. u never know what they have gone through and that is the hardest to remember. sorry bethy, i got on my soapbox...and WHERE did that saying come from lol!

GailG

Hope you will be up to par soon. And what you are saying is so true. I'm a retired teacher. So many times parents come angry and lash out at YOU when it is their frustration with the situation and not knowing what to do about the problem at hand. Experience taught me that by remembering to turn it all to them and letting them know you want to make it better, too, they will calm down and work with you to get to the bottom of the problem. By turning it to them, I don't mean by blaming or pointing fingers, but by saying that you understand how they must be feeling bad because they're having a hard time and want to see it made better. Once they know that you are "on their side," they are much more willing to look at the situation and work WITH you to help make it better. This can be true in any field. Our students and their parents were our "customers," our "clients." It was often difficult to wear the smile and be compassionate, but it DID work better than meeting them with a brick wall. It took me a long time to learn to just let them talk and blow off steam, then when they were done to calmly assess the situation at hand and begin to work on the real problem.

I remember once I was in a little fabric shop that sold machines. The owner received a call from an irate customer who yelled on and on at her. She held the phone away from her ear and let the poor woman have at it. When the woman stopped for a breath, she calmly told the woman that she was so sorry she was having so much trouble. She then asked, "Mamm, I know you mustn't be feeling well. Do you have a headache?" The woman said that she certainly did. The shop owner then said, "Please stop and take an aspirin and rest. Then call me tomorrow when you're feeling better. I know we can work to solve your problem." I thought this was great.

Bottom line is, when we are working with the public, or anyone really, we can "hand the fly honey instead of vinegar."