I am a very old school person in many ways. I believe in proper manners and in making sure that people are comfortable around me. That last part is sometimes challenging because some folks consider me to be really powerful (not realizing that they have just as much power as anyone else on the planet) so they get all nervous and self-conscious. But I really do my best to try to put people at ease. When it comes to my clients, I put extra effort forth because, frankly, the fact that someone made an appointment to get assistance and actually showed up at my door is a huge step in and of itself.
If someone is for some reason unhappy with my service, I am very approachable about that and quite willing to negotiate a settlement that will make both of us adequately happy. It is not like at some department stores where if you had the item, unworn, for more than ten days you are kind of S.O.L. I do also like to be confortable with whatever the situation may be. So if, for example, I said something that someone took entirely the wrong way I am very willing to listen and hopefully understand their perspective and make reparations that are meaningful to both of us. After all, a relationship, even a professional relationship, is a constant learning curve for everyone.
Having said all that, I have to say that there is an establishment that, this week, completely lost my business. I won’t name said establishment. If you want a name, you can check my personal social media because it did cause me to have a bit of a rant. But here, I will just say this. There is a huge difference between “customer service” and “customer harrassment.” When I go into a store I do like to be greeted in a friendly manner by whomever is working the floor that day. I also really appreciate it when I am asked if there is anything they can help me with? That saves me time if I am unsure as to where to find that for which I am looking. If I do not need assistance I like when the person says something like, “Okay, well feel free to look around and if there is anything at all that I can do to assist you please just let me know.” Done deal. That is customer service.
When, however, I walk into a store and am greeted in a friendly way, only to then be harrassed every step of the way, that is not cool. This place to which I refer does greet people warmly. And I have, in the past, enjoyed shopping there because it deals in fair trade. But then, the last number of times I have been there, I have been watched like I am some kind of criminal. It is like they have a fallacious belief that I am going to shop lift or something. I have not been able to stop to look at any item without the person working the floor rushing up and asking me if they can help me with that? How exactly do I need someone’s help just to look at something? Heaven forbid if I actually pick it up to look at it! Suddenly the person is rushing up and asking me if they can put that at the counter for me? Um…no. If I decide to buy it I can take it to the counter myself. And, by the way, people sometimes have to pick up an object to check the price on it, you fool! It does not guarantee a sale. So this week, after experiencing this yet again at this establishment, I decided to stop shopping there. I am an Aquarian. Once I am pissed off I burn the bridge. I do not even care if that means that I have to pay three times the amount for a similar item elsewhere. I will gladly pay that for the shopping experience that does not involve someone making it look like I am a thief.
So I decided that I would try their online shopping and eliminate the middle man altogether. This is also against my nature. I am the type of person that wants to actually have a human cashier run my groceries through the till, as opposed to having a corporation NOT pay an employee and making me ring through my own goods. That, to me, is the height of evil in the corporate world. Business is supposed to CREATE JOBS FOR PEOPLE, not take them away. Nonetheless, I thought that I would try online. There was an item that was on social media on their face book page that I rather liked, but was not at the store when I was there. So I went online to their website. Everything seemed to be going quite well. After filling out my order and my delivery information, I clicked on Checkout. BAM! I was bounced right back to the beginning as though I had not spent the last five minutes already filling out information. Everything that I had filled out had disappeared. That sort of thing makes me simply walk. I cannot stand websites that are not user friendly. So to hell with the item. I will do without.
Later I got an email from them asking me if I was still interested in said item, because they were holding my order. So I emailed them back letting them know exactly why I was no longer interested. After all, what is the point of ranting about something like this on social media if I am not going to also deal with this issue directly with the company? I have not heard back from them. But someone, somewhere, will read what I wrote. Whether or not they care is up to them. But I felt that it was my duty as a former customer to inform them as to why I am no longer using their services.
In life, and especially in social media, we will notice that there are a LOT of people who will rant about one thing or another but who will not actually take the time out of their day to actually address the issue directly with whomever they are ranting about. That is not me. I have to go to the person or the company and address it. If I have ordered a steak meduim rare and it comes to me well done I will definitely be sending it back. If there are crutons on my caesar salad, when I asked for them to not be, I will simply pull them out as I eat the salad. It is about the level and degree of the screw up. I can be pretty easy going and I always treat the waiting staff with great respect and generally tip very well. The only time I won’t is if the service has been so astronomically horrible that I am considering not even paying for the meal. (That has only happened twice in my 56 years.). And those two times that this did happen, I spoke to the manager to explain exactly how horribly wrong everything went. So yes, it is important to take the issue directly to the source.
It is also important to not let anyone try to make you feel like you have been way out of line just because you have shared that you are no longer doing business with them. That is a business tactic that is arrogant and can turn things volatile rather quickly. Just as important is the fact that you cannot let anyone else who does do business with them try to make you feel bad just because you are DONE with that ridiculous situation. Sometimes people get really uncomfortable when one is unappologetically pissed off. Too bad. Be uncomfortable. But don’t you DARE try to make it sound like I am just having a bad day. That will win you no brownie points whatsoever. I am not a wishy washy type of personality. I do not second-guess myself when it comes my experiences in life. This may also be the nature of an Aquarian, or an Indigo child, or whatever. I find that things are pretty cut and dry with me. I like something or I don’t. I will do something or I won’t. I truly wish that everyone in the world would be less second-guessing in their lives. Mind you, that could, I suppose, also affect my business becasue I do my best to help people to gently discover who they truly are inside. But still, more people need to become BOLD. After all, Providence does love boldness!
Notes:
1. I heard the phrase, “Be Bold! Providence loves boldness” once and it stuck. When I use that phrase or some variation of it I am often met with blank stares. It is like people don’t understand the IMPORTANCE of boldness. People have become so brainwashed that that have to be meek and mild that they forget their own sovereignty. This, to me, is tragic and a BIG part of everything that has gone sideways in this world.
2. Providence is “that which provides.” That means, whether or not you believe in Spirit, or God, or whatever Higher Power, there is something (even if it is a part of yourself) that activates things being provided that are needed in your life. Accessing that part of yourself often does take some boldness. It is not a flippant thing. It is a very intentional thing. So please be BOLD in your expectations and manifestations. That way your needs will be met.
3. When people try to imply that you are just having a bad day when you are actually rightfully pissed off, what they are actually doing is saying, “Tisk, tisk…you do realize, do you not, that your feelings really don’t count here?” Sometimes this comes across as a suggestion that you “just need a hug” or that “things will get better if you just adjust your attitude.” These are pathetic attempts to make you not make THEM feel uncomfortable. Don’t let them do that to you. You DO COUNT.
4. Yes, sometimes people are struggling and do get angry at a number of things. I look at this as them becoming aware of the chaos within. They really do not need platitudes at this point. What they need is understanding and compassion and, perhaps, some assistance in brain storming how to cope with the issue that they are angry about as well as perhaps the underlying issue that sparks their anger. But this cannot be forced. It has to be gentle, lest you become someone with whom they are also now angry.
5. Moments of anger do not define a person. What one DOES with their anger displays their character. People are often afraid of anger, having been programmed that it is hostile and abusive every time. Anger is actually a strong motivating energy that propels us into righting what has been wronged. That is not about hostility or even vengeance. It is about BOUNDARIES. And people who do not honor and support your boundaries are the very people who will try to trod upon you throughout life. Do NOT let them get away with that.