You’ve heard it a million times: treat others how you’d like to be treated. And you’ve probably had some pretty great – and some pretty bad – customer service experiences.
In the past, I never thought to put the two together. I thought, “Well, if I’m the customer, I should just expect exemplary service.” The customer is always right, right?
I’m guilty of being the upset, rude type of customer, taking it out on some poor employee who really had no control over the situation. Storming off in a huff because things didn’t pan out the way I thought they should’ve? Guilty, too.
But I’ll never forget the time I made it a point to flip the script. I was at everyone’s favorite store with a bullseye for its logo. The employee I was talking with was not doing everything they could to solve the problem – at least not in my eyes. I got angry. They got angry. Nothing was getting accomplished on either side.
I mentally took a step back and reassessed how to approach the situation so that it ended up with a positive outcome for me. First, I made it a point to address the employee by name. Her demeanor instantly changed, just slightly. Next, I put myself in her shoes and acknowledged she probably was doing the best she could in that exact moment. Maybe she was already having a bad day – I sure could understand that. As soon as I changed my attitude to one of understanding and dropped the frustration from my voice, she became more receptive to doing what she could to help me out.
To be honest, I don’t remember the exact result of this specific situation, but I remember the feelings it invoked and the lesson that I took with me, both as the customer and as the employee: attitude can change the outcome.
Be understanding. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Take a breath and shift your approach. You might be surprised at how big of a difference it can make.
photo credit: © fotogestoeber – stock.adobe.com

Ever been guilty of being the upset, rude type of customer? The Reman Runner is here this week in her very first post with an admission – and an important reminder. Like that Rani has to say? Tell her below or reach out directly.