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Things I wish that all people who work with the public knew...
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Author | Message |
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Angela Send message Joined: 16 Oct 07 Posts: 13130 Credit: 39,854,104 RAC: 31 |
No commentary please. Just post your pet peeves in this thread using a numbered rule format. Maybe somebody will have the good sense to turn this thread into a manual for training grocery clerks, salespeople, wait staff members and yes... (shockingly) even medical doctors!!!! Rule #1. The terms "sweetie" or "dear" should NEVER be used to address any person older than 14 years of age. |
Blurf Send message Joined: 2 Sep 06 Posts: 8962 Credit: 12,678,685 RAC: 0 |
Oh I could lay out a list Don't assume you need to kneel down to speak to a person in a wheelchair-not necessary |
celttooth Send message Joined: 21 Nov 99 Posts: 26503 Credit: 28,583,098 RAC: 0 |
Pet Peeve..... People who break by-laws who then expect that if they are lawyers or other such persons of supposed authority, should be exempt from all penalties... :):) |
Bill Walker Send message Joined: 4 Sep 99 Posts: 3868 Credit: 2,697,267 RAC: 0 |
I think that may be a regional thing. In Canada women over 60 often call everybody dear, especially other women. No disrespect is meant, or taken. Now, if a 20 something calls me sweetie or dear in just the right tone, then a great deal of disrespect is obviously meant. |
Scarecrow Send message Joined: 15 Jul 00 Posts: 4520 Credit: 486,601 RAC: 0 |
Just 3 things in life that I despise...... 1) Warm beer 2) Wet toilet seats 3) Politicians |
Jim Martin Send message Joined: 21 Jun 03 Posts: 2473 Credit: 646,848 RAC: 0 |
On the positive side of things, if I may (I am 78.) -- A number of years, ago, younger people started holding doors, for me, at supermarkets, coffee-shops, etc. A pleasant surprise, as I had a somewhat critical attitude toward the younger folks (partly, due to reading about them). Not so -- and it's pleasantly-humbling, as I still don't consider myself "old", as I am quite active. As for being called "sweetie", I can easily return the compliment. |
OzzFan Send message Joined: 9 Apr 02 Posts: 15691 Credit: 84,761,841 RAC: 28 |
Rule #1. The terms "sweetie" or "dear" should NEVER be used to address any person older than 14 years of age. Rule #2. If the customer tells you they don't want to buy your high profit margin, low return on investment (statistically speaking) store warranty for an item we know is not likely to break, don't keep trying to push it on us. |
Carlos Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 29819 Credit: 57,275,487 RAC: 157 |
Rule #1. The terms "sweetie" or "dear" should NEVER be used to address any person older than 14 years of age. As for Rule 2: I once got so tired of being asked to buy the waranty that I warrned the clerk that is said the word warranty one more time that the deal was off. She did, I walked. Rule #3: Remember you work for the customer. (I won a national HR award once for drafting and implementation of a policy making customer service the main factor for determining who got raises at the County of Santa Barbara. Made a big diffence.) |
James Sotherden Send message Joined: 16 May 99 Posts: 10436 Credit: 110,373,059 RAC: 54 |
Rule #1. The terms "sweetie" or "dear" should NEVER be used to address any person older than 14 years of age. AS to rule #2 I told a saleslady That if she mentioned the warranty one more time Id walk. She didnt. I bought the washer and dryer. 19 years later I did have to fix the washer. The pump went out. Cost me $108.00 bucks. Well worth not buying the warranty. Her pitch was, What if the washer breaks down in a year. My response was, Then I will never buy this brand again. Its a whirlpool. [/quote] Old James |
Sirius B Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24879 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 |
Rule #1. The terms "sweetie" or "dear" should NEVER be used to address any person older than 14 years of age. Rule #4 The customer is not always right! |
Bill Walker Send message Joined: 4 Sep 99 Posts: 3868 Credit: 2,697,267 RAC: 0 |
Maybe so, but if you want to keep dealing with the customer you need to be VERY careful how you tell them this. Right or wrong, the customer pays your salary. They are allowed to make mistakes, as long as the check clears. I spent several years watching German salesmen tell North American customers they were not just wrong, but obviously stupid, if they didn't want to buy the German helicopter in place of the French helicopter. Only the Germans were surprised when the French helicopter company bought out the German company. |
celttooth Send message Joined: 21 Nov 99 Posts: 26503 Credit: 28,583,098 RAC: 0 |
Rule #4 The customer is not always right! No that is wrong, the customer is just always right. (Man there were times when customers could roll me up laughing my head off, but they never ever knew what I was really thinking.) If a customer is too much to bare, then that person becomes a problem, then that can change everything. |
Donald L. Johnson Send message Joined: 5 Aug 02 Posts: 8240 Credit: 14,654,533 RAC: 20 |
Rule 6: No matter how bad a day you are having, do your best to maintain a positive attitude. People respond to attitude. If you can stay positive, or at least civil, even the most obnoxious, upset people can be successfully dealt with. But if you have a bad one, they will, too, and it's downhill from there. I remember a time I was traveling from Hawai'i to San Diego for a meeting and short vacation. My flight was delayed, and arrived in Los Angeles an hour late. Many of us had missed connecting flights, and the couple ahead of me in line gave the airline agent a particularly bad time. When my turn came, I asked her if she needed a couple seconds to recover, as I was in no great hurry. She gave me a funny look, then closed her eyes and took three deep breaths. When she opened her eyes, she was kinda smiling, and she got me on the next flight to San Diego. I think some of the folks behind me in line got the message, too, because nobody else gave her a hard time. Donald Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired |
Gary Charpentier Send message Joined: 25 Dec 00 Posts: 30639 Credit: 53,134,872 RAC: 32 |
Rule #4 The customer is not always right! It has changes since your visit. It is now "Have a good one." |
janneseti Send message Joined: 14 Oct 09 Posts: 14106 Credit: 655,366 RAC: 0 |
Rule #7 The customers support is Always right. |
Angela Send message Joined: 16 Oct 07 Posts: 13130 Credit: 39,854,104 RAC: 31 |
First of all, I totally take back that request for "no commentary". I am absolutely LOVING all the commentary in this thread!!! Keep it coming!!! Right or wrong, the customer pays your salary. They are allowed to make mistakes, as long as the check clears. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyone with any sense does not work for or with the public. Uh Chris... did you just call me, everybody in my profession and anyone who has ever worked in a hospital stupid? |
Sirius B Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24879 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 |
Well, he's always impinged the transport industry which makes me wonder if rule #99 comes into play... ...#99 - Don't talk to grumpy old fogeys, just smile at them :-) |
celttooth Send message Joined: 21 Nov 99 Posts: 26503 Credit: 28,583,098 RAC: 0 |
...#99 - Don't talk to grumpy old fogeys, just smile at them :-) There Ya' go, a rule written just for me! |
Sirius B Send message Joined: 26 Dec 00 Posts: 24879 Credit: 3,081,182 RAC: 7 |
Well, he's always impinged the transport industry which makes me wonder if rule #99 comes into play... :-) [roflmao) |
janneseti Send message Joined: 14 Oct 09 Posts: 14106 Credit: 655,366 RAC: 0 |
Well, he's always impinged the transport industry which makes me wonder if rule #99 comes into play... Statler and Waldorf:) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGfx3QAV64M |
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