By Nadia Rivas
Me: “Hi, Welcome to…”
Customer: “Give me a Chicken Gyro Pita with …”
Do you see anything wrong with this? Well, I do. The customer didn’t acknowledge the employee. This is a common occurrence for me when working in customer service. I greet them, I’m ignored, they order without saying hello, and then leave without realizing I was there. It makes you wonder if basic human decency is gone. Has technology rid us of decent human interaction, or are cashiers now seen as computers? ‘Cause it sure seems like it. It’s not hard to have manners. Saying “Hello,” “Thank You,” “Goodbye,” “you too,” for example, goes a long way and makes customer and employee interaction 100 times better, because ignoring a cashier and treating them like a computer is dehumanizing. Yes, you want to get your food and go, but saying “Hi” or “Thank You” takes less than five seconds. Having basic manners is crucial to having an effective customer-to-employee interaction. Just follow a few basic steps, and you’ll excel in customer mannerisms.
1. When you are welcomed, acknowledgement is key. Saying a basic thank you is a perfect way to begin, or you can even begin with “what’s good?”
2. When ordering, say please; saying please sounds less demanding.
3. After the order is repeated, saying “yes, that is perfect” and “Thank You” is the cherry on top.
4. Waiting patiently for food to be brought to you.
5. Saying “Thank You” when food is brought out to you.
6. Oh! And if an item is missing, not snapping at them is an excellent way to PLEASE ask for that item.
It may sound ridiculous, and it is ridiculous that people are lacking basic manners when dealing with cashiers, but that is the reality of it. It’s sad to see people lack manners, when that is what we were mostly all taught growing up, becoming an adult should not give anyone the right to suddenly forget them. All I am saying is next time you are getting ringed up, do forget my six steps in achieving customer to employee excellence: HAVING MANNERS.