A Short Blurb about Customer Service

Some time ago I stopped in the supermarket in Barbican to pick up a few items, while in the line I noticed the cashier with the most miserable grumpy look on her face… I started wondering why is customer service so bad in Jamaica, what could possibly make this woman so unhappy and upset.

Then I started to observe the customers and I quickly realized why this woman was so upset and unhappy. Jamaican Customer service providers and customers are locked in a vicious circle of dislike, the poor girl had to suffer one disrespect and abuse after another and it did not matter the economic status of the customers. So it seems customer service providers go to work and before they face the customers put on the “do not mess today face” to combat the onslaught of verbal and physical abuse that they must deal with on a daily basis. On this particular day I decided to do the opposite, when it was my turn I walked up to her with a big “Good morning my love, how are you today” and a smile. The animated change in her face and mannerism was amazing, priceless, first it was shock as she was taken aback, then realization, after which she had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen, as she responded “I am fine thank you, how are you doing?”. We chatted a bit about the day while she rang me up and said our good byes while wishing each other a wonderful day.............

I went to a Government office downtown, it was pack, noisy and unruly as one man shouted at the girl behind the counter... “Hey dutty gal, yu foot dry so, yu naw come serve man!” … to the laughter and agreement of the crowd… I stood there in silence with a disapproving look on my face with my papers in hand. The girl walked up to the counter and called me forward... “How can I help you today” and before I could answer the same man unleashed a string of verbal attacks which she ignored like a true champion, I conducted my business and exited the office leaving him cussing like a drunken sailor..........

My first job on leaving school was working for the Government dealing with customers so trust me when I say that Jamaicans are not the easiest people to deal with. Most have a master/slave relationship with customer service providers in which they are the masters and the provider are the slaves who should take any amount of abuse, because they think the customer is always right. Then there is everyday common manners and courtesy which most lack, no pleasantries, just rude, papers thrown on desk or at the person. One of my co-workers at the time got spat on, flush right in her face simply because she dared to tell a customer to wait a bit.

APOPHIS
Goa'uld System Lord
Apep, The Serpent God
Brother of Ra

Evil Bad Guy!

Think of Customers Service Providers and Customers like a “Goa'uld” (pronounced “go-AH-oold”) from my favorite science fiction TV show Stargate SG1 (Yes I am a Geek), with each person having two different individuals sharing the same body, one aggressive and rude the other passive, kind and polite. Then just before they interact with customers, they consciously gives control over to their aggressive “Goa'uld” personality as a mean of self-preservation, a kind of fright or flight response mechanism. Customers must put on their game face thus hulking out to deal with service providers and service providers do the same before they approach the counter. I saw it first hand with my co-workers, they are nice and normal in the back room and before they exit to start their shift of Customer servicing they tranforrm!!! Like Mumm-Ra in the Thunder Cats or Dr. Bruce Banner into the Hulk…

It does not take much to change the customer service experience and customers must realize that they are just as responsible for the kind of service they get and the kind of service we are given and service providers must try harder to be indifferent to aggression, like water off a ducks back stick to the script of being nice, polite and attentive to customers and try to defuse any tension that may build up between both of you....Jah know the alternative is not worth the bother.

Thank you for visiting, please do come again and have a wonderful day.