Entry #2 The joys of customer service

Entry #2

The joys of customer service. 

Coming home from work this Saturday I found myself sharing my stories of customers I had gotten and I came to realize there are categories of customers you will come across while working in customer service. This one goes out to all of those who have been in these shoes or who may one day have the pleasure of working in this field one day. 

...Customer

"The angry at the world" 

No matter what you do good or bad this customer will be rude. It usually starts with you saying "Hello" with a smile and then you get ignored or interrupted because they aren't needing a hello they are too angry. You ask them for an ID and they must argue with you about why you must see their ID.  You tell them the total and they make a comment about how its too much. You go through the transaction and they say its taking too long. This customer is a lost cause so just smile along and pray for an ending. 

"The confused"

The confused customer comes in many shapes and forms. A favorite of mine is the customer who shows up to the business you work at and finds out they are in the wrong place. For example I worked at a small movie theatre and customers would come in with Harkins cups or AMC coupons and wonder why we won't take them. They sit and argue you with saying this is AMC! As if you forgot where you work and then they make their way out the door. You also receive the confused lost  customer. Out-of-towners who need directions to the road their friend lives on or an older lady who has a smart phone and isn't sure how to use their GPS and no matter how thouroly you explain directions your 100% positive they won't remember. 

"The unprepared" 

This customer has a sixth sense for when you will be busiest. You may work at a restaurant and they are in line and don't know what they want yet, or you're waiting for them to pay and they don't have their money out yet and it happens to be lost at the bottom of their purse or they left their card in the car. The line forms and the people stare and moan and groan. You would thing this customer would be prepared especially when they have sat in line for ten minutes and had plenty on time to have all their stuff together but it just doesn't seem possible. 

"The complainer"

"That will be five dollars" "What! Thats way too expensive! Thats outrageous!" "Well its still five dollars" This customer will not only complain about things you have no control over they will ask why and will ask for a manager who will just say the same thing you say. This customer is unhappy with the rules or unhappy with their service and will complain and storm out and promise to never return..... until you seem them a week from then walking in. 

"The storyteller"

Usually this customer is on the older side. You simply ask "how is your day" and they give you a history lesson or a life story on themselves. The line gets longer as you politely nod your head and wait for them to finish but they seem to love to hear themselves talk. If you are so terribly unlucky there won't be a line behind them and they will make a comment such as "oh I'm not holding anyone up and I? No one is behind me so we are good", and you scream on the inside "You are holding me up! Im busy! I have stuff to do." There is no way to escape this customer except for patience. 

"The regular"

The regular doesn't always mean the nicest. The regular is someone who comes often enough or makes enough of an impression to make you remember them every time they walk through that door. You will love most of your regulars. You know their routine and you ask about their kids or how the new house is coming along and you truly enjoy their company. Then there is the regular you see and every runs for the hills and you are the lucky winner of this "regular". They are rude they are picky and you try to walk on eggshells and they still are unhappy and grumpy and for some insane reason return time after time. 

The next time you help a customer try to see which category they fit in and have a little laugh as angry at the world is yelling at you. Though these are over exaggerations you will have the nice respectful customers who make your day and possibly make it a little worth it to work where you work.