How sad it is in this current economic climate when South Africa boasts the highest unemployment rate, that there are people who have jobs and yet they have no idea how fortunate they are to have them. They are indifferent to the customer and don’t seem to care whether or not you are there . They need to remember that it is a privilege to have a job and NOT a right!
Spending time in shops across the board over the festive season has made me want to scream and shake people working behind counters, behind tills, and on the floor supposedly “serving” customers in restaurants, retail stores or supermarkets. There is an apathy about them. Rather than offer assistance, they avoid you. They have little or no knowledge of their products and are more interested in stocking the shelves than asking if they can help you. The word “service” is not in their vocabulary.
Is it a lack of training, or is it a sickness that seems to have enveloped these people who comfortably have a job? No incentive to go out of their way to be of service to the customer.
One supermarket really gets to me, for example when you arrive at the till the teller has her back to you trying to ignore you and hoping that you will go to the next teller!
Another example is the one where stores that have several paying stations, but only have one in operation, with a queue 15 deep and a sign that says, “please let the management know if you have had to wait longer than 5 minutes”. Hello – we want to pay – do you want our money?? Not even referring to our banks!!!
Maybe here lies the problem! Management is not always to be seen!!! How aware is the manager about what is happening on the floor or is he/she only there to organize the tea and lunch roster for the employees? Excuse the sarcasm but I have been in the middle of conversations where standing at the till this has been discussed, as if I was not there! I am after all only the person spending my money in this store!
Suggestions:
the customer/consumer needs to be looked at differently! VALUE the customer!! Appreciate that without the customer there would be no business. Without business….
training of staff is vital! Spend money on proper training of all staff! Managers do your job!
Be proud of your organization especially when it deals with people – they are your gold! Good employees who go the extra mile should be valued and rewarded.
value your job and work to your best ability/ be proud of your role in the organization!
visit countries like Thailand and India to see what service is about or go locally to Durban restaurants and hotels where you will see service in action – it is a culture of service
I say that we should vote with our feet! Don’t return to an establishment, if you can help it, should you have experienced poor service – but put your money where your mouth is and let the management know!
poor service in restaurants should not go unmentioned! You will be doing future customers a favour.
make a concerted effort to bring to the attention the name of the employee who has gone out of his/her way to assist you and if everyone did this, those who do not get a mention might eventually get the picture. Let us all do this as a form of positive recognition and hopefully we will make a difference to what can only be termed as “sloppy” service.
make employers accountable
Employers – wake up and get with your business. Be a customer in your own establishment and see what I mean!!
Cape Town is such an amazing city, it is one of the top cities in the world. Let us make it even better by valuing the customer and walking the talk!!!
