Customer Service Begins At The Front Lines

Providing good customer service is crucial for every business.

How many times have you visited a restaurant, gym, bank, retail store, or any other business and felt like you could have had a better experience?  Have you ever felt flat out disrespected as a customer?

It seems as though many front line workers are on a revolving door type of employment.  One week I noticed a cashier at the mini mart where I got some gas and the next week that cashier was gone.  Never to be seen again. 

I can only imagine that being a mini mart clerk is stressful.  Dealing with as many types of personalities as there are types of chips.  There are kind enough people who stop by the mart.  Somehow it’s the negative interactions that stick out the most, irking you enough to replay the situation in your mind.  People are in a rush, trying to pay for gas with cash or cards, there may be delays in their service so the people fuss at you or curse you out. 

 When I visited a Loop mini mart at a Shell station, all I wanted was to pay cash for a fill up.  When inside the store, the clerk did not acknowledge me while I was waiting at the counter.  She then assisted someone who came into the store after me.  I calmly went to stand behind the person being assisted and the clerk walked away.  Taking a deep breath, I then went to stand in line for another clerk to take the money.  There were a bunch of school age children buying hot Frito's, blue Powerade, and all kinds of colorful junk food, the dye probably rotting their manners.  Some of the children were pushing past me as if attempting to cut me in line.  That is when I lost my patience and asserted my place in line, positioning myself so that the children could not pass me.  I then made eye contact with the clerk.  She looked so exhausted and had a “I hate this job” expression on her face.  Suddenly, I felt sorry for her.  My own feelings of being disrespected were minimized when I read into her facial expressions.  It seemed to me the clerk was overwhelmed, tired of dealing with loud school children who were grabbing at rainbow colored Sour Patch Kids and sugary sodas and found out they did not have enough change for the snacks. 

I felt like the first clerk was rude to not acknowledge me, since it seemed that she was able to see me clearly.  When I went on to the next clerk, I felt she could have exercised more control over her line by organizing the group of children to make a line, and wait their turn. 

Whether I am right or wrong in my assumptions, I felt like my presence in the mini mart was not respected.  That made me think of how important it is to engage employees, especially those employees on the front lines.  These employees can make or break the company’s image with a single greeting and smile.  Mini mart clerks who have to interact with different personalities and customers definitely need to feel engaged and empowered.  Clerks should feel like they have the power to keep the store organized, provide a welcoming service, and ensure that people leaving the store feel good about the smallest interaction.

I do not patronize this gas station since that last visit.  Prior to being bum rushed by adolescents eating multicolored candies, I noticed that the clerks were not remaining in their positions long.  The clerks had done things like snatching money, responding to questions rudely, and overall looking unpleasant and tired.  I decided that I am worthy of receiving good customer service.  There are plenty gas stations in my area.