Now, say "please."

Today’s society encourages individuals to demand more than they need. We coddle the individuals who complain. Our generation is lazy and thinks we deserve everything without working for it BECAUSE the customer service industry encourages this bad behavior.

Example one. A new hostess at the restaurant I work at accidently gives a customer extra toppings on their granola for free. The customer comes in the next day, asking for the same thing and complains when the price is higher. We politely explain that each employee is supposed to charge for the extra toppings and it must have been a mistake. We then emphasize the fact that she was lucky, in that she received a meal for less than any other customer would receive it. Instead of appreciating her good fortune, the lady continues to complain, stating that she does not understand how an establishment would charge different prices; that, since she received her meal for less initially, she should not have to pay more this time.

What part of this makes sense? Why would an individual feel entitled in such a way? What this lady is failing to recognize is that she got lucky. In every other instance, she would have been charged more to begin with. She would not have gotten a deal and, therefore, she would not have expected to pay less. Also, due to her complaints, the hostess that made an innocent mistake will most likely get in trouble for this situation.

The end result of this situation was that the customer got a deal again. Due to her endless whining, and because “we value our customers” and “the customer is always right,” she gets her granola for less. She is rewarded for her complaining.

Example two. When shopping in a store, I observed two different situations. The first situation I overheard was a sales person talking to a young man. The young man was trying to return a piece of merchandise, speaking calmly and politely. Apparently, an accident had occurred and the man was trying to figure out if the business could replace, or at least assist in fixing, the broken item. The sales person was apologetic but could do nothing in situation. The second situation was a middle-aged woman, slightly red in the face, demanding that someone help her. Her story changed numerous times, but her emotional outburst continued to increase in volume. The sales person, frantic and nervous, was quickly trying to find a superior to help with the situation. From what I could tell, the business not only did everything in their power to fix this lady’s problem, but also offered her more than she had initially purchased.

Now, why does this rude woman, who was most likely lying about her situation, receive compensation, while the polite young man, who was honest, does not? The lesson individuals learn from this is that being honest and calm about problems does not pay off. Only by demanding more than you deserve and being rude about it will you be satisfied in how your situation is resolved.