Customer Reviews

Most of us, at one time or another, have held a job in which customers were encouraged to leave comments on what they thought of our service. Some of those reviews are good, some are bad, and some are downright abusive. What if we, as service providers, were allowed to review our customers? Would it make a difference in how customers behaved? Below are some samples of how the customers might be reviewed:

Mr. Brown came into the shop with a chip on his shoulder. He was determined that nothing I was going to do or say was going to be right and he was not going to be satisfied no matter what. Even though I was polite, informative, and extremely helpful, Mr. Brown was a jerk.


Ms. Smith was very sweet, but completely oblivious to everything around her. I had to repeat her order four times and she still wasn't sure what she wanted. She was so busy texting her friends that she really was not paying attention to the excellent service she received.

Mr. Jones was in a hurry, but still managed to smile at me, listen to my answers to his questions, and was not angry when my computer crashed. He understood it was not my fault, I was not doing it on purpose to hold him up, and that I brought it back up and finished his transaction as quickly as was humanly possible. Thank you Mr. Jones for realizing that customer service providers are human, too.

Do you know these customers? Have they been in your place of business recently? Have you been this customer? Those of us whose jobs are all about customer service know what it means to have good and bad reviews. We also know that at times those reviews are written in the heat of a stressful moment and reflect the customer's own, often very narrow, opinion.

Perhaps, though, if customer service providers were allowed to respond in kind to the reviews, the customers might realize they really aren't always right and kindness, and rudeness, go both ways. So often I've seen that bad customer service is a direct result of bad customers.

I know this isn't going to happen. In the world of customer service occupations, the customer is always right and we as the providers are to be kind, considerate, helpful, knowledgeable, cooperative and above all, non-judgmental. The customer is of course allowed to be none of these things.

But it is something to think about. Next time you're the customer, act as if your service provider is going to give you a review that could be shared with other businesses. Would they want you as a customer?

As I said, something to think about.

Return from the Void

It's been almost two years since I posted something on this blog. A lot has happened since then. I've moved twice, changed jobs three times, published a second novel as an ebook, joined Toastmasters International, achieved five educational levels through Toastmasters, served a year as President of my club, competed in speech contests, started a business with a friend, written and presented several seminars and workshops, and have just generally been a very busy individual.

So what has all this activity really accomplished? I guess that depends on what you consider an accomplishment. I've made a ton of new friends and new contacts. I've sold a few books. I've learned a lot of new things and reinforced some old knowledge. I've learned how to get by with very little. I've mourned. I've rejoiced. I've lived. That in and of itself can often be considered an accomplishment.

I do not just exist. I live. I have goals I work toward. I have tasks that need to be finished. I have friends in need of support. I have friends in need of encouragement. I am at times in need of support and encouragement.

These are all signs of a life that is being lived. Not lavishly, but well. "Things" are not very important or very relevant to my ability to live my life. True living is not about accumulating things, but about developing relationships. I do that on a regular basis.

Life is not about the bills, deadlines, or dates on a calendar. Life is about family, friends, laughter, tears, silence, and pandemonium. Life is going to bed at night tired from a full day's work, getting up and doing it again tomorrow because it's a good thing to be working every day. Every day is a chance to start over in that relationship. Every day is a chance to begin a new friendship or make a new contact. Or start writing a new book.

Don't be content to exist. Live. Daily.