I dread when I see the manager or any of the other male staffers. Having to deal with any of them has become a workout in itself.
Have you ever visited a business and experienced so much frustration with its employees that you felt like you were put through a rigorous workout? And it takes one employee only to ruin your customer experience. A colleague shared the following story with me.
Real World Story:
“It has been more than 20 years since I was a member of a gym, so I was excited to start working out again. I wanted to lose weight and to start feeling better about myself. I shopped around at various gyms and decided to join the Planet Fitness that is located within walking distance of my home. I did so for the simple reason that its motto is ‘The Judgment Free Zone®.’ This organization seeks to create a welcoming and supportive environment to all its customers.
“From the first day, the front counter staff welcomed me with a warm, ‘Welcome. Enjoy your workout.’ When leaving, they offered a ‘Come again. Enjoy your day.’ But it didn’t take long to notice that the female staffers were the ones who were friendly. The male staffers were standoffish and somewhat rude. I would greet them with a warm and friendly hello—to no avail. No response, no acknowledgment, not even eye contact—nothing. In particular, the male manager was rather unwelcoming.
“On one occasion, when I signed in to use a hydro-massage lounge chair, he sent me to one that was already 2 minutes into a 5-minute massage. I went back to the counter and told him the chair was already in operation and that I was afraid of causing it damage if I jumped onto it while the water jets were already going. He simply gave me the number of the bed again and walked away. In another incident, while starting my workout, I noticed him sitting at a machine that I would need to complete my routine. He just sat at the machine chatting away with another gym member. After 20 minutes, I was ready for that machine. I walked up to him and asked very politely if he was done with that machine. He simply got up and walked away, leaving his towel on the seat of the machine. He never said a word. He came back about a minute later to wipe down the machine. He then again walked away without saying a word.
“Every time I go to my local Planet Fitness, I hope and pray that I don’t have to encounter any of the male staffers. And because of the attitude of the male manager, I’m no longer excited about working out. I dread when I see the manager or any of the other male staffers. Having to deal with any of them has become a workout in itself.”
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Reflect your company’s values. If your company’s mission and vision is to be the friendliest outfit in town, then your attitude needs to reflect that. If its mission and vision is to be ‘The Judgment Free Zone®,’ then your attitude should not reek of judgment and resentment.
- Treat all customers kindly. In customer service, all customers should be treated with kindness and respect. Service agents deal with people, and you can’t be successful if you have problems in dealing with certain segments of the population like elderly people, a particular gender, people of color, different religions or ethnicities, and so on. If you do, then you may need to reconsider your profession and look for a job that doesn’t involve interacting with any people.
Remember: Customer service is about people helping people. Therefore, to be successful as a service agent, you must reflect your company’s mission and vision, and you must treat all customers kindly and with respect.
What do YOU do to ensure your customers are treated with respect each and every time you interact with them? Please share in the comments section below.