Hi Mitch,
I am a service assistant in a small supermarket and I love my job. It’s in my nature to be and I am always happy, polite, and friendly to every customer. I use sir and madam regardless of race, age etc. I have however two types of customers. The ones who say "can I please" and the ones who say, "I want". The "I wants" are usually middle to elderly age, have kids, a busy 9-5 job, a partner at home. They don’t know please or thank you, and give you disapproving looks when made to wait in line while other people are being served. They often feel the need to judge you on the way you do your job.
While watching your show, I heard your panellists say how bad service in Australia is. Well why don’t we change the way we shop! With some basic respect and common decency towards shop assistants I’m sure we will overcome this bad service perception instantly. I think we have all become bad customers and the bad customer service is just representative of that. I don’t think training or spending more money on staff development will solve anything.
Sure the kids don’t want to work but who did as a kid? To get great customer service we need to be great customers first. Humans by nature are reactive. And it takes more strength of character than most 16 year olds have, to smile in the face of disapproving old fogie customers.
Sam, Bassendean, WA