2008 Woodie Awards
Just a thought ...
Ashley D. McGee
LIFESTYLES EDITOR
ladypoeticsoul@aol.com
Issue date: 10/8/07 Section: Lifestyles
- Page 1 of 1
While in college, many students have part-time jobs that require good customer service skills. They have to interact with a large number of people who have a wide range of personalities on a daily basis. Unfortunately, hardworking scholastic achievers, who would much rather be catching a few zzz's before their next exam, are forced to deal with rude, disrespectful and irate customers.
Last Friday night, two of my girlfriends and I decided to have treat ourselves to a "girls night out" with dinner at O'Charley's on Airport Boulevard. Our waitress, who I must stop and commend for
having a remarkable memory when it came time to take our complicated orders, was very energetic, sociable and, ironically, a student at USA as well. She was very attentive to the area we were sitting in and even made a little friendly conversation.
Amazingly, before we could even finish our loaded potato soups, we noticed the party seated behind us was causing a rant about how bad the service was. Their main complaint was with the food (something the waitress clearly had no control over), but they still decided to speak with the manager and preceded to blame the waitress for what seemed to be every problem in their life.
The manager, who just so happen to be the general manager, then gave an obviously rehearsed speech about the poor conditions of the staff and how he was trying to make some major "improvements." After he finished his tangent of unnecessary verbal garbage, he told the party their food would be on the house, which we believe was their initial motive for calling him over in the beginning and left.
We then noticed our waitress disappeared for a while, and three different servers came to our table within a five-minute time span to ask if we needed anything. One of the servers even took the time out to give us an unasked for lie about where our original server was. She eventually returned, slightly teary-eyed, and asked if we wanted any dessert.
It was plain to see the manager had taken her aside and scolded her in response to the comments made by a few ill-mannered customers.
My friends and I work for two different branches of the same clothing store and understand how important good customer service is. We see customers become hostile with our staff and make a spectacle of themselves just to get 10 percent off a $8.99 pair of leggings.
Customers should always be sure to place blame for mishaps with their service on the right person. Because of their complaints, some poor girl may have to go home with a new worry on her shoulders, as if midterms weren't enough.
Last Friday night, two of my girlfriends and I decided to have treat ourselves to a "girls night out" with dinner at O'Charley's on Airport Boulevard. Our waitress, who I must stop and commend for
having a remarkable memory when it came time to take our complicated orders, was very energetic, sociable and, ironically, a student at USA as well. She was very attentive to the area we were sitting in and even made a little friendly conversation.
Amazingly, before we could even finish our loaded potato soups, we noticed the party seated behind us was causing a rant about how bad the service was. Their main complaint was with the food (something the waitress clearly had no control over), but they still decided to speak with the manager and preceded to blame the waitress for what seemed to be every problem in their life.
The manager, who just so happen to be the general manager, then gave an obviously rehearsed speech about the poor conditions of the staff and how he was trying to make some major "improvements." After he finished his tangent of unnecessary verbal garbage, he told the party their food would be on the house, which we believe was their initial motive for calling him over in the beginning and left.
We then noticed our waitress disappeared for a while, and three different servers came to our table within a five-minute time span to ask if we needed anything. One of the servers even took the time out to give us an unasked for lie about where our original server was. She eventually returned, slightly teary-eyed, and asked if we wanted any dessert.
It was plain to see the manager had taken her aside and scolded her in response to the comments made by a few ill-mannered customers.
My friends and I work for two different branches of the same clothing store and understand how important good customer service is. We see customers become hostile with our staff and make a spectacle of themselves just to get 10 percent off a $8.99 pair of leggings.
Customers should always be sure to place blame for mishaps with their service on the right person. Because of their complaints, some poor girl may have to go home with a new worry on her shoulders, as if midterms weren't enough.
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