An Open Letter To People in Customer Mode

Dear society in customer mode,

It’s that time of year again, even though Thanksgiving has already been forgotten, the Christmas music is playing in stores, the coupons and discounts are flooding in, and finances are being evaluated to take the shopping hits. As someone who works in customer service, part of me is excited and the other part is dreading it. The holiday season hits every industry in some way and on the front lines are all the employees who work in customer service. For some, the hours are longer, the inventory is bigger, and for even more the backlash is semi and not-so-semi hostile.

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I just ask that you remember that the employees who are helping you in your daily life are people too. We also go from employee mode to customer mode. The people I know in the food industry tip more than those who have never been. The people I know in the traditional retail industry have looked up extra coupons for friends, family, and people they don’t even know. The people who are working on the financial portion sometimes can’t get out of employee mode when they are off the clock because they are a face tied to that industry and are apparently not busy since they are in street clothes.

Google knows where the feels are

What I am trying to say is that we know it can feel like Hell because we’ve been there on both ends. But we are still people. Being in customer mode does not make you entitled because no, the customer is not always right. And no, the employee may not have all the answers, but you can bet that they will do their best to find out or to find someone who knows. So yelling about how we know nothing about our job and making everyone else nervous doesn’t make the employees or the company look bad, it just makes you look like an idiotic a$$. Because do you really think if we were stealing, that we would be working? If we really didn’t know what we were doing, what makes you the expert because unless you are currently an employee at that particular company, then you really don't know. (Policies and procedures tend to change in varying degrees only all the time anyway.)

Let's face it, Google knows

I know it’s not every customer, and I also know that not every employee is the Employee of the Month, but seriously take a look at yourself in the mirror and remember what kind of person you are. Because how you treat those that are there to help you, will show more about you as a person than the gift you buy for Christmas, or Easter, or the Fourth of July, or someone’s birthday.

Sincerely,

A person in employee mode.