Secret Shoppers (was: Re: coercion)

[Tina]

> Sandy:
> 
> I am  not required to ask how people are or to tell
> them to "have a nice day",  but I do both. I assure you that not
everyone 
> tells me they are just fine. I  get many responses when I ask how
they are. If I 
> get a negative response, such  as not well, or I am having a bad
day, I tell 
> them that I am sorry to hear  that and that I hope they feel better
or things 
> improve for them. When I ask  how they are it is my way of engaging
them, and I 
> don't expect everyone is  going to be great. I listen to what they
say and 
> respond accordingly.  Likewise, when I tell them to have a good day,
evening or > night, depending  upon what time of the day it is, it is
because I hope they 
> do. I am not  required to say that, I do so because I want to, and I
do make 
> exceptions. If  they have been rude or nasty, or are hanging on
their cell phone 
> (which I  consider the height of rudeness), I say only what I am
required to 
> say, which  is thank you. Thank goodness that 99.9% of the customers
I wait on 
> don't share  your cynical view that I am doing this because I have to. 
> Perhaps my tone of  voice conveys that I am sincere in asking how
they are and that 
> I do truly  wish them a good day...<snip> 
 ...Quite frankly, the things I am required to ask and do  aggravate
the piss out 
> of me. I feel like a recording that plays over and over  again. I
deal with 
> hundreds of customers every day. Asking how they are and  wishing
them a good 
> day makes it more personal for me, not just that endless  recorded
message I am 
> required to play. They talk to me and they tell me. I am  happy that
I got 
> that 100% on the secret shop; my job depends upon it, but I  hope
the person who 
> secret shopped me also enjoyed the time they spent in my  line
because I made 
> it personal.
>  
> Sandy
> 

Tina:
Yeesh, Sandy!! You are the kind of employee managers dream about!
Certainly someone I would love having on my staff. You're right--good
 customer service is about making a difference in someone's day, not
about reciting company provided lines. People who do not work in
sales/customer service have no idea how hard it can be to maintain a
positive attitude in the face of negative and cynical customers. 

The company I work for requires us to greet customers, assist them on
the sales floor, and be courteous at the cash register--my staff has
the added pressure of working on commission, but I still expect them
to create a pleasant, pressure-free experience for our customers. We
don't have mystery shoppers, but we still try to maintain a high
standard. 

I happen to be a store manager that encourages my staff to say "happy
holidays"--we are in an area with a large jewish population, and I
find myself wishing just as many customers "happy new year" at rosh
hashanah as I do on Dec. 31. When I wish "happy holidays" or "have a
nice day" to a customer, I do it because I mean it.

Tina