World Kindness Day: Be Kind to Your Customer Service Representatives Everyday

Though today is World Kindness Day, we should practice kindness toward one another on a daily basis. It is especially important to practice practical kindness towards those who serve us in customer service ; this is because by being kind to one another, we can validate the individuals who serve us in all capacities.  Too often, we neglect the importance of being kind to those that serve us in customer service professions; this unintentional neglect can cause angst, anger, and a reluctance to work in customer service based professions.  To make it easier on someone who has to work in this capacity, be sure to practice the following rules of thumb:

1. When someone waits on you--rather it is in a retail, food service, or other customer service base setting--say hello to them before you proceed with your request.  It is very important to acknowledge all those who are employed in customer service based professions as people.  Too often, many become so consumed in their needs that they simply find it easier to start the conversation off with what they want first.  Yet, starting a conversation with a simple hello can help you get more personable customer service in the process.
2. Once you have received service--no matter how poor you consider it to be--be sure to always say 'please' and 'thank you.'  Saying these two words goes a long way in getting great customer service.
3. If you are shopping at a clothing store, and want to try on clothes in the dressing room, be sure to not leave the dressing room in a disarray.  While it is the customer service's representative job to clean up the fitting room, you can make their job easier by not leaving the clothes you tried on in a pile.  Putting the items you tried on on hangers can go a long way toward being kind.
4. While we all love to shop, be sure to not stay beyond closing time while you are shopping.  Though many employees are told to not literally boot customers out when it is time to close, many still have a strong desire to go home and spend time with their family and friends.  This is especially true during the holiday season, when shopping traffic dramatically increases at local malls and stores.
5. If you have a merchandise return, please be sure to bring your receipt; if you don't have your receipt, politely ask for an in-store credit.  In the event that you have to request an in-store credit, remember that you may not be refunded the price you paid for the item.  If you receive less than you actually paid, avoid getting angry with the customer service representative, since they are required to do this by their management team.
6. If a customer service representative gives you too much change, be sure to only accept the amount you are supposed to receive.  This is because customer service representatives tend to get in trouble with their management team if there registers come up short.  Also, it is important to help these representatives keep the jobs they have worked so hard to attain.
7. If the customer service representative gives you too little change, remain calm and kindly explain how much money you gave them and how much they actually owe them.  Often, when a customer yells at a customer service representative, it causes more problems for the next customer that is in line [smile].
8. Suggestions seven and eight holds true if you are in a restaurant; be sure to remain courteous and calm if you receive the wrong order of food, since anger can potentially cause more challenges than it is worth as well.

Though these are a few suggestions, I think that these suggestions can go far not only during the holiday season, but throughout the year as well.  As a person who previously worked in customer service for over four years, I can personally relate to the challenges many of my former colleagues face when working with the customer. Yet while I do believe that the customer comes first, I also think that all people come first--regardless of their occupation.  For World Kindness Day, I urge you all to be mindful of the same thing:)!