Teaching Respect by Example

One of the most shocking examples of bad customer service happened in Eau Claire last week when a Radio Shack employee punched a customer who was attempting to return an item. While I don’t know the circumstances, these actions on the part of the employee were not warranted. Many jokes have been made of the incident, but treating a customer in such an angry fashion is not funny. This is cause for grave concern.

About the same time as this incident I had the privilege of accompanying one of Monarch Tree Publishing’s authors, Nancy Bjornson, to Colfax Elementary School. Our reason for visiting the school was for Nancy to talk to the students about the first three books in her Jesse and Cash series. We were welcomed at the office by the secretary who shared, “The students are very excited about your visit.”

Her statement was the beginning of a day in which Nancy was made to feel very special.

As we walked down the hall to the classroom, Nancy remarked, “Isn’t that great? I am always amazed when students are excited to see me.”

They were. Their teachers had thoroughly prepared the students for Nancy’s visit. First, they had read the books to the students. While doing so, the fifth grade students had summarized each chapter and then compiled their summaries into booklets with hand-drawn pictures for covers. The fourth grade had drawn a picture of their favorite part of the book. At the end of her talk, the teachers asked Nancy if she would sign each booklet and picture. Nancy was very complimented and took the booklets and pictures with her to look them over carefully as she signed them.

Then the teachers did more. They went off campus to buy Nancy and me a delicious lunch. While we were enjoying the lunch, they handed Nancy a gift which was a beautiful plaque that said “Let joy bring a smile to your face and let your smile bring joy to others. Thank you for bringing joy to our school. Colfax students and teachers.” They thanked us profusely for our visit, and, after Nancy had arrived home, she received a delivery of an arrangement of cut flowers which the teachers had forgotten to give her at the school.

Through their actions, the teachers showed their gratitude for our visit and made Nancy feel special. They taught their students respect by their treatment of us. They led by example.

Contrast the teachers’ treatment with that of the Radio Shack employee. The difference is night and day, isn’t it? Having been a manager, I know that you cannot always control how an employee will act, but you can set the tone for how customers are treated. The teachers set the tone for our treatment. Likewise, owners and managers set the tone for customer treatment.

Just like students, employees follow the example of those in authority.

In the day-to-day operation of a business, we can get caught up in a flurry of activity and become irritated with customers because they interrupt other work, ask “stupid” questions, or make unreasonable requests. Often the irritation is not caused by the customer but rather a result of our having too much on our schedules. Customers sometimes are that interruption that comes at the wrong time. Expressing frustration over a customer to employees sets a tone of disrespect. How this tone will be used by employees is unknown. Perhaps they will be less tolerant of customers. Perhaps they will treat customers with less respect. Perhaps they will act toward customers in ways that are unacceptable.

The next time that you are tempted to speak poorly about a customer to an employee, remember how the teachers treated Nancy. Follow their lead and teach respect by example.