Posted by Matt Markins in Do you sometimes feel like the customer service at fast food restaurants is a little lacking?
Yes, that was a rhetorical question! I am convinced that in many arenas that customer service just stinks. It’s not just fast food, it’s everywhere: hotels, restaurants, fuel stations, retails stores, and the list goes on.
Why is this? I think it’s pretty simple really. In order to give good customer service, you have to care. But what does it take to care?
In order to give adequate (not to mention stellar, amazing, over the top) customer service you have to have something inside of you that places value on what you are doing, the way you treat people, and the responsibilities you are given (no matter how small). For the last several decades teenagers have worked at Taco Bell, McDonalds, Wendy’s, Burger King, and Pizza Hut. If teenagers have been working these establishments for the last 30 years, what is so different now? Why is customer service getting so bad?
Postmodern thought is so infiltrated into our minds that we (meaning parents who pass this along to their children) have become extremely self-centered…to the point where we have not passed much of anything of any real value down to our children. That is assuming that mom or dad has even stuck around to even being able to pass anything along to their children. But I guess by leaving, even that is, in a way, passing down some message – a message that says there is really nothing that has much value in life. Not you. Not what you do. Not marriage. Not other people.
I am to the point where I wonder how we can even expect good customer service. In an “iculture”, how can I even expect someone to want to give me good service? If they are not modeled and taught good values at home, school, from relatives, etc., we cannot expect fine service at the entry level. Just because they are being paid $7.15 an hour does not mean they are going to be responsible, because again, they are being taught that not much of anything has value, especially serving others.
Those who receive good training, those who embrace traditional and biblical values, those who see the value in hard work and critical thinking, the ones who get this will rise to the top. By knowing what value is, they will rise to the top and they won’t be at McDonald’s very long. They will soon find themselves at Applebee’s, then Enterprise Rental Car, then Edward Jones, and then Fidelity and maybe some of the finest will become clergy.
Next time someone asks you “will this be for here or to go”, you may not be anticipating good service. However, if you observe it, reward it by passing along the good word to the manager. You may just encourage someone to keep pressing on.
I can tell you who receives great customer service!
this may ruffle a few feathers. i am becoming more and more frustrated with the fact that christians seem to think they have a right to good customer service. we are more american than we are christian. we think everyone is here to serve us. i don’t see how this goes in line with scripture, the way Jesus lived, etc. etc. do you think there is any truth in this?
of course people should do a good job in what they are doing, but it really upsets me to hear about a christian getting upset at someone when they aren’t being served up to some mysterious standard they have set.
let me know if you disagree. L8r dude.
Jacob, I think you are commenting on two different facets of this topic, and both quite valid.
I think that Jesus got down on his knees and served his disciples…he didn’t even concern himself with where he was going to sleep, or what he would take with him. I don’t think that most people are expecting red carpet treatment (the kind of people you are referring to above), but the lack of respect for caring for others is deeply concerning…a sign of a deeper issue…we have become so self centered without Christianity being so influential in our homes/culture/school systems that serving is not important to us. This is disturbing.
Secondly, being American (self centered) first, Christian second…thinking that people owe us something, when not even the air we breathe exists with out Christ’s permission. That obviously is the heart of all of our problems. It is frustrating seeing people go to restaurants with a chip on their shoulder and if one thing doesn’t go right, than they blow their top. Get a grip people! I don’t think that Jesus modeled this kind of behavior, nor does scripture support it.
Great Thoughts!