Patience

In Rent-A-Cop Reboot, I wrote that the ultimate form of customer service that a security professional provides is when they’re more concerned about a client’s safety than the contract specifies.

There are many ways for working people to provide good customer service, which is more important than ever since the pandemic.

In this week’s video, I talk about being a customer who had a l o n g wait. In the end, I got what I went for. The key to that experience was patience, the customer service representative’s and mine.

The pandemic has changed customer service in many industries. In some cases that has meant better service for customers. But some industries, such as food service and retail, have struggled. They have faced problems staying staffed-up and securing supplies, so workers who are left to deal with the customers often pay the price.

It is hard to patiently serve a customer who treats you terribly. Many workers have horror stories about how poorly they have been treated by customers and how much it hurt them, and not just emotionally. Airlines have dealt with so many passenger problems that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is asking airlines to do more about the problem. One airline suggested a universal "no-fly" list of passengers who cause problems. Some experts say history could play a role in the way customers feel that they have a right to treat service workers poorly.

What role do your values play in how you treat people? Is your behavior toward others when times get tough a good reflection of your faith tradition? What does it say about the way you were raised?

Whether you are the customer or person providing the service, check your real feelings about those questions. Find ways of relieving whatever stress drives you to mistreat other members of your human family. Put down some of your troubles so you can pull up your patience.