Yesterday I learned that it is important that as bank employees we always ooze sugary goodnaturedness toward our customers. I had to attend a workshop on customer loyalty. Apparently, we should always be smiling even when we answer the phone. Instead of only offering products to them we should ask them how things are going and find out more about them. We should strive to make their visit to our bank the best part of their day. That is what will make the difference; that is what will keep the customer with our bank when there are a plethora of other banks offering the same products and services.
Well I’ve heard this kind of brain washing before. I’ve been to several job orientations since I was abruptly and rather traumatically expunged from college life (with a B.A. and an aching heart). So I smirked internally and sipped at the bland complimentary coffee while to my shock and horror the people sitting in my area and my “teammates” by default listened attenttively, enthralled with the presentation. They smiled and nodded eagerly, volunteering anecdotes and examples of how smiling has improved their work day as well as their customer’s.
Look, I understand that having a good disposition improves quality of life. I understand that if you smile even when you’re unhappy it can actually make you feel better. Just because I’m cynical and a natural scowler doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the value of a good smile. Despite this appreciation I am not going to pretend that smiling at a customer is about “making someone’s day”. At the core, good customer service is about making money. When I answer the phone with a smile or greet someone with a friendly handshake, if I’m on the job, I don’t give a flying rat’s bottom about that person besides the sale they represent. I know this. I accept this. Without customers I’d be out of a job, plain and simple.
It leaves a bad taste in my mouth to smile in someone’s face even when I either don’t like them or simply don’t care. I do it because I have to, I do it because if you don't work you don't eat, you don't have fun, you don't live. Many international people who visit the United States mock us for how “nice” everyone is. Little do they know that it’s all a veneer; everybody’s nice because everybody wants your money. That is all. It’s annoying and perhaps mildly disturbing. I feel that it's kind of gross that all of our smiles and "how are you?"s are propelled by the rush and ebb of cash transactions. My disposition is clearly not suited for customer service. Unfortunately sales and customer service jobs are the easiest to clinch. Pretty much all you need are teeth.
copyright © January 21, 2009 by Sha'Donna A. Woods, All Rights Reserved
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
An Obama Wake Up Call
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and tomorrow President Elect Barack Obama will be sworn into office. It seems like the whole world is in a tizzy about it and rightfully so.
News networks are taking continuous advantage of the happy coincidence of MLK's birthday (observed) falling the day before the first African-American president takes office. They keep drawing parallels between Dr.King and Obama. They continuously show still shots featuring phrases like "A Dream Realized" beneath Obama's face.
I'm sorry, but was Dr.King's dream to have a brown complected person in the White House? The media's constant harping on how a dream has been fulfilled reminds me of a snide remark a racist made to me on election day.
On November 4, 2008 I got swept up in a fit of dizzy elation and made the mistake of posting about my excitement on an online community that really has nothing to do with politics. I was just so excited I wanted to share my feelings with all of my friends, including my on-line friends. On the one hand most people responded positively, people from all over the world; on the other hand, the one American to respond, a republican from Georgia, said and I quote, "I'm glad people can shut-up about racism now."
I'm sorry, what? I didn't respond to her because I'm tired of having to teach ignorant, privileged people about the nature of racism. With her remark this person managed to imply number one, that complaints of racism have no basis in reality, and number two that the election of a black president is somehow proof that outcries against racism are unfounded.
I shouldn't have to say this but let me be clear just in case: racism is alive and potently real. It is now more insidous and subtle than ever before. The activism of the sixties and seventies drove it underground and forced it to disguise itself, but it is real nonetheless.
Now, don't get me wrong, there is no way that a black man could have been elected president in America forty years ago. I recognize that as a nation we have made incredible progress. This recognition is why I cried when Obama won the election--the idea that it could happen, nay, that it did happen, absolutely overwhelmed me with joy. I felt hope for the future, for a future without bigotry. We're not where we need to be but Obama's story tells me that we are headed in the right direction. Let's say we've got a one way ticket to equality and we're well on our way!
So my mind boggles at the fact that people are acting as if, with the election of Obama, we have arrived.
Have HIV cases among African-American women suddenly declined?
Has the high school drop out rate of blacks suddenly declined?
Are black people no longer over represented in ghettos and low income neighborhoods?
Are black people no longer over represented in prisons (which by the way has lead to the disenfranchisement of many, many black men)?
The answers to all of these questions is no.
I know people are excited but let's not get carried away.
We still have a lot of work to do. Barack has talked about the need for every American to take responsibility and contribute to rebuilding of the American brand so to speak. In the "I have a dream" speech Dr. King talked about the urgency of the moment, of the necessity for action. He talked about issues that still face our people today. America has not resolved these issues by putting a black man in the oval office. Perhaps black children will be more likely to finish school due to Obama's inspirational success story. Perhaps due to Obama's success black people will avoid the racist justice system altogether by working legitimately within the system instead of on the fringes of it. I think America might finally be able to finish the journey toward equality and maybe Obama will be the one to lead us there. I sincerely hope that he is.
But I want us all to remember, that the dream will transform into a reality under the pressure of our collective hard work and not just because of the color of our president's skin.
copyright © January 19, 2009 by Sha'Donna A. Woods, All Rights Reserved
News networks are taking continuous advantage of the happy coincidence of MLK's birthday (observed) falling the day before the first African-American president takes office. They keep drawing parallels between Dr.King and Obama. They continuously show still shots featuring phrases like "A Dream Realized" beneath Obama's face.
I'm sorry, but was Dr.King's dream to have a brown complected person in the White House? The media's constant harping on how a dream has been fulfilled reminds me of a snide remark a racist made to me on election day.
On November 4, 2008 I got swept up in a fit of dizzy elation and made the mistake of posting about my excitement on an online community that really has nothing to do with politics. I was just so excited I wanted to share my feelings with all of my friends, including my on-line friends. On the one hand most people responded positively, people from all over the world; on the other hand, the one American to respond, a republican from Georgia, said and I quote, "I'm glad people can shut-up about racism now."
I'm sorry, what? I didn't respond to her because I'm tired of having to teach ignorant, privileged people about the nature of racism. With her remark this person managed to imply number one, that complaints of racism have no basis in reality, and number two that the election of a black president is somehow proof that outcries against racism are unfounded.
I shouldn't have to say this but let me be clear just in case: racism is alive and potently real. It is now more insidous and subtle than ever before. The activism of the sixties and seventies drove it underground and forced it to disguise itself, but it is real nonetheless.
Now, don't get me wrong, there is no way that a black man could have been elected president in America forty years ago. I recognize that as a nation we have made incredible progress. This recognition is why I cried when Obama won the election--the idea that it could happen, nay, that it did happen, absolutely overwhelmed me with joy. I felt hope for the future, for a future without bigotry. We're not where we need to be but Obama's story tells me that we are headed in the right direction. Let's say we've got a one way ticket to equality and we're well on our way!
So my mind boggles at the fact that people are acting as if, with the election of Obama, we have arrived.
Have HIV cases among African-American women suddenly declined?
Has the high school drop out rate of blacks suddenly declined?
Are black people no longer over represented in ghettos and low income neighborhoods?
Are black people no longer over represented in prisons (which by the way has lead to the disenfranchisement of many, many black men)?
The answers to all of these questions is no.
I know people are excited but let's not get carried away.
We still have a lot of work to do. Barack has talked about the need for every American to take responsibility and contribute to rebuilding of the American brand so to speak. In the "I have a dream" speech Dr. King talked about the urgency of the moment, of the necessity for action. He talked about issues that still face our people today. America has not resolved these issues by putting a black man in the oval office. Perhaps black children will be more likely to finish school due to Obama's inspirational success story. Perhaps due to Obama's success black people will avoid the racist justice system altogether by working legitimately within the system instead of on the fringes of it. I think America might finally be able to finish the journey toward equality and maybe Obama will be the one to lead us there. I sincerely hope that he is.
But I want us all to remember, that the dream will transform into a reality under the pressure of our collective hard work and not just because of the color of our president's skin.
copyright © January 19, 2009 by Sha'Donna A. Woods, All Rights Reserved
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