By Gary Andrews
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What has happened to old-fashion customer service? For the past few months I have looked at the type of service I receive when going into a merchandising store, convenience store, drive-thru windows, counter service at fast food restaurants, and other locations. Having worked in a service oriented business for the past 45 years, I am strictly appalled at the kind of service some of our younger workers are giving at these locations. No wonder sales are down.
There is absolutely no appreciation from some of these workers to the customers who come in to buy their wares. Many times I have observed “You made up your mind for what you want” or “Is that all”. There are no smiles, no friendly greetings, no Thank You, no come again. Nothing but blank stares when you pay. Please understand, not everyone is like this and produce very good service for the person or chain they are working for. However, it is becoming more and more abundant for the discourteous and lack of friendly service that used to be common place.
As employers we must instill into our employees the necessity of dealing with people in a positive and friendly service. Quality service produces a customer that wants to come back and visit with your business again. That is why employee training is so important. The future of that employee will grow and prosper not only him, but you as the employer as well.
Many of our youth today can’t find jobs. I would dare say that some of the reasons are their people skills. They have to be taught and much of this training should come from the home and then the employers.
We, as Christians, encounter many of the same problems. Maybe we don’t want to help or witness to someone because we lack the personal skills to do so, or maybe we haven’t had the training to do so. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we must study His word and learn from the wise teachers around us. Jesus equips us with all the tools for personal skills; we just have to learn to use them.
Just as some of our younger generation starting their first jobs, our witnessing to others is parallel to what Cavett Robert once said, “Eighty-five percent of the reason you get a job, keep that job, and move ahead in that job has to do with your people skills and people knowledge.”
Just as these young unfriendly and unskilled workers are going to learn their way through the door of hard knocks, we as Christians should tell them their way to a prosperous life is through the free gift of Salvation that only Jesus provides. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the opportunity of seeing these new employees with few or no people skills. I pray Lord that you will use me to help them see the light, not only in the job, but through Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Matthew 10:24; Tuesday – James 1:2-15; Wednesday – Psalm 100; Thursday – Psalm 2:11; Friday – 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Saturday – Acts 20:19-21.)
Gary Andrews is the author of Encouraging Words: 30-days in God’s Word. To obtain a copy go to his website www.gadevotionals .com