I ran into the Target pharmacy to pick up the prescription I had called in hoping to just run in and out. I watched as an older lady talked to an older gentleman pharmacist waiting for my turn. The woman opened up the bottle and poured its contents into her hand making sure they gave her the right pills.
She threw the bottle down on the counter and the gentleman stepped away. A problem was brewing, I thought to myself and sighed as a second person lined up behind me.
The gentleman asked me my name and I happily gave it to him, maybe it was going to be quicker than I thought.
One of the young pharmasists came down and started ringing up the the older lady.
“She will ring you up in just a second,” the gentleman said. I realised he either didn’t know how or wasn’t allowed to use the cash register. I gave him a smile, I’m happy to be patient, it was nice of him to grab my bag for me.
He piles up the bags of the customers lined up behind me.
My attention is back to the older lady. She grabs out a sack of potatoes from her half full cart, “Can you ring up the rest of this too?”
Seriously? I think as I survey her cart half filled with everything from produce to a bra.
“I would normally but since we have a line I really can’t.” The young girl replied.
“Well I expect you to at least ring this up.” I’m not sure if she was speaking of her prescription or another pharmacy item, but she threw it at the girl.
At that point I made a decision, I wanted make sure that the girl knew that I appreciated her refusing to ring the lady up. I didn’t want her to have her last experience with her good customer service decision to be the negative reaction of that woman.
As the girl typed in my order I stated, “I wanted to thank you for refusing to ring her up.”
“What?” She was obviously caught off guard by my statement and I repeated myself. We smiled at each other and she said, “I just find that rude to even ask.”
What’s your point?
So what is my point behind this story? Sometimes you need to stop and thank someone. What they may have done may have been small or simple to do. Yet if you take the time and reward their good deed with a simple thank you, you may make their day. You may make a lasting impression. They may be more likely to do the right thing again.
Blogging Society
Has this been lost in the blogging world? Has technology and busy-ness stopped us from taking the time to stop and thank others?
Sure you can tweet a “TY”, but what impression can you make with someone if you stop and write a blog post thankimg them. Try this and see what happens. Take the time and encourage someone straight from your blog. I think you will not only create an impression on them, not only will you create an advocate for your blog, but you may even make a friend.
My Thank You’s
I’m dedicating this post to Lynda from Daily Window and Kim from Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier. Both of these ladies have been great online friends and have been a great encouragement to me as I grow my blog. These ladies are wonderful and I hope you will take some time and visit them.
The art of thanking, almost forgotten, I think. Therefore: Thanks for the blogpost. It was nice to read.
My Blog on Blogspot
I’ve wondered this. I wonder if this is a result of the disconnected way we live with online interaction or is it just that it’s not being taught anymore.
Ohhhh dammit! As I’m reading this story, I felt so happy to count you as my friend even though we haven’t met face to face. But when I got to the end I burst into mini tears, because this is so nice. Thank you so much. This means the world to me. Especially coming from YOU have given endless amounts of your time to help me when I ask. Thank you so much for being that special person and I bet you made the cashier’s week by saying something. I know you’ve made mine.
Kim
You and Lynda have really helped inspire me to keep blogging and keep going through a long hard summer. I really appreciate this from both of you.
When I felt like no one was reading or paying attention you both were there. When I had a question or needed an opinion you guys have been there!
You have also inspired me to work hard at finding a way of earning income from this once hobby of mine.
I have always felt that everyone should have to work on the other side of the counter, just so they will have some understanding of how difficult working with the public can be. I have been there and I make sure to be as courteous as I can. I also know how important it is to thank people for good service. Just the other day, I called the local water company with a concern. The man I spoke with couldn’t have been more helpful and pleasant and I told him. Then, I called back to ask for the supervisor. Imagine my surprise when I found out I had been speaking to the man in charge of the whole shebang.
And, as a personal aside, as a teacher, I feel my profession has been getting a lot of cheap shots from the media lately. I think, since everyone has been to school, everyone has an opinion, good or bad. And face it, think of all the teachers each of us have had in our lives; there are going to be some bad with the good.. When a compliment comes my way, they are the absolute best; they make my day.
I will get off my soapbox and concur with you that letting people know you appreciate them is a wonderful, cost free gift you can easily give out daily that will make you feel just as good.
I will admit I have days when I’m over critical of some peoples lack of customer skills also. But I try to remind myself I have those days when hard things are weighing me down and I’m hurting and I just can’t make myself smile at the customers. This may be this persons day of struggle. So I try and still be kind.
This was such a great post! I’m betting that the cashier encounters people who are rude everyday. Your words must have been very encouraging for her!
What a great role model you are, Pepper. I am going to visit both of these women. I am exceptionally grateful to you for creating (and working so diligently) on #commenthour. I missed it this week due to travel and oh, how I missed being there! OOOODLES of gratitude to you!
I’m really glad to hear you are enjoying commenthour. Sometimes I struggle with keeping it going especially with summer and a hard month in general. But hearing this keeps me going.
What a beautiful post Pepper! So true! I always want to treat people the way I would want to be treated. I have some family members that act like that lady. It’s annoying, and rude.
Love always,
)(ope*
Thank you so much Pepper!
Customer service people especially have a lot of hard moments every day. I always make sure to thank them and point out their awesomeness if given the opportunity. 🙂
Thank you Lynda for being such a good friend. I hope that I’m as good a friend to you as you are to me! I always appreciate your advice and opinions!
Customer service is always such a hard field to be in. And sometimes people just don’t appreciate what a hard predicament you can get into.
I’m sure that this rude lady in this story could have come home and written a blog post (if she has a blog) just the opposite of mine talking about the loss of true customer services, so I guess it’s all in your perspective. But I doubt she would have thanked the young cashier for ringing her up and making everyone wait either.
I always have the thoughts of saying thank you for every worker, cause I know it feels good when we hear someone thanking us even just for a little thing that we does.