... which is why I've been pretty wiped out when I get home and not eager to blog. I've mostly hopped online for a quick Facetime date with the Professor and then crashed into bed. I'm not sure what it is about the last 6 weeks, but the difficult customers I've had have taken their toll. The last few weeks have made me feel like I've seen it all, especially last night.
Last night, a bride called me the c-word. She didn't say it to my face, but she said it within earshot of other employees. She also had a few other choice words to describe me.
What bothers me about what happened isn't that she called me a name. It's that I've gotten so desensitized to being treated that way, that I truly don't have any upset feelings about the situation. I know that I handled everything professionally, from the moment she walked into the room until she left with her dress over an hour later. I know that I followed our policies and procedures exactly the way my boss would want me to. I know that I did my best to educate her and her family about the alterations process. And I know that she's an unreasonable person with unreasonable expectations, and making unreasonable (and ignorant) demands. And yet, she'll probably go on Yelp or the Wedding Wire and write a completely one-sided horrible rant of a review about Madeleine's Daughter, because ultimately she left our store last night an unhappy bride.
I suppose it's just one of the cons of working in the customer service industry- the small percentage of people you encounter who not only do not understand how your niche works, but who don't really have any interest in doing things your way, because they believe "the customer is always right."
Of course, the bigger issue is the fact that we've come to a place in our society where we feel comfortable treating people horribly or in my case, being on the receiving end of horrible treatment. Honestly, whether you're the kind of person who will cause a scene in a place of business to try to get your way, or whether you're the employee in the unfortunate position of dealing with customer complaints, you're probably used to the kind of awful behavior associated with irate customers. (Speaking of that, have you guys heard about
the crazy chick at Dunkin' Donuts this week? If not, click that link, but be warned there is some seriously harsh language not suitable for most ears.)
Anyway, my point isn't to create a rant of my own, it's just an observation of the deterioration of the way we treat each other. What happened to the Golden Rule? What happened to being polite? Yesterday I took my lunch break and walked down to the market to get a salad. I called the Professor and was chatting with him while I shopped. Once I got to the register, I said to him, "Hey babe- gotta go. I'm about to pay, so I need to hang up. Talk to you later!" When I hung up, the lady at the register looked at me with shock and dismay and said, "Wow. Thank you for that. No one ever hangs up to check out anymore." Now, don't think I think I'm some sort of saint or anything. In fact, there are probably plenty of times in the past when I wasn't so considerate. But my point is just this: can we try to be kinder to each other? More understanding and more friendly?
It's sad to me that we're all so accustomed to being treated poorly, or treating others poorly, or even observing the poor treatment of others that it's no longer alarming to us. It's no longer upsetting to us. When I first started this job, I remember crying to hear someone tell me, "That bride is not a fan of you." At the time, it made me feel awful. Now I can have f-bombs dropped in my face and it doesn't even phase me. (Yes, I've had f-bombs dropped in my face by brides and their party members- more than once.)
Sorry this post isn't about fashion, but it's on my mind and I had to share. Leave a comment if you like- as long as it's kind.
