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Despite being
in a hurry, or
having a bad
day, many
customers
could do well
to show a little
appreciation
to those
ale who
in
service jobs to
make our lives
easier.
Jonathan
Bryan Dixon Emerald
He hits the curb, like, every
day,” said one LTD bus rider to
another. “I can’t believe he just left
those people behind,” said her com
panion.
On the bus, it is hard to not eavesdrop, especial
ly when you’re packed in like sardines, as other stu
dents and I are on my morning ride. That particular con
versation took place at the back of the bus, probably
outside driver earshot. When I have been the last person
to squeeze behind the white line, however (thus making
the distance from a speaking person to the driver’s and
my ears essentially the same), I have heard many remarks
that I’m sure do-not make the driver’s morning any
brighter.
Service jobs are perhaps the fastest-growing and least
appreciated occupations in our society. Nothing can pos
sibly justify the treatment that many of these employees
receive on a daily basis.
I think this illustrates a common assumption in our so
ciety that business transactions are simply an absolute
exchange of money for services. Sure, there is not a lot of
room to interpret what the $3.99 for your hamburger meal
deal entitles you to, but more than money and burgers are
exchanged whenever two people talk to each other.
Paying for a hamburger does not entitle people to take
out their aggression on an employee. Along with money,
businesses ask for customer cooperation in making the
transaction. Perhaps it’s a news flash to some people, but
humans are fallible. Customers should accept a certain
chance of error or delay. It is only probability that deter
mines whether that error occurs when the customer is in
a hurry or having a bad day. And how the customer feels
really has little to do with what the company owes him or
her.
I remember, a very long time ago, seeing an employee
of United Airlines jokingly tell David Letterman that at
UA, “Customers are the enemy." Naturally, instead of
making fun of the airline’s slogan, “United Airlines —
Rising,” Letterman hit the “Customers are the enemy”
part pretty darn hard.
At the time I laughed at the UA employee; even if you
have some customer problems, that is a joke you just do
not make. Ever. Especially not on national TV. But ac
cording to National Public Radio, incidents of airline cus
tomers actively engaging in enemy-like behavior are also
“rising.”
Tell me, what good is it to be angry about a weather de
lay? What exactly can airline employees do about it? Or
mechanical problems, or personnel or anything else, real
ly? Surely any employee important enough to make deci
sions about whether a plane flies or not fs important
enough to not have to deal with bitchy passengers.
In all my travels, I have been frustrated many times. I
have been screwed by airline decisions, and I have dealt
with employees who could not care less if I ever made it
to see my family. But nothing has ever happened that
would warrant me raising my voice, let alone justify as
saulting anyone.
Another factor that makes a service person’s life hell is
that customers are constantly competing with each other.
We seem to think in our society that our own conve
nience is somehow more important than that of other
people, and we need to prove it. When someone wins,
the loser takes it out on the employees.
In my experience, something about water being offered
for free in a restaurant makes customers view ordering it
differently from all other food and drink. I remember sev
eral occasions when I was mid-order and another “cus
tomer just butts in to say, “Hey, I need a glass of water.”
In general, the person most upset about this is the first
one, who stood in line to be able to order. And there is no
explanation that will makejtfre interrupter understand,,
whether it is my boss or me offering it.
I have often wondered what makes me so employee
sympathetic. I like to think that part of it is my gentle,
unassuming nature; but, given that my nature is not com
pletely gentle or unassuming, I think that the,more likely
explanation involves being on the service end of thou
sands of fast-food transactions. All in all, it was not a ter
rible experience at all. I liked it, most of the time. But I
think that everyone should have to do it. If everyone did
food service as his or her first job, I bet unruly customers
would become an endangered species.
All in all, service employees are not paid nearly as
much as professionals, but that doesn’t mean they should
be valued any less. I recommend that if you encounter an
employee who screws up your order or chooses someone
else over you, take it easy. It happens. I recommend that
you gloat, too. When you really think about it, being the
person who does not get all worked up over light catsup
and extra onions makes you a more reasonable person
than someone who does.
Jonathan Gruber is a columnist for the Oregon Daily Emerald. His views do not neces
sarily represent those of the Emerald. He can be reached via e-mail jgruber@glad
stone.uoregon.edu.
CORRECTION
The story “OIEE holds international party," (ODE Nov. 8) should
have read: This year, the Schumans are hosting a graduate stu
. dent from Thailand.
The Emerald regrets the error,
________