Customer service is needed in tougher times

Published 3:10 pm Thursday, May 28, 2009

Tomorrow in the Tribune our customer service guide comes out. I think that customer service is very important.

I believe everyone is entitled to great customer service, but it is a two-way street. Customers also need to be nice and polite to the server, retail employee, or hard worker who is trying to help them.

I think of the old saying of walking in someone else’s shoes is a great way to think about customer service. You really never know if a wait-staff employee just got done waiting on 100 screaming children from a bus that stopped and just needs a minute before attempting to wait on you, but they also do not know what you went through in your day either. I think common understanding and a smile can help make it a great day.

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I think of the people who have crossed my paths in my days as a bartender/waiter and I smile when I think of the great customers who were fun and made the job a great place to be.

I also think how sad it is that if you have 50 great customers in a day that it just takes one to ruin that same good day.

Why is that?

Why do we concentrate on the one person who because he or she was having a bad day ruined ours?

I think it is human nature to try and make people happy and it just bugs us when we cannot. Maybe that is what makes us better. Maybe those hard-to-please people make the 50 great ones shine that much more. I guess we all need a yin and yang to balance us out.

Swing the clubs

At 12:15 p.m. Monday at Green Lea Golf Course the United Way Golf Outing tees off. If you have not signed up yet, I know if you call Ann Austin or Corrine Applegate at the United Way office they will sign you up or find you a team to play on.

I have talked to the powers that be and Monday is going to be about 75, sunny, not humid, and the absolute perfect day to skip out on a half a day of work and help a great cause. United Way helps so many agencies and people in Freeborn County that I cannot think of a better way to spend the day.

Along with the great weather, there will be food, prizes, and, of course, golfing. If you have not made plans or even if you can cancel your plans, this will be the place to be Monday afternoon.

Fore!

Golf clapping

Speaking of golf, how about a golf clap and cheers to Green Lea Golf Course owners Jeff and Denise on the 25th anniversary of owning a great course. They have many festivities and prize giveaways at Green Lea this Saturday and regional favorite Ben Olson will play at 8 p.m.

I cannot wait!

Happy anniversary, Jeff and Denise!

Quinceañera

My daughter Tayler Rae turns 15 on June 2 and Taylerpalooza will start this weekend.

Why is it that birthdays for your children last, like, three weeks, but your own birthdays last about an hour?

Anyway, happy birthday, honey. I love you lots. I hope you like your present and party. Scout and Molly said to also tell you happy birthday.

New digs

Congratulations also go out to the staff over at Bonnerup Funeral Home. On Sunday they are having an open house at the new location on East Main Street. Feel free to join Steve Merfeld and the rest of the staff as they show off the new renovation.

Pomp and circumstance

One more thing before I end my column. Congrats to all the graduates at all of the high schools in the area. Please be safe at all of the graduation parties because we want to read about all of your accomplishments in the Tribune.

Good luck.

God bless.

Tribune Publisher Scott Schmeltzer’s column appears every Thursday.