Customer Service?

“Why don’t people do their jobs?” our son once asked after working a couple days on his first “real” job post college.

He had witnessed people in the workplace trying to get away with doing as little as possible. He saw that attitude translate into action which in turn made it difficult for him to do his job. The domino effect.

I do not think I am giving away any part of the plot of Downton Abbey when I tell you that the premise of the movie is the preparation of the Downton household for a visit from the King and Queen of England. There is a whole protocol on receiving the royal entourage. The servants are more than a little miffed that the royal servants have usurped their positions in their own household. The Downton servants want to work and serve the King and Queen of England when the royals dine at Downton.

As I recapped the movie to my husband ( I attended with some neighbors while my husband stayed home. He had seen enough of the Crawley family from the trailer to get the gist of the film without being subjected to watching the actual film), I reflected about the servants’ attitudes. I don’t think if this movie was set in today’s workplace that the Crawley servants would’ve been at all put out that they were given a couple days off. More time away they might say.

Most people I know would relish not having to work. Is it because they work too long and hard and are just worn out? Many people do not like their jobs and are looking for ways to earn money without that four letter word- w.o.r.k. In some ways it is so sad because our working lives/time takes up a big chunk of our lives.

Now I am not criticizing those people who have and have had horrible jobs- mean bosses, ditzy or cruel co-workers, unsafe working conditions. There are places of employment that swallow their workers and spit them out in a depleted overworked mess. Companies that do not care about those whom they serve, much less the people they put in the position to serve.

This summer, our beach house experienced a tornado. While a tree limb came down and pulled the utility lines off the house, we were quite fortunate that no structural damage happened to the house, neighbors’ homes or any cars parked.

In the aftermath of the clean-up, someone retied the cable TV/internet wire to a tree and left the remaining wire on the ground as it came up to the house. The wire was tied at only four feet off the ground and was a safety hazard: the height of the wire around the tree could garrote someone walking across the lawn. When I discovered the situation I called the cable company- explaining that while we did have service, this was a safety hazard and we would need someone to come out and rehang the wire.

When I made the initial call I was told that someone would come out to fix the problem within 24 hours. Needless to say, the twenty-four hours came and went. I called back and heard the same response that someone was scheduled to come out and the service representative gave me a date and time. The date and time would come and go and I would repeat the phone call. After each phone call I was asked if I would be willing to complete a survey, and each time I dutifully did. When asked, I would say that I would not recommend the company because they didn’t resolve my issue. Every time a well sounding customer service person would call back and express sorrow at my inconvenience and state that they have escalated my problem and it would be resolved.

I kept repeating the circle: call-customer service, receive scheduling, no show from technician, poor marks on the survey, inquiry from another customer service person about the survey, escalate problem, told that it “will be resolved”, problem not resolved, repeat. With the amount of times we went through this phone roulette and the amount of times I heard that the problem was escalated to another level, my issue should’ve been escalated to the CEO of the company (which I might add would’ve been welcomed by me. At this point in the charade, I had many suggestions on ways to improve the service.) It took over two months to rectify this situation.

I wish they would give those individuals an accurate title. Forget Customer Service Agent. How about: “Professional listener but powerless to do anything” or “Token listener for the company who has just duped you.”

The thing is, as a customer you become totally powerless and ineffective which leads to incredible frustration. I become conflicted: I do not want to appear unreasonable and do not want to play the demanding jerk card- yelling, threatening, huffing and puffing. And I know that the person on the other end of the phone can only do so much to help. They too are put into a powerless position. But, there are times when as a customer, one needs to hold a company to account. We all know that we get what we pay for but companies need to stand by their products or at the very least, fix situations that only they can fix. Of course, I know of people that are always trying to game the system and get work or items for free when that is not fair to those people who are doing the service, etc.

But this experience has also made me reflect on my attitude of work. Not just work for payment but any type of work. How am I in working with others? Do I do my job so they in turn can do theirs? Am I excited about my work that if I couldn’t do it, I would be “miffed” (like the Crawley servants)? Do I take pride in what I do? When/if I am in a position of power or decision making, do I look for the best interest of those I am serving? Do I allow those who I oversea to have autonomy?

Ecclesiastes 3: 13 tells us, “everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.” The verse reminds me of the balance: go about your business of life- the day to day of living along with the pleasure of having work. We have talked about that balance in past posts. (see Work/Life Balance from October 2nd) But I also see this verse as an opportunity for a different attitude as we work. Work is a good thing. We are designed to work- to complete tasks, to create ideas and items, to join others in this “toil”.

Do I take pleasure in my toil? Do I see it as a whole expression of my devotion and gratitude to God? Do I work, not for a specific company, person or achievement but rather for God?

What about you? What has been your experience with customer service? Frustration? Resolution? Do you enjoy your toil? If so, what about it that you enjoy? How do you maintain that attitude? If not, what can you do to rectify that?

“Work heartily as serving the Lord.” Colossians 3: 23

P.S. Some of my suggestions for customer service:

• Under promise and over deliver

• Do not say anything that you do not mean or cannot carry out.

• Think of the other person as yourself

• Your suggestions?

Labor Day

Monday was Labor Day.  It was only two days ago, yet it seems like an eon.  I think because Labor Day is such a demarcation from the end of summer and the beginning of fall scheduling that once it happens we are thrust forward into the world of work and productivity.   The carefree days of vacation and summer are a distant memory. 

The history of Labor day goes back to the middle to the Second Industrial Revolution around the 1880's.   Its purpose was to celebrate the worker: "It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."   According to the Department of Labor,  the first Labor Day celebration was held Tuesday, September 5, 1882 in New York City by the Central Labor Union.  Other municipalities and then states followed suit  with celebrations first as a movement, then through legislation. It wasn't until 1894 that Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September a legal holiday. (www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history) 

Last Friday,  StoryCorps shared an interview with two retired sanitation workers from NYC. Click here to watch the interview as a cartoon.   What I loved about it was their attitude- the gentlemen took pride in their work.  In doing so, they were respected and part of the community. 

This past Sunday a fellow elder from our church shared his thoughts about work.  He reflected on how God is a worker, we are in His image (also a worker) and that we need to reflect that image by having integrity, doing our best and realizing that although work may be hard, God is with us. 

Yesterday morning, a dear friend shared with me her daily Bible reading.  In the passage it spoke of keeping at the work that God has called you.  Don't give up. (See below) 

All these ideas have me thinking.  What does God say about our labor?  Our human side says that work is a four-letter word.  And sometimes it is.  

Yet God did work and it was sacred.  From the beginning of the Bible, God created- bringing something into existence.  The act of doing so is not passive but active.  It is work.  Adam and Eve did work, before and after the fall.  They were to name the created beings and to care for them.  After the fall, work became hard- the sweat of one's brow. But throughout the Bible, even with the tough work, God was there for us.

In the book of Proverbs, the Hebrew wisdom speaks of work as something which we can commit  back to God (Proverbs 16: 3) and something of which we need to take care and be diligent.  (Proverbs 22:29)   The wisdom is that work comes from God, it is a gift (both the skill/talent and the opportunity) that we would be wise to keep in its proper place: strive for the best, learn and improve your skill/condition/understanding yet realize that it all belongs to God and to offer what we have (the skill/talent and opportunity)  back to Him. 

One of my favorite verses is from Colossians:  "whatever the task, work heartily as if serving the Lord."  I have to remember that especially when I find myself getting too caught up in work, in the expectations of others or in my own expectations.  Whatever I am doing, I need to remember that I am not doing it for my ego, nor for someone else's benefit but for God. When I keep that perspective, it takes the pressure over worrying if I can please that person or if I am doing it right.  For we all know of bosses or people who are just never satisfied or happy with whatever we have done.  For some, it goes beyond being a perfectionist. It is an unrealistic expectation that is never enough. 

So two days after Labor Day it is a good reminder that I need to focus on my work,  whatever the work may be: domestic, volunteer commitments, professional.  My attitude needs to shift, so that whatever I am doing, I will act as if the results were going directly to God.  There is no distinction between my spiritual and secular life- it all is spiritual and it all is a reflection of my faith in God.  If I can trust Him with matters of the heart (the decision to believe in Him) then I can trust Him with the mundane matters of what I do- my vocation, profession, hobbies, career, job.  I can trust Him with the every day labors of my life.  

What about you?  What is your work?  How do you feel about it?  Do you have enough time in the day to do it?  Not enough? Do you enjoy your work?  Or, is it, well, work (the four-letter variety)?  Do you need to step back and think about your labor?  Have you celebrated the gifts/talents and opportunities that you have? 

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So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It’s as sound as the day you first heard it from me. Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us.            2 Timothy 1:13-14 MSG

"He has a real job..."

This past week I was meeting some folks, and as the usual first time greetings go, was asked, "What do you do?"  Sometimes when people ask me that, depending upon the tone of their voice I really am tempted to say in a snarky voice, "precious little." 

I really shouldn't feel so defensive about it.  He was just asking.   In this conversation, I explained that I was a writer, which then prompter him to ask what I have published?  And then he proceeded to tell me about his son who writes, but he has a "real job" doing "xyz" (something lucrative and other than writing).   

Oy vey.  Here we go.  I cannot tell you how many people over the last two and a half years who just don't get the creative life.  Sure, there is not a weekly paycheck but there are still set hours each day that are spent writing, creating or doing research.  It is a sit down job. I have heard back from people who say that (in no particular order) I am, "retired, ill, or moving", that it "must be nice to be a lady of leisure", or imply that I have "loads of time to do....." (you fill in the blank).  I want to counter- what is a fake job? Working for no pay?  Is a real job one that only exchanges money? (Then by that logic you can see there is a problem between the difference of prostitution and monogamous married sex?  Which is "real love"?) 

To be fair and if I am honest I have also been judgmental over someone's work.  I am ashamed to say that in my younger working years, I would think, "Gosh.  Must be nice to have a cushy (fill in the blank) job" where it seemed as if the person didn't have too many responsibilities, too many hours or too many physical demands.  Boy was I naive and stupid.

The thing is- work is work.  Regardless.  It doesn't matter what the type of work it is. If it is satisfying a calling, producing a good or service, helping another, providing an outlet for creativity and beauty for others in the world, it is all work. I like the google definition: work is an "activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result."

While I may bristle about the "real job", I am pragmatic enough to understand the whole concept of "starving artist" and "real jobs".  At the end of the day, you cannot eat your artwork or prose.

It is just that so many jobs nowadays are not "real" or regular in the sense of the nine-to-five jobs of yesteryear.  The way we do jobs have changed.  No longer do people have to have face to face meetings; you can conference anyone, anytime, anywhere around the world without having to leave the comfort of your home.  There is medical technology where the doctor can be on one continent and control a surgical robot performing on a surgical patient in another continent.  Money can be transferred from one bank account to another with the swish of a finger. 

I know I need to chill out over this issue. I guess after this latest encounter I am becoming a little less antagonistic.  When people make comments, they don't really think about others' sensitivity and the comments are generally made for conversation not for any harm.   I also am getting more comfortable to say that I am a writer.  (Although I haven't gotten to the point where I truly believe it- I will need a little more professional recognition for that.) I guess I am defensive because I would like to say, "Yes, by gum. I am a very successful writer.  I have name recognition, speaking engagements, and lucrative advancements."  Falling short of that,  I need to comfortable with my current situation and my sense of calling.  Like so many things in life, if we feel self-assured then we are more likely to be open and gracious to others regardless of what they may or may not say to us. 

What about you?  What is your job?  Have you ever switched careers?  How did that work out?  Did you feel that you had to justify it to others? Do you feel that you have a conventional job?  Does what you do involve a mental or physical effort to produce a result or achieve a purpose?  Do you pre-judge people based on their work?  Do you feel comfortable with your calling and your work?  How did you get to that place?