NoticingFeatures

I like to notice good things about the services people provide me, and to let them know I appreciate them, even if they're services I've paid for. How about you? - JerryWeinberg 2005.07.23

Yes, I appreciate good service everytime. To do otherwise seems stupid to me.

My first job was as a curb hop (car waiter) in a drive through hamburger stand. I worked hard to provide my customers good service in hopes of receiving a good tip.

Other people at the restaurant were working hard too. I appreciated the people who cooked the food. Other car hops didn't. Their orders came out slower than mine, which I'm willing to bet translated into higher tips for me.

What goes around comes around. I need to do my part to reward people for good service -- which can be as simple as consistently noticing, smiling and thanking them -- so they continue to reward me (and you) with good service.

SteveSmith 2005.07.24

Yes, because service is all about people. Almost my first job was as a circulation clerk in a university library. I did it full-time for 2.5 years, which was plenty of opportunity to feel what it's like serving the public. It can be awful, and it can be wonderful -- all depending on what you give and how the people you're serving respond. I was lucky to work for a librarian who believed that a rule was only as good as our ability to explain and justify it, and that our job was to make people's lives easier, and not ever to be anyone's last straw. The whole staff really did do our best to give great service, which wasn't always easy.

Lots of people -- students mainly -- were appreciative, and that made the job rewarding. A few -- mainly faculty -- were rude and unreasonably demanding. I once had a prof practically throw books down the circ desk at me because I wouldn't let her push in ahead of a lineup of students.

A lot of public-serving jobs aren't very rewarding. I always make a point of tipping good cabbies really well, and if I enjoyed the ride telling them so. Same with servers in restaurants, or people in hotels. Or people in corner shops -- wherever. It never hurts to smile and say thank you, and people almost always smile back -- which is its own reward. --FionaCharles 25-Jul-2005

Updated: Tuesday, July 26, 2005