Customer Service…Oxymoron?

I went to the grocery store on Monday and had one of the most annoying hours of my life. I was looking for almond milk and frustrated that it was not in any of the aisles I thought it would be. So, after wandering around aimlessly looking for someone employed there (notice I didn’t say “work” there) I found a young man stocking shelves and asked him if he knew where the almond milk was. He commented that he didn’t know you could milk almonds! I have to admit that as annoyed as I was, I had to laugh because I think he was serious.
I passed 4 more employees on my way to the alleged aisle that had the almond milk. Not one person smiled, made eye contact or acknowledged my existence.
Finally, I find the almond milk and go to check out. There were 2 checkers and about a hundred customers standing in those two lanes. After reading half of the magazines in the checkout aisle and ignoring the headlines of the other half, I am next to check out. I took out that little bar thing to separate my groceries from the groceries that belonged to the lady in front of me and she wanted to know if I was worried about her groceries touching my groceries. I tried to explain to her that bar thingy was to let the checker know when her order ended and mine began. She still looked insulted.
Then, I have a twenty-something young lady that had her tongue pierced and I could not understand one word she said to me. I got to the point where I just smiled and nodded. Next thing I knew, I have donated $5 to (I think) the humane society.
This checker never smiled, never made eye contact and grunted when I asked her how she was doing. By the time I was done with her, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to adopt her or ground her. I did tell her that I thought that she obviously did not like her job. She wholeheartedly agreed.
After being in several customer service type businesses, I am very aware of the customer service I receive when I am out. If I receive good service at a restaurant, I tip very well. If I receive good service in other venues like the grocery store, a department store, my insurance agent or any service that does not require tipping, I make a point to let those people know they have treated me well and I really appreciate it and I will tell everyone I know. However, if I receive poor service, I will tell everyone I know.
If I lost a customer, in whatever career I was in, it would make me crazy if I did not know why. That’s a “be careful for what you wish for” kind of thing, but maybe I would have had a chance to remedy whatever the problem was.
With the way that the economy is, everyone should appreciate having a job because there are those who do not. And, I can not understand people who do not desire to do a good job at what they do.
If we all did our job as if God were our boss, wouldn’t we be much more conscientious about doing a good job? We are told in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
Not only does God want us to do a good job at what we do, He wants us to “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.” Philippians 2:14
Doing a good job for God may be easier than the
“without grumbling” part, but, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. That includes keeping a smile on my face the next time I walk through the grocery store!