The Right to Be Nice

Today I'm being serious. No pictures (well, maybe one picture). No video. Nothing to review. I know this is pretty far off the beaten path for my hubs, but it's actually one of my pet personal projects in real life.

As individuals, we're often deep in our own thoughts. We may not notice or think about people around us. Especially those in the service industries. Often, they're just treated as background. A prop, a tool that's expected to work without thought or consideration.

I've been there.  I've been the customer, but I've been on the other side of the counter, too.  When you're running a register, or helping customers in the store… whatever the job is… most people are pretty nice.  But every now and then, you run into the person who thinks it's their God given right to abuse people.  Just because they can?  Maybe because they're in an inferior social position?  Possibly a result of a really bad day? 

I was raised well by a great Mom and Dad.  They taught me many things, but it boils down to trying to always do the right thing.  Sometimes, I mess up.  But thanks to my folks, I do make the attempt. 

I know, the "Right Thing" can be a shifting target sometimes.  And it's not always the same from person to person. 

I'm not here today to teach my version of right and wrong.  Not worried about shades of right and wrong.  You don't have to tell me there's a difference between being rude, and being a pathological murderer.  I know all that.

I just wanted to draw attention to a choice we can make.  One that can make life better for those around us.  It might even have an impact on our lives.  Just try to be a little bit nicer to your cashier at the store.  Your waiter at the restaurant.  The customer assistant who helps you have a better experience in their place of business.  Or… in my case… the Blockbuster employee who's trying his best to be friendly and helpful.

You don't have to go overboard.  But at the very least, don't deliberately try to make someone else's day worse.  I've got a friend who works in a food store.  He's a very nice, gentle, soft-spoken fellow, yet recently he had an entire day full of customers berating and cursing him.  The reason?  Because they didn't bother to read. 

Okay, I'm being harsh.  Actually, his store had a sale going on, but it was conditional.  You had to spend a certain amount of money to get the discount, but it was a whopping huge discount.  Most customers read the sign, did what they needed to do, and left happy.  But several didn't bother to read the entire sentence.  Then when they got to the register, they acted like bullies, hoping if they were loud enough and ugly enough, they'd get their way.  And sometimes, that works.  It's not right, and I'd sure like to see there be a punishment for that kind of behavior.  But there are times a store manager will cave in just because it's costing the store money to stand there and argue with a loudmouth who won't go away.

You'd be amazed at what people can say.  These people my friend dealt with would accuse him personally of trying to rip them off.  Like he's going to pocket the money he's overcharging them.  At times, he's led them back to the sign hanging from the ceiling to prove he's not lying.  You know what they said?  "Someone must have put that up while we were at the register!"  Like they'd have an employee just hiding around the corner with the sign, waiting for the poor unsuspecting customer to leave in order to hang the sign.  "Oh, that sign?  Why, sir, it's been there for years!"

Too many people these days hide behind the old saying, "The customer is always right."  As if that's an excuse for any kind of rude behavior.  Well, Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, made that phrase a commandment.  And it works, up to a point.  Until the customer abuses the privilege.  Now, Wal-Mart may be big and successful, but I avoid shopping there if at all possible.  Why?  Because it brings out the worst in people.  When I go to Wal-Mart, the employees range from nice to surly.  But the customers?  Wow, I've been stomped, trampled, shoved, had people take things from my own shopping cart… I rarely escape Wal-Mart with a good mood.

So I do my shopping at Winn Dixie.  Not just any Winn Dixie.  Because there are 3 locally, and 2 of them are just fair.  But my favorite one?  There's a reason it's my favorite.  Every employee there has a smile for me, a pleasant comment, a helpful suggestion.  If I've got a question, someone's always happy, for real, to help me.  If I ever have to work in customer service again, that's the kind of environment I would look for.

But in my favorite Winn Dixie... here's the best part… the customers are outstanding, as well!  I like to tease and say they have a better class of customer (since I AM one!), but the truth is simple.  They foster an attitude of mutual respect.  I'm sure exceptions happen, we're all human, but overall it's a good place to be. 

So what am I suggesting, exactly?  Well, fortunately most people are nice at heart.  What I'm asking, is let's all just be a bit nicer to each other.  It'll help make up for the rudeness of the few.  If you see an employee having a rough day, try to get a smile from them.  At the very least, give them one of yours.

No need to go out of your way about it.  It's enough to know that maybe someone's day was a bit better because of you.