Do you deal with the public......

[tedebear]

....as part of your job?

If so then do try and remember that each customer is different and although you may have had a gutfull don't take it out on the next poor sod.

My g/daughter, prone to panic, caught the wrath of a ticket sales person at Worthing station today. There's some new regulation and, after he shouted at her to read a notice, she couldn't read it and the next outburst sent her into a panic attack.

A couple of hours later she had a complete shutdown and ended up in an ambulance. I don't doubt (& would certainly hope) that staff at Worthing are more aware now that not all disabled people come with wheelchairs.

What a change from last week, when she had another incident on a train coming into Brighton and the public, rail staff, BT police and paramedics where so kind to her.

I'd not seen her have an attack before. It's not the hissy fit or flounce I expected. She totally shuts down and her body shakes, pretty scarey.

What did she do to get on the wrong side of him? I'm very familiar with panic attacks - not nice.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

She has Aspergus and is fine most of the time and has no visible signs of being 'disabled' but one of the traits of this condition is the need for routine. Because there had been a change to the conditions in regards to student tickets (not explained but on a A4notice) this confused her, plus the need to get the next train.

Most of us would have taken this in their stride and it may seem petty but the staff wouldn't know her condition or, maybe if somebody couldn't read the notice for some reason, so it's wrong to round on them and make them feel idiots. Staff should be helpful.

 

[bn3gunner]

What xenophobic comments have you had? From my experience driving a cab the general public as a whole are very xenophobic and racist. Not a day would go by without a least 2 or 3 customers telling me that they were pleased they had an English driver or telling me haw the Arab cabs smell or they feel uncomfortable with them. People would wait for a white driver to get to the front of the que on the ranks etc.. The experience I had at work was banter between the ethic groups but nothing I would describe as too serious. I think you must be unlucky with your English drivers. In fact the worst ethic unrest I found on the ranks was between the Sudanese Christians and the Muslims, if you think the English are xenophobic you want to hear them.

This deserves a whole new thread, i use taxi's 3-4 times a week over the last 15 years, and from past experiences i now choose not to get in cars driven by arabs,due to being taken miles out of my way on at least five occasions, no greeting, no attempt at talking, talking on the phone in a foreign language and poor personal hygiene, not for a minute am i saying all english drivers are perfect but from experience i'd rather steer clear of the arab drivers.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

She has Aspergus and is fine most of the time and has no visible signs of being 'disabled' but one of the traits of this condition is the need for routine. Because there had been a change to the conditions in regards to student tickets (not explained but on a A4notice) this confused her, plus the need to get the next train.

Most of us would have taken this in their stride and it may seem petty but the staff wouldn't know her condition or, maybe if somebody couldn't read the notice for some reason, so it's wrong to round on them and make them feel idiots. Staff should be helpful.

I agree with your original sentiments, FG, but I would like to offer a bit of a defence for the staff there. We don't know how many hours they'd been working, we don't know how many times they have been asked about the change and how many times they'vehad to go over the same ground and we don't know any of what had happened in their working day up to that point. I'm not excusing them, but I wouldn't condemn them either. Working with the public is very difficult, and until you've actually done it, you won't appreciate it.

 

[British Bulldog]

I agree with your original sentiments, FG, but I would like to offer a bit of a defence for the staff there. We don't know how many hours they'd been working, we don't know how many times they have been asked about the change and how many times they'vehad to go over the same ground and we don't know any of what had happened in their working day up to that point. I'm not excusing them, but I wouldn't condemn them either. Working with the public is very difficult, and until you've actually done it, you won't appreciate it.

I'm not sure why your trying to defend them as there is no defence, As I've allready said on this thread I spent 34 years working on the Railway and long hours, stressful days and repetition is an every day part of railway work. When you've spent that long working in any kind of job whether it be the railway, police, taxi driver or anything there is a natural instinct to defend criticism aimed at your line of work and in a lot of cases I will where it's justified but there no justification for rudeness to an innocent member of the public who either does'nt know about or does'nt understand any changes that have taken place.
In all honesty i think Muhammed 'i'm hard' Bruce Lee has got it spot on with his 2 simple but effective rules for working with the public, Treat your customer how you would want to be treated and if somebody does wind you up dont take it out on the next person.

 

[magoo]

I'm not just talking about your minimum wage jobs here. I'm talking about receptionists, public transport jobs, all sorts.

Well you seemed imply that everyone chooses what line of work they get into. Very few do. The easiest work to get into is serving the public in some way, shop assistants etc. And those jobs are always minimum wage. You only take so much crap from the public on mimimum wage.

 

[tedebear]

She has Aspergus and is fine most of the time and has no visible signs of being 'disabled' but one of the traits of this condition is the need for routine. Because there had been a change to the conditions in regards to student tickets (not explained but on a A4notice) this confused her, plus the need to get the next train.

Most of us would have taken this in their stride and it may seem petty but the staff wouldn't know her condition or, maybe if somebody couldn't read the notice for some reason, so it's wrong to round on them and make them feel idiots. Staff should be helpful.

Not good, poor thing. All I'd say is that when they hire railway staff or when they have their staff reviews, they need to be reminded that they are in a service industry and that being polite and professional at all times is the aim of the game. I've come across some right rude train staff at times and then again there are many I've come across who are great. Such a shame the minority spoil it for the majority.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I'm not sure why your trying to defend them as there is no defence, As I've allready said on this thread I spent 34 years working on the Railway and long hours, stressful days and repetition is an every day part of railway work. When you've spent that long working in any kind of job whether it be the railway, police, taxi driver or anything there is a natural instinct to defend criticism aimed at your line of work and in a lot of cases I will where it's justified but there no justification for rudeness to an innocent member of the public who either does'nt know about or does'nt understand any changes that have taken place.
In all honesty i think Muhammed 'i'm hard' Bruce Lee has got it spot on with his 2 simple but effective rules for working with the public, Treat your customer how you would want to be treated and if somebody does wind you up dont take it out on the next person.

It's a good theory, but in practice? There's more to any story than the snapshot you see. That's not a comment about this thread, it's general. You never know exactly what has led up to that point. I agree it wouldn't excuse any staff being rude to customers but I do feel the need to add a bit of context.

 

[Ernest]

I had ISSUES with one of the STAFF in Ladbrokes in George St, a MOST unpleasant INDIVIDUAL and I've reported HIM to Sir Fred Done

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

It's a good theory, but in practice? There's more to any story than the snapshot you see. That's not a comment about this thread, it's general. You never know exactly what has led up to that point. I agree it wouldn't excuse any staff being rude to customers but I do feel the need to add a bit of context.

it was 3/1 when I asked, you (unt!

 

[arkan]

This deserves a whole new thread, i use taxi's 3-4 times a week over the last 15 years, and from past experiences i now choose not to get in cars driven by arabs,due to being taken miles out of my way on at least five occasions, no greeting, no attempt at talking, talking on the phone in a foreign language and poor personal hygiene, not for a minute am i saying all english drivers are perfect but from experience i'd rather steer clear of the arab drivers.

A cabbies job is not to converse with you, its to drive you to where you want to go, and its surprising they talk in a foreign language isnt it, as they are foreign....do you think he is plotting with his mates to kidnap and behead you or something?

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I had ISSUES with one of the STAFF in Ladbrokes in George St, a MOST unpleasant INDIVIDUAL and I've reported HIM to Sir Fred Done

You have no idea the pressures I faced prior to your visit. Or the stress I felt knowing you were due, I saw the unpaid slip on the Ernest card and my bottle went completely. It also explains the post after yours aswell, my ability to get the right screen up quickly was long gone. Very disappointing!

Give my regards to Fred!

(sent due to boredom from samsung galaxy s)

 

[Vegas Seagull]

I had ISSUES with one of the STAFF in Ladbrokes in George St, a MOST unpleasant INDIVIDUAL and I've reported HIM to Sir Fred Done

Wrong CE

 

[Vegas Seagull]

A cabbies job is not to converse with you, its to drive you to where you want to go, and its surprising they talk in a foreign language isnt it, as they are foreign....do you think he is plotting with his mates to kidnap and behead you or something?

You sound a lot of fun, the guy who sits in silence in the barbers, dentists, cabs etc

 

[jimhigham]

I'm your bog standard passport control type person. We get all sorts of aggro these days, as the lines are getting longer. However, I've used airports enough myself to know that they are one of the most stressful places to hang out. With that in mind, I try to give people a smile and a warm welcome whenever possible and to be as polite as possible. About the only time my calm manner slips is when an offender persists in spinning me a yarn that insults the intelligence. I'll be a touch more assertive then.

 

[bn3gunner]

A cabbies job is not to converse with you, its to drive you to where you want to go, and its surprising they talk in a foreign language isnt it, as they are foreign....do you think he is plotting with his mates to kidnap and behead you or something?

I dont expect anyone to talk on the phone handsfree or not whilst im paying for them to drive me home, also i dont want to be taken a mile or two more than i normally pay for, and when i pay this money i dont think hello,thankyou,goodbye etc is too much to ask for.

 

[NMH]

I don't but you have to remember that a lot of people who serve the public take a serious amount of abuse therefore at times their patience is severely stretched.

Mine is only stretched when discussing with dullards like you on here.

 

[bhaexpress]

Mine is only stretched when discussing with dullards like you on here.

Then why do it ?

 

[NMH]

Then why do it ?

What - I should desist from posting on NSc because I work with the public?
So the idiots can have one-sided threads or create completely skewed threads not based in reality?

Oh yeah, that's what an open forum is all about.

 

[Mellotron]

What do you do for a living then ?

What has that got to do with it? No need to make this personal really is there?

What I'm saying is, you come across people who have clearly CHOSEN to go into the job they are in (i.e. they could be an office drone if they didn't want to deal with people) yet still get annoyed at having to deal with customers.

I'm not talking about put-upon people on minimum wage who get abused daily, I can understand a frustration and grumpiness there, absolutely.