A clerk behind the counter was looking down, fiddling with something. She didn’t look up, but said something I couldn’t quite decipher. Because she didn’t look at me, I didn’t think she was talking to me. She said more loudly and quite rudely: “Over here.”


“Uh. OK,” I said, caught off-guard.


So I gave her the blouse and the receipt. Barely acknowledging me, she informed me coldly that I had to find something in the store to exchange it with.


I was put off by her manner, but I let it pass. I did say to my shopping buddy and neighbor, Joanne, “Did you see that?”


Joanne did and shook her head in disgust. Nonetheless, we went out into the store and browsed. We selected a few items, headed back to check-out and I deliberately picked a different clerk.


Big mistake.


Believe it or not, this one — I will call her Snarly Clerk No. 2 — was much worse than Snarly Clerk No. 1.


She looked to be about 18 and had a scowl on an otherwise very pretty face. Because I was exchanging something, she needed the manager, I am assuming, to open the register for her.


She stood there glaring at the manager, who was a few counters away, and said something like: “I need a key.” The manager, on the phone, likely couldn’t hear the summons.


Minutes passed. The line started to grow. Joanne was far back in line and waiting for Snarly No. 1 to check-out her purchase.


So we stood there for about five minutes. Snarly No. 2 kept frowning. Fuming, she finally went over and stood by the manager, who was still on the phone. In what seemed like an eternity, the manager came over and put a key in the cash register. Snarly No. 2 told me what I owed (after the exchange), perfunctorily took my money, gave me change and a receipt and then looked to her next customer.


My stuff was just laying on the counter.


“Uh, can I have a bag?” I asked her.


You would have thought I asked her to mow my lawn.


She begrudgingly put my stuff in a bag.


I couldn’t hold back.


“You people really need to adjust your attitudes,” I told her.


She looked at me blankly and went on to the next poor sap.


I know this is a story that gets told time and time again about how some in our work force, particularly young people, lack so-called “soft skills” such as getting to work on time, dressing appropriately and treating customers like human beings.


But this is a story worth repeating along with a response.


Dear Snarly No. 1 and No. 2 and all of you who take our money for goods or services:


You work for us. You work because of us.


I am sorry if you are having a bad day and I know life can be very hard at times. But suck it up and put a fake smile on your face, if you must. Put the words, “please,” “thank you,” “you’re welcome” and “have a nice day” into your vocabulary. Look your customers in the eyes.


Now for you managers out there: please post this on your bulletin boards and try to inspire your employees to act accordingly and to do what it is they are paid to do AND WITH A SMILE.




Patricia Poist is a staff writer for the Living section. Write to her at: ppoist@lnpnews.com..500 blog comments powered by Disqus