When running a business, any business rather, the first thing that your client when visiting your office will have to deal with is the attitude of your security. Yes we are living in a much more sensitive time where terrorism is of much more concern than back in 1970, but it does not mean that your security has to have anti-customer friendly practices. Think about it:
1) You are going to an event of some kind, and you have your pass/ticket/permission clearance and you are all excited about going. Yeah!!! As you pull up to the entrance there is one person, the first person of the establishment, security, who has the attitude of a hungry wasp, and everyone cowers as they try to conduct business in as polite and as civil a fashion as possible. There is no smile no sense of - I've paid for this event and deserve a welcome - there is nothing but this waspy attitude. What do you do?
2) Similarly we as humans have this exact issue towards others and do not realise it. We and I say we, tend to put up this barbed wire, towards persons we do not like or to get away from others. However, has anyone ever stopped to think about trying a smile? Yeah its difficult sometimes and also when you feel the need to frown you turn your frown upsided down. Plus i'll tell you to smile to, because as some recent research shows, it can help you to live longer, since you'll release some good chemicals which assist in aging.
I dealt with security, and as you should get by reading the jist of previous posts, one should attempt to conduct themselves with a business like manner. In this instance, there was the need to get to a specific location, and this was not the first time that the request was being carried out. However each time, the security officer asked the same question and I gave them the same answer, all was well. This went on for sometime until one evening, I proceeded as usual and was stung by security's barbed wire attitude asked what my purpose was, so I ignored this and easily stated that I was her to conduct my usual business as has been the norm for the past weeks. However this time the security at this institution, indicated that I could go no further, and that there was no need for security to seek further information as to my reason for business. I felt some personal agitation erupting and immediately backed away from the security point. Armed or should I say injured with this sort of abuse, I (the client) now had the advantage with this institution since bad press is not something a business house desires. After persuing this further, I took it to a higher level of pecking rank, and was appeased with the attitude met earlier.
In fact I think that this last note gave me the clue, if we are bold enough, take the opportunity to tell security to try smiling sometimes, BUT, do not leave it just there outline the 10 reasons they should smile. I would also suggest that one should note the attitude which they receive and be absolutely certain that it is not due to their own egos nor their own self centered attitudes, that the person (security in this instance) responds. It is too easy to place blame on someone else, but in the instance that you are convinced that your own barbed wire orientation is not the reason for a hostile response then smack them with a smile immediately, breathe deeply and then think clearly your next action.
For some persons in the Caribbean, this may be a huge learning curve since the first reaction is a good 'ole cuss out/bassa bassa. Why stoop to such when you can be the more matured individual, plus it feels good when you are matured about it.
No comments:
Post a Comment