The Customer Isn't Always Right

Although, as I have stated in past blogs, I think there are a lot of wonderful things going on in the world right now and some very generous people out there, I have encountered some very rude people  recently too. I have heard a lot that we are becoming more callous because of our interactions online. When we aren't face-to-face with the person we are insulting, we can't see the impact we have and feel more entitled. While I agree with this and see the most atrocious personal attacks in Youtube comments on a daily basis, I also find that people don't care about being rude straight to someone's face. Yesterday, I saw an older man at Dairy Queen chew out a waitress because the restaurant changed the menu. A few weeks ago, I heard a young man on the street screaming into his phone about a parking ticket (while standing by his car-clearly parked illegally). I've heard women at lunch whispering cruel things about their co-workers' appearances. 

This isn't a generational issue. It's a egocentric issue. Why do we feel so entitled? Why are our feeling more important than the feelings of others? As author Brené Brown said in her book Daring Greatly, “Everyone wants to know why customer service has gone to hell in a handbasket. I want to know why customer behavior has gone to hell in a handbasket.” Consider other perspectives. Listen to the reactions of the people you're yelling at. It's ok to share your opinions and feelings, but don't do it at the expense of someone else.