What’s happened to customer care in South Africa?
Do customers experience good customer service? Many would agree that some cashiers are not courteous.
“Plastic?” Isn’t that a familiar question we’re asked at stores?
You’re at a shop browsing through some items and next to you is another customer. One of the workers hurriedly passes you and greets the person next to you. The worker is then asked by the customer if the sheets easily crease… Miss “Morning Ma’am” is now looking at you and keeps mumbling stuff that irritates the customer who ends up asking how she was hired because she does not seem to understand the Queen’s language.
“Is crease like how? Uhm ma’am… Sorry sisi, utsini lomake”? (Translated: excuse me, what is this woman saying) Here’s another scenario:
While waiting in a queue and you notice how friendly the cashier is to white people and when it’s somebody of a different race’s turn, usually the cashiers’ facial expressions change. Surely you know the drift- weave, rosy cheeks, bold coloured lipstick and well, not-so-fleek eyebrows most of the time. And then boom! Then comes the million dollar question in a very lazy tone, “Plastic,”? Call anybody who has a problem with that sensitive but it is annoying.
Would you assist and rescue the cashier from the agitated customer who’s about to lose her marbles? Personally, I would, but I’ll obviously be left with the following questions:
• What does the other customer have that I don’t for me not to be greeted?
• Could it be the colour of her skin?
• Do we undermine one another so much as a nation?
To be honest, people do not really need EXCEPTIONAL customer service, just basic service. Is that too much to ask for?
