Customer Service Is Not At Your Service

(My boyfriend and I have just walked into a coffee shop that is quite busy.)

Manager: “I’ll be with you guys in just a minute.”

Me: “Okay!”

(The manager turns away from my boyfriend and me, to his employees.)

Manager: “So corporate is making a big deal about stepping up our customer service this year. We are offering a survey. If customers fill it out then they get specials and such sent to them. We really want to stress this year how important our customers are…”

(The manager goes on like this for several minutes, the entire time stressing how important their customer service is. Finally, another employee finishes making several drinks for other people and comes over to take our drink orders.)

Employee #1: “Sorry about the wait guys. What can I get for you?”

Me: “It’s no problem. I will have [drink] and my boyfriend will have a [other drink].”

Employee #1: “No problem. That’ll be [total]. It’ll be just a minute before its ready.”

Me: “Okay.”

Employee #1: “Hey, [Manager]. Can you please make these two their drinks while I get the line down?”

Manager: “Sure! It’ll be just a minute, guys.”

Me: “No problem!”

(To my surprise, the manager turns away from us again and starts talking to his employees, still stressing the importance of extra good customer service. Once again a different employee steps in to make our drinks. At this point we have been in the store for nearly 15 minutes.)

Employee #2: “I am so sorry about the wait, you guys. Here are your drinks.”

Me: “It’s no problem at all!”

(My boyfriend and I had a good laugh about being ignored repeatedly by a man explaining how important good customer service is.)