Customer Service Stories

 

One of the weird things about working in customer service is that sometimes people will casually drop the most appalling or intimate things while talking to you. I’ve worked in some form of customer service now for about six years, and it never ceases to amaze me that people will just tell you super personal things about themselves before disappearing out into the ether again. When I was in high school I started working at a coffee shop, a big corporate one rather than a cute mom-and-pop shop. The company’s mission was often marred by a “the customer is always right, no matter what, even if the world is falling apart” attitude, which led to a lot of disputes between customers and my fellow baristas, who were just trying to get through the day. Little things like whether the mocha syrup should go in before the hazelnut syrup before it was mixed, demands that a latte wasn’t exactly 110 degrees, all of these compounded into an emotionally laborious workplace. Not only were we baristas, but we were a safe space for people to talk to, even if we didn’t explicitly sign up for that. 

There was one day in particular that’s stuck with me to this day. After a busy Saturday rush I was counting down the seconds to go home. A woman came up to the register, ordered two drinks and a slice of pumpkin loaf, and while she was paying I asked how her day was. She mentioned it was okay, and then after taking the pumpkin loaf and the receipt from me the woman paused. She looked me directly in the eye and asked how I was doing. Now this seems like a normal question to ask, but you can definitely tell when there’s intention behind someone’s words. 

I paused for a second and told her plainly, “I’m not having the best day, but I’m excited to turn it around!” She nodded and expressed the same sentiment before mentioning she was going to her car and she’d be back in a moment for her drinks. Then I continued through the line, just like normal. It was only when I turned around again that I realized that the woman from before had brought something back up to the register. 

She held it out to me, “I work at a wildlife rescue, we make impressions of the paws of some animals to sell to raise funds. This one’s a bit chipped so we can’t sell it, but I hope it helps turn your day around.” She left before she even saw my reaction. In my hands was a cast of a coyote paw. It may appear silly but the little things do add up, and though it was a strange gift she actually did help me turn my day around.