It’s 2019 and the bullies are still here. However, now, they’re hidden behind computer screens. This anonymity makes cowards brave by allowing them power at the cost of others.
Why is this important?
Currently, we live in a world where online reviews can be a powerful tool for a business. It can also be devastating for a business to receive a poor review. Additionally, people are far more likely to give a review that is from a poor experience rather than positive reviews for the thousands of places and people that were fantastic.
Recently I learned of a story where a mother was terminated from her job due to one review. Just one bad review and a mother of 6 was left without a job.
Did she deserve it?
The problem with reviews is that they are onesided and often missing important information that would eliminate the seriousness of a review.
For instance, in the story, I spoke of earlier. A customer that needed to pay for her dentist bill was having an issue with her card. So between a series of email communications the employee tried to help her customer. After multiple attempts at running the credit card, and that card being declined over and over, it was suggested that she contact her bank and ask why her card isn’t working.
Empathy
I don’t think there’s a single person in America that hasn’t been in this customers shoes. We all know what that feels like.
Someone swipes your card, you have a smile on your face, so does the employee and all of a sudden you’re told: “I’m sorry, but your card has been declined”. Panic hits you fast. Fight or flight kicks in and we probably react less kindly than we should. After all, it’s our card with the problem, not the person ringing it.
People go one of two ways when this happens. They either blame the worker or they blame their bank. Unfortunately, in my experience, it’s almost always the first option.
So what’s someone in customer service supposed to do?
I truly believe that no matter who you are in this world you need to at some point work in customer service. It isn’t easy and it’s emotionally taxing.
So when an angry person whose card has been declined multiple times starts losing there calm and is directing her anger at anyone who will listen, the person helping her is still there. They are still trying to do the best for their customer.
Reality.
People who work in customer service typically don’t get paid enough to handle your adult tantrums.
So after many emails are exchanged about her card being declined and needing to find a solution for all parties involved. The adult throwing a tantrum over her card being declined(which is her problem) hops online. She leaves a scathing review about an employee and recommends that no one sees this dentist. Did she mention her card being declined? No. Did she mention all the help she received trying to resolve the issue? No.
The result.
The dentist, after reading the review, decided to fire his employee for doing the exact job she was hired to do.
One bad review meant a mother of six was now out of a job. Just one review.
I challenge you:
Practice gratitude and for each and every great customer service experience you have, try to get online and leave a great review. You have no idea how much that could uplift someone or help a business in need.
And, each time you have a bad experience, sit on it for a day or two. Calm down and be aware of what your review could result in. Provide constructive feedback as that’s really what reviews are intended for. And when in doubt, remember what your parents probably taught you. If you don’t have something nice to say don’t say anything at all.
What about the bullies:
I wonder what this lady would think if she knew that the employee(that had worked ten years for a company) that was honestly trying to help, was terminated because of her review. Would she care? Or once she realized the consequences of her temporary tantrum, would she try to fix it? That, we will never know. And for now, she will be a bully. A bully who hopefully fixed her card issue, so that no one else had to deal with your tantrums.
Personally, I think that if you wouldn’t say something face to face with someone then you shouldn’t say it while hiding behind a computer screen.
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