Dan's Blogvent Calendar - December 7th

As someone who works in a customer-facing role, I know what it's like to get the occasional 'problem customer'. You know the people I'm talking about - people who complain when things go wrong, who put on that passive-aggressive stance or get verbally abusive when they don't get their way. I live in a pretty pleasant part of the UK, so thankfully I don't have to engage with problem patients at work too often, but that doesn't mean I find them any less tiresome to deal with. I appreciate there may be reasons for it - in my line of work, it's a given that a significant portion of the people I encounter at the service hatch are likely to be ill, and that can affect a person's mood - but I still don't think there's a legitimate excuse for not being nice to another person in a professional environment. When the roles are reversed and I'm on the other side of the counter, I do my utmost to be the kind of customer I'd be happy to deal with.

Today, I went out with a few friends to the cinema to see the new animated Disney flick, Frozen. Beforehand, we all stopped by McDonalds to grab a bite to eat before the movie. I ordered my meal, which included the limited edition Festive Pie - a mincemeat-and-custard alternative to their year-round apple pie that's been a staple part of the McDonalds winter menu for a few years now. When the guy who served me handed me my food, he said, "Sorry, but there's a delay of about eight minutes on the Festive Pie at the moment. Did you want a refund, or are you happy to wait?"

"I'll wait," I said, after rationalising the situation in my head - I had a full meal in front of me, so I was still going to be in the restaurant in eight minutes time. He told me he'd bring the pie over to me when it was ready. I thanked him, took my food and went to sit with my friends.

I worked my way through my meal, enjoying the chicken burger, fries and non-specific cola beverage I'd ordered. After twenty minutes had passed, with my main course now finished, there was still no sign of my intended dessert. "Go and complain," one of my friends suggested, but I shrugged off the suggestion. I had no desire to be one of those 'problem customers', kicking up a fuss over something so trivial as a bit of mincemeat and custard encased in pastry. Instead, I joined the back of the queue and waited. When I got to the counter, I was fortunate enough to be served by the same guy as before. I didn't make a big deal out of it, I didn't sigh or complain. I just asked, "Excuse me, are the Festive Pies ready yet?"

The guy seemed to recognise me, apologised for the delay and dropped something into a bag which he then handed to me. I thanked him, assured him it was nothing to worry about, and wished him a good day (something I do in every transaction, no matter which side of the counter I'm on) as I left the establishment with the bag in hand. Imagine my surprise when I opened it up en route to the cinema to find not one, but two Festive Pies inside. The guy hadn't needed to compensate me, but he had done it anyway. I couldn't help but smile as I dipped a hand into the bag and retrieved the two pies, one bought and one complimentary, from within.

If there's a moral in all this, then I think it's to not be a dick in these kinds of situations. To inquire rather than complain. To be helpful and co-operative rather than deliberately difficult. To be the kind of customer you'd be happy to serve. To know that a complaint is something best reserved for a situation that genuinely demands it, lest the overuse of complaint and protest cause them to lose all impact and meaning. And on a somewhat related note, to not eat two McDonalds Festive Pies in quick succession.

Oh, and Frozen is pretty good. You should probably see it if you like family films with happy endings. Thanks for reading guys, take care and I'll see you around.

Dan

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Currently playing - Pokémon White (DS)