I LOVE FOOD!
Ok I admit it: I love food! Once a week on the way into work I have a treat for myself: I stop and get 2 breakfast sandwiches from the local place (let's call it "J-in-the-B"). On this particular Saturday, I was really excited and made my way to the drive thru. After a few minutes wait I pulled up to order and here is what it sounded like:
Voice: Hello, how are you…may I help you?
Me: Fine thanks…could I please have one regular breakfast jack and 1 breakfast jack with sausage instead of ham?
Voice: One breakfast jack, $1.08 at the window.
Me: Excuse me…that was
Voice: Ok…a sausage biscuit…$2.85 at the window
Me: Actually, it was one
Voice # 2: Ok, you just want one breakfast jack, $1.08 at the window.
My blood was boiling - probably because I couldn't even finish correcting the order because I kept getting interrupted. All I wanted was my breakfast jack on my special day of the week! *pout, pout, pout* I got up to the window and was greeted by a polite but nervous and obviously flustered employee. She apologized and explained that they were using a new type of headset system. On top of that she added she was just filling in for the normal person that runs the drive thru because that person had called in sick. After she said that I suddenly calmed down and realized how petty I was acting.
Today’s Food 4 Thought is to pay attention to your reaction. Realize everyone has some sort of preconceived notion of how a certain process should go. Whether you are fishing, buying something, banking, getting your monthly (or sometimes annual) haircut or ordering food at the drive thru sometimes, it doesn’t go as planned. Then we get uncomfortable, frustrated, annoyed and eventually angry. STOP and take a breath because your "reaction" can make you look foolish but most importantly, it's not who you are and it's probably not who they are! Most people understand - I did...once she told me :) It was my fault for not being mature, respectful or patient enough to give her the respect / benefit of the doubt / whatever you want to call it! I think we ALL need and probably deserve to be "cut a little slack" (to quote my Dad) sometimes - don't you?
Demand Success!
josh
