How is it to be working in customer service, when you hate people? Not that bad actually! I think it is easier when you don’t care, compared if you would. I’ve come across some damn good waiters, chefs and bouncers during my career and there is one thing common. They all hate people, from the bottom of their hearts.
Seems weird? Why would someone who hates people voluntarily work with people?
The fact is, they didn’t hate people when they started. Not as much at least. Hate towards humankind is something that builds up while working with them. Every day you lose just a tiny bit more of your faith and hope towards other people. After weeks, months and years you end up noticing nothing surprises you anymore. The stupidity of humankind is the least surprising thing there is.
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe...”.
Albert Einstein
To be honest, customer service has very little to do about customers need or wants, and as little it has anything to do with customers happiness. Yes, it might seem like waiter is taking care of their wants and need, but when we are talking about really good waiters and people who work in customer service it is about their wants. It asks a lot of professional eye for the game to see to whom you need to invest time to get maximal profit and who is there just for the cheapest meal and water. There to fulfill a simple need, nothing more.
I’ve worked both chef and waitress, i have even worked as a bouncer, and even if i despite people in general i actually, in some sadistic way, like customer service. For me it is like a game: how to empty customers wallet in shortest time possible and make them smile while doing it.
Have you ever went to the restaurant and ended up using a lot more money than you originally tented? Yep, you probably just came across damn good waiter without even noticing. There are some tricks to make this happen, that are so idiotic and simple you might think hell no that’s working. But people are somewhat simple creatures, so simple tricks will do fine.
The oldest trick there is, is not even asking what customer wants. Tell them what they want. When someone recommends a dish or drink for you in restaurant you automatically think that must be good or that wine must fit the food perfectly. WRONG! Okay, in some cases it is true, but most cases hell no. Waiters recommend the dishes which are going to be useless in a days, or which has lowest ingredient costs and therefore highest profit. Same goes with drinks, lowest costs highest profits. Restaurant business is at its worst and best like casino, the house always wins.
One of the tricks i personally love is make them lose count. Empty glass in the table? Take it away. They want another one and they shortly lose track how many have they had. People start really quickly to feel they have had too many if there is even one empty glass on the table. Go and figure, more wine!
As i said it isn’t that bad even if you hate people, customers are rarely the problem. They are there just brief moment and even if they are annoying as fuck you know the day will end and the customers will leave. You cant say same about your co-workers....
Co-workers can be either the highlight of the job or the pain in the ass. Usually they are the second one. Or at least most of them are. Yes you should accept people are different and yadi yadi yaa, but workers are more efficient when they also enjoy the work. I can’t really enjoy the work when there are people slacking around me. If somebody gets the same money, without doing anything really. It’s not about me even, but it just sucks the joy out of my work.
Today I’m heading to work, to do the first actual shift and I’m excited to see how will it work out.
