Holtz Realty

Some days ago I had to do some personal business downtown so I thought I would quickly attend to it during part of my lunch hour. I must preface this by saying I was having a relatively busy day but not a bad day. I went into the establishment and discovered that one of my favorite customer service people was gone for the day. I personally know the manager so I asked for him and he was out to lunch. I was just on my way out of the building and someone hollered, “Can I help you?” Oh how I really do hate being hollered at with that line. Some day when I’m in a bit of an acid mood I will likely respond, “I really don’t know if you are either physically or mentally capable of helping me.” I’m sorry but when I was in grade school I was taught the difference between may and can. I told this person that I was there to make some changes in an investment account. The person ushered me to a cubicle and asked me my name and I gave it, then asked for my driver’s license, and then asked for another form of identification. In a non-nonchalant fashion I said something like, “Seems it’s getting worse and worse with this identification business.” This person’s response was, “I don’t know you and it’s for security purposes.” Oh Mercy! It’s a good thing that I was having a good day before I entered the building. While this person was punching information on a computer via the “index finger”, I asked when the manager would return. Moments later this person got up, and walked away leaving me seated for at least five to seven minutes. Customers absolutely MUST be treated like customers and not like a person who has interrupted their day of likely texting and playing on their computers. I merely closed my folder, got up and walked out. Enough was enough. I was visiting with a client today about that scenario who continues to work very hard in her occupation and was of a similar mind regarding the way customers are being treated these days. Believe it or not, nearly all of my years in the work world have been service in one form or another. So many corporations attempt to fill key positions with naïve candy wrapper employees and they don’t realize most people don’t care how attractive someone is as long as they present themselves in a professional manner, know their job, and have the ability to treat each and every person they attend to with dignity and respect. I used to tease an aging businessman prior to his retirement when I discovered he was taken by several of the “eye candy” employees. I would say to him, “Candy is nothing but sugar in a fancy wrapper and you know what happens sooner or later to the wrappers.” I would always get a chuckle out of him.