When “the customer is God” starts to go to the customers’ head, one hero stands to put things in perspective.
In the US there is the saying that “the customer is always right”. While this motto is often used to encourage companies and employees to do what they can to ensure the customer has a good experience, it is sometimes abused on the customers’ side by greedy folk trying to get their way.
Well, Japan takes it a step further with the saying “okyaku-sama wa kami-sama“, meaning “the customer is God.” While this saying is similarly used to get employees to treat customers with respect and do what they can to give them the best service possible, when applied by the customers to themselves, it can lead to some entitlement issues. Twitter-user @bamboosherry12 shared recently an episode that happened with their older sister, who seemed to feel like the employees weren’t deserving of any politeness:
“Why are you so polite towards the store staff?” my older sister asked angrily, so I snapped and replied: “Why do you think it’s okay to be pretentious towards the staff? It’s because they’re here that you get to enjoy your day off and go shopping. You’ve never worked customer service so you have no room to talk!” I don’t think customers should be the ones thinking of themselves as God.
Thankfully @bamboosherry12, obviously the more mature of the two, put things in perspective for the misguided sibling. The tweet has been shared over 27,000 and has garnered plenty of supportive comments from those who have likely felt the wrath of one-too-many “God-customers” during their work experience:
“As a convenience store employee, I think you’re a great customer! It’s true that once you work a customer-service job you become more polite towards employees because you understand what they have to deal with.”
“I wholeheartedly agree!”
“I totally understand… Ever since I started working part time at a convenience store, I’ve started saying ‘thank you’ to store clerks after making my purchase.”
“This… So much this!! It’s like, don’t call yourself God!!”
“People think that because they’re paying money they can do or say anything… But I feel like there should be mutual gratitude and humility for those who are there that make it possible for you to buy anything in the first place.”
Hopefully @bamboosherry12’s sister has taken the message – and the messages of the supporters – to heart!
Source: Twitter/@bamboosherry12 via BUZZmag
Top image: FreeDigitalPhotos/Pong