A SCENARIO A customer comes into your premises

A SCENARIO • A customer comes into your premises and is obviously angry. He waits in line, which seems to anger him even more. By the time it is his turn to be served, the customer begins complaining in a voice that gets louder and louder.

A SCENARIO (continues) • The customer has apparently been trying to resolve a problem over the telephone, but has been transferred from staff member to staff member, without the problem being resolved. Almost without taking a breath, the customer relates his experience and he begins to use language that could be considered offensive.

A SCENARIO (continues) • The staff member tries to maintain a quiet and calm approach, but this does not seem to have much effect. Other customers are beginning to come into the premises, and they can obviously see and hear what is going on.

THE ‘OFFICIAL’ LINE • • • Isolate the customer (24 responses) Get the manager/supervisor (16) Staff member to calm the customer (19) Listen empathetically (12) Assess the problem (16) Solve the problem (16)

WHAT ‘REALLY’ HAPPENS • Manager/supervisor not available and the customer • • becomes more angry at the futile attempts by the staff member to resolve the problem in the public area (5 responses) Ask a colleague for help – situation gets worse (3) Customer refuses to be isolated (2) Customer storms out of the building (2) Staff don’t put up with abusive customers (2)

WHAT WOULD YOUR PEOPLE SAY? if you criticise your boss… • you will be frowned upon and probably not advance too far in the business. Unfortunately feedback in the upwards direction is not common practice • . . it is always when you’re with workmates, so the boss never gets to hear of the criticism and continues on his merry way thinking he is doing well. We know that the boss does not like to be criticised anyway

WHAT WOULD YOUR PEOPLE SAY? if you criticise your boss… • you will be frowned upon and probably not advance too far in the business. Unfortunately feedback in the upwards direction is not common practice • . . it is always when you’re with workmates, so the boss never gets to hear of the criticism and continues on his merry way thinking he is doing well. We know that the boss does not like to be criticised anyway

WHAT WOULD YOUR PEOPLE SAY? being open and honest gets you • everything • Nowhere. People take it the wrong way, see you as negative, or too different to be of any use to the organisation • some attention. However, in some cases it may undermine your career and sometimes be looked upon as a threat. Not everybody likes to know that certain policies & systems are unworkable (Simpson, Whitely and Soutar, 2000)

WHAT WOULD YOUR PEOPLE SAY? when it comes to safety …. workers are treated …. managers communicate …. the attitude of workers is ….