What has happened to work ethics?

Is it just me or does anybody else find themselves constantly fighting for good service? People no longer seem to take pride in doing a good job. They seem to go thru the motions as if they are doing us a favor for purchasing from their employer. Do employers know what a crappy job their employees do? Does it seem like employers just put up with getting the best of the worst because they feel that is all they can do?

What has happened to the work ethic? One who goes to work and understands that by doing a good job, it reflects well on themselves. Perhaps makes them feel proud of a job well done. Makes them feel like they are earning their wages and not like they are entitled to get paid just for showing up.

I used to see things that were wrong and write letters to the paper. Always trying to fix an injustice. I am so tired of doing crap like calling customer service to complain about not getting something. It only results in more anger, as the customer service departments seem to be a place to placate the pissed off customers only. Yes ma'am. We understand. You should have gotten better service kind of thing. I bet they even have certain pre-approved incentives to give customers based on how much business they do and how angry they are. I do, I bet there is a little chart! And if they weren't being recorded for educational purposes, they probably wouldn't be so "helpful." It is their job to be helpful and successful companies know this. There are some places that exist that do have good customer service. I am not saying all are bad, just many of whom I have encountered lately.

After having a horrific experience at the ER yesterday, I was just so very tired of it all. I could call and complain. Who really cares what I have to say about the hospital staff? Good help is hard to find right? Well, I did get a follow up call this morning from another doctor who was almost done leaving a message on my machine. She was telling me in a very robotic voice, that she hoped I was feeling better and that if there was anything else they could do, to call them. I picked up the phone and caught her before she could hang up. Oh, yes, this woman was going to make another attempt at righting a problem. She asked how I was feeling and I told her not very well. She seemed surprised by this. She asked if I felt better when I left the ER, than I did when I went in. I told her, No, I most certainly did not. She asked if I was given pain meds and instructions. I told her yes, but I got the distinct impression from the doctor that I should not be wasting her valuable time by being in her ER. I should have gone to my own physician. Who would have sent me to a lab for blood work and to another facility for a cat scan. And by the time he got the results, I would be healed, or worse dead! This poor doctor really didn't want to talk to me. She did seem to care about what I had to say, but in the end, she will cover the attending's ass, as the attending would cover hers. So, I could complain all I want and know that nothing was going to change. I am wasting my breath and time. OHM and let it go.

People who work on commission seem to work hard. They have to, if they want to make a living. They will do and say anything to keep a customer happy. I think some genuinely mean it. After all, referrals are nothing to sneeze at. I have referred our Realtor to several people. He sold us this house eight years ago and is a friend now. He understands customer service very well. And he really enjoys what he does and seems to get great satisfaction in doing a good job.

Is it because people hate what they do that makes them do a poor job? I hated a job I had and worked my butt off to get a better position. I also did a good job because that was what I was getting paid for and I wanted to do good work because I felt good about doing so.

We had gutted and remodeled our kitchen when we first moved in. The guy doing the granite promised to have it done by a certain day. He did and he worked hard to do so. Right after he left, I saw a crack around the faucet. I called the guy and he didn't return my calls. I called the bank to stop payment on the check I had written him. You can bet he called me back then. And he fixed the granite, and he got paid. But, he was pissed! HE was pissed because I had called him on a shoddy job. To this day, that is a bad spot in the kitchen. It needs to be sealed and is a problem. It was not fixed properly and I knew he would never come back, once the check was cashed and by the time I realized that it would be a problem.

It is not really a matter of working hard. It is a matter of doing a competent job. Even better, a good job. Just because you will be on the freeway by the time you realize your fast food order is screwed up, and you probably wouldn't take the time to go all the way back to the restaurant, doesn't mean it is okay to do a lousy job. When you have little ones, not getting a happy meal toy can ruin your whole day! Having a couple in the glove box has saved tears in our family.

I want my kids to know that being proud of what and how they do things is important. It speaks to their character, in my opinion and I don't think this is old fashioned thinking here. I think in doing chores, volunteering and their school work are the stepping stones to character building. And hopefully, this lesson will carry on to other generations.

What happened to saying thank you? You see signs that say, "Thank you and come again." But it is not spoken. Now days, it's you're welcome. After we say thank you. I believe I just said that line in a previous post. Oh well, it is worth repeating. If this lesson was not taught to my employees by their parents, then I would make sure they learned it from me. People remember good service. People also remember bad service. At least I do!

The day to day stuff is enough to deal with. Competent service should simply be a given. Not shoddy service and then calls to customer service. Too much time is wasted on this, not to mention energy. On the other hand, if not pointed out, it continues.