"The Golden Rule" applies to consumerism

BEING A RESPECTFUL CONSUMER GETS RESPECT FROM VENDORS

Jack Bragen

To get respect from the vendors of society you must often rely on how you present yourself and not necessarily on being a “big spender.”
For example, at most banks, you get a minimally required level of courtesy. If you’re in business and bringing in a good gross, on the other hand, suddenly you’re best friends with all of the people who work at that branch. And yet at my bank, I am treated well simply because of the fact that I am pleasant toward them. And while my bank balance is lower than many, I am meticulous in how I manage my account.
Many people behind the counter will be nice to you just to be nice, and not because they are going to make some massive amount of money off you. It is by doing this that their job is viable over the long haul, or even enjoyable.
It is important to remember that the person behind the counter, or on the other end of the phone line, or the one waiting on you in a restaurant, is a person, too, and has feelings, and wants to be treated with respect, as well. When you give them this gift, they will usually reciprocate. The exception to this is when they are jerks, or crooks.
At Hertz car rental, at least the one I did business with, the discrimination is clear. You don’t get good treatment there unless you are prepared to put on a show that you are someone “important.” And maybe not then, either. On the other hand, pleasant, dedicated people, unlike at Hertz, staff Enterprise Car Rental and they go out of their way to please you even if you’re not renting to keep your fleet of Rolls Royce’s from getting scratched.
The crooked and incompetent mechanics at a branch of Firestone Tires once tried to charge me a thousand dollars to fix an air conditioning problem that another mechanic was able to resolve by replacing a twenty-dollar relay. When the oxygen sensor on the same car went out, they wanted to do a complete overhaul on the car. They were convenient to pay on a Firestone card, but then, what are you getting for that? When another Firestone tire a couple blocks away sold me tires, I realized a few days later that one of the hubcaps was gone.
At the two auto mechanics who have earned my repeat business on the basis of honesty and competence, I am treated well not because of them making a giant amount of money on me, but because of my pleasant and no nonsense attitude toward them.
The Starbuck’s chain has corporatized the idea of the local coffee shop. In its expansion it has overtaken many of these small and interesting coffee shops and has replaced them with a generic version of a nice place to hang out and have some coffee. The ones that aren’t Starbuck’s might also have books, a sandwich making stand, performances, and open mike nights. Had you gone there, you might’ve made friends with the owners or the regular employees.
The kid at Starbucks used to bother me because of being a repeat swiper with my debit card. I worried that the machine would charge me the four or five times that the kid swiped my card. It was annoying because if he did it right the first time the repetition wouldn’t be needed. When he also neglected to hand over the pastry I had paid for, it made me think he just wasn’t that into being nice to me. This was a long time ago, and for the most part, Starbucks employees have been very nice and very attentive.
At the places I go back to, the employees get to know me, and they can anticipate what I am about to ask for. At the two Starbucks’ I go to, they know in advance what I am about to order, a “venti” iced coffee with no sweetener and no room for cream. I have relatives give me Starbucks cards as my holiday gift, since I gain enjoyment from going there.
There has been improvement in the attitude of various cashiers since the economy went bad. At Lucky supermarket when it was still Albertson’s, there had once been a man who, while attempting to be flirtatious with my wife, made some type of crude remark. Nothing like this has happened again in the last couple of years.
The employees at the pharmacy at Longs Drugs, when it still existed eons ago, were awful to my wife and me. We switched to another pharmacy, and at the new place it took the people about a year to get up to speed—but once they got the hang of filling our prescriptions, they have been very good. As we know, since then, Longs has ceased to exist.
Vendors are helpful people—they are here to sell us the things we need. And although there are a few bad apples, most of them are dedicated, hardworking and courteous. And since I have been an employee of a couple of stores before and have dealt with difficult customers, when I am dealing with cashiers, I try not to lay the criticism or the demanding attitude on too thick.



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