Listen So You Don’t Have to be Told Again
No one likes to be preached at.
We all hate “lecture mode.”
And certainly, no human being is going to tolerate receiving a “yelling.”
Since this is true, we must be careful to put ourselves in a position where we don’t have to hear preaching, can avoid the lecture and can escape being scolded.
I was standing in line at a customer service department—a long one.
There were at least fifteen people in front of me. As I got closer, I noticed that the interactions between the customers and the representative behind the desk were very tempestuous. Everyone was arriving pissed, and the young gentleman who had the job of hearing the complaints was losing his cool and becoming obnoxious. When there were four people in front of me, I started listening carefully to the exchanges. I wanted to know what was making this young man so cantankerous. It didn’t take long.
There were three things he wanted, which no one seemed able to provide, and he was explaining that because they didn’t have this information, he would be incapable of assisting them.
1. Do you have a receipt?
2. What is your reason for returning the item?
3. Since we can’t take it off your debit card, will you accept store credit for your purchase?
As I got closer and closer to my opportunity to interact with this human, I learned the appropriate answers:
Yes, I have a receipt.
Secondly, it was a gift and I don’t really want it.
And third, I would be willing to accept store credit—unless I can have cash.
By the time it was my turn to face the inquisition, he looked at me with wary eyes and asked his questions. I answered all three, already knowing what to say, what tone to use, and how it was best not to overexplain.
I was out of there in less than two minutes—and he even made an exception by refunding cash to me instead of store credit. As I walked away, the person behind me remarked:
“Well, that sure went smoothly for you. Are you related to him?”
I looked at the gentleman and replied, “No, he’s my teacher, and he taught me everything I needed to know.”
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly donation for this inspirational opportunity
Jonathots Daily Blog 