Grace O'Malley
Customer service work makes better members of society; here’s why….
1. You learn how to deal with Karens.
If you’ve gone this far in life without knowing the feeling of smiling through rage while being screamed at about a cheeseburger, consider yourself lucky. In customer service, you’ll have people constantly telling you you’re an incompitant idiot. It’s brutal, but it’s actually a humbling lesson to learn in life. It teaches you how to handle a situation with class in a world full of Karens. Karen’s are everywhere in life, so it’s beneficial to know how to tell them to fuck off in a polite and subtle way.
2. The art of multitasking.
When you have Chad hollering for more bevs, 12 middle schoolers ordering triple chocolate milkshakes, creepy old men hitting on you, and 10 other tables that haven’t ordered yet; you’re forced to learn how to multitask. Which eventually comes in handy in your everyday life. Like when you’re in a frat basement holding your homegirl’s hair back, snap-chatting your ex and fixing your makeup all while throwing back your 8th drink. Multitasking at it’s finest.
3. Timeliness
No one likes waiting for people. Especially when the other person is counting on you to get off their shift at work. Time is money in this world, and money waits for no one. I once had a manager tell me, “if you’re fifteen minutes early you’re on time, but if you’re on time you’re late.” He was a dick, but he honestly had a good point.
4. Work Ethic
You learn the importance of working hard, and eventually find value in it. It’s a great feeling when you make at least a Ben Frank after busting your ass off all day. There’s a limited amount of industries that evenly balance working hard and direct results. It feels good to know your hard work can pay off, literally.
5. Patience
You learn to be patient with everyone. Customers suck and you have to be patient with them, but they aren’t the only ones. You’ll also find yourself working side by side with people that make your skin crawl. If you let them get to you, it will make your job that much harder. This goes for any job and anyone you meet in life. The whole patience thing truly is a virtue.
6. Work Friends
Not all of your co-workers will be insufferable, in fact you’ll find yourself confiding in some of these people more than you’d think. Work friends are great people to have in your life. When you work side by side with someone all day, you find yourself talking to that person about anything and everything. It can be a relief to know that there’s people at your job that have your back.
7. Appreciate people in the service industry & how to tip.
Customer service can be DRAINING. Day in and day out, you’re aiming to please a bunch of assholes who don’t even see you as an equal. At the same time you’re working for nothing but tips, so it’s either pull it together or leave with your $3.60 check. It’s our way of life. The harsh reality of it is that we literally live off of our tips. With that being said if the business is dead, we’ll walk away with whatever we were tipped. Which on some days can end up being a total of zero dollars and zero cents. With that being said, ALWAYS TIP 20%. I don’t care if your server forgot your ranch or if you waited 3 minutes too long for a selzer. This is people’s livelihood, who are you to determine if they make a living wage or not. If you cannot afford a tip, don’t use the service. Simple as that.
