Have you ever seen that obnoxious lady in Starbucks complaining to the barista about her soy chai tea latte not being exactly 180 degrees? What about the man who storms out because he’ll have to wait two more minutes for his coffee to brew? Have you ever been that person? Well, you might not have been, but I am that barista.
It’s astounding how many people come in each day that seem to think my name is “grande mocha” when I say hello to them at the register. A friend of mine used to work at a clothing store downtown and I guess people who went in there thought her name was “how much.”
I often find myself wondering why people like to be rude to those in customer service. At my job, I have little control over what they receive at the end of the bar. At most I can give someone decaf espresso in their latte so that they’re falling asleep in their cubicle later. The same goes for the people you’re dealing with when buying food or clothing; they often don’t have as much power as you may think.
I got to thinking about it the other day while getting yelled at by a girl because I didn’t put the whipped cream that she didn’t order on her vanilla latte. And I thought that maybe people just don’t realize how rude they really are.
So in an attempt to improve society and the common consumer, at least the ones who read this article, I’ve compiled a pretty basic Do and Don’t list that I hope will make not only coffee buying and clothes shopping but all human interaction a bit more enjoyable — for both parties.
1) Don’t: Forget to not speak like a caveman.
Do: Say “hello” back to the person behind the counter.
Indeed these petite phrases called “greetings” have been invented in the last 2,000 years or so. Generally one person will greet another at the beginning of a conversation. More than likely they have already said hello to a hundred people that day but will still enjoy hearing and returning that greeting one more time around.
2) Don’t: Reference the person helping you as the item that you’re trying to purchase.
Do: Acknowledge that the person behind the counter is a human being and not named “tall coffee” or “for here.”
3) Don’t: Neglect the three most important words you can say to someone you don’t know.
Do: Remember that the words “please” and “thank you” are welcomed. I don’t think elaboration is necessary.
4) Don’t: Forget that neatness is nice.
Do: Remember what a trashcan looks like.
Although they’re generally in uniform, the employees of whatever establishment you in are probably not your maids. Trashcans and recycle bins are plentiful in San Luis Obispo and can be found on most sidewalks as well as inside stores. The counter of a food place and the floor of a dressing room are in fact not trashcans and not where you should put things you no longer want.
5) Don’t: Get too upset by small things.
Do: Realize that most employees are truly trying to do their best and be as helpful as they can be.
Whether it’s more free peanuts on your flight home, another pants size or even the paint color for the walls of your new apartment, the staff of the store can probably help find just what you’re looking for. And if they can’t, well, remember that sometimes stock just runs out and there’s not always anything anyone can immediately do.
Now that I’ve shared a few quick tips on how to act and not act towards the people that are merely doing their jobs, I hope you think about this the next time you walk into your favorite downtown boutique, Home Depot or even Starbucks. With just a little common sense and manners, you can avoid awkward stares from other customers for being the man who is way too upset that his iced coffee is too cold or the woman who couldn’t find those perfect shoes in her size. Moreover, you’ll make the person behind the register’s day a little better and in doing so, probably send some good karma your own way too.
Oh, and before I forget: “Thank you” for reading.
Mikaela Akuna is a journalism sophomore and Mustang Daily reporter.