Neighborhood coffee and observations

There is a lovely little neighborhood coffee shop two blocks from my house. Watching Louise with her customers got my brain churning about customer service. Since my visit to the coffee shop, I have had occasion to go to other established businesses in our fair city and I could not help but notice the difference in the friendliness and the service or lack thereof so I began to wonder what ever happened to customer service?
It hasn’t been that long ago that customer service was at the top of everyone’s list. If employees weren’t nice or argued with a customer, they were fired. Not so long ago employees would never be rude or talk to their friends on a cell phone or a landline, while trying to ring up a purchase or wait on a customer. As I was pondering this a trend emerged in my mind. Locally owned and operated places are high on service as well as being friendly, welcoming and give one a sense of “boy am I glad I came in here.” Take for instance a store of sorts that used to be in my neighborhood but due to progress was forced to move a little farther away; Glenn’s Package Shop. No matter how many or how few times you go in you are always greeted with a smile. You can sit and stay a spell or get what you came for and leave but the service never waivers. It’s the same with our local government offices. In my experience, it is always a pleasure to do business with them and Public Safety is also high on customer service. The local feed and seeds, the nurseries, especially Nurseries Caroliniana because of Peggy who knows everything there is to know about plants, Country Boy Feed and Seed’s folks make you feel right at home, the people at Park’s Pharmacy couldn’t be nicer and countless other places that I just don’t have room to mention.
Then you have our newest discount superstore. Try finding someone who works there if you have a question or can’t find something and if you are lucky enough to spot someone either they are rude or see you coming and go the other way. You can holler ‘til your throat hurts and they ignore you with few exceptions and most times checking out is a real ordeal. If the cashiers are not gossiping with each other or with the customers then they act as if they wish they were anywhere but where they are. An exception to the rule is right across the street at Lowes. Friendly, helpful, always around and never, never treat you as if you were stupid for asking a question. Of the two downtown grocery stores we have left, Publix is by far the most service oriented. The guys in the meat and seafood department are wonderful, the deli staff is amazing and checkout is always a pleasure. Next door the only bright spot in Kroger is the “vegetable man” who never fails to greet you and is very, very helpful. Which leads me to the question are all the nice people in the chain stores locals? Even though I don’t know for sure, I’m guessing they must be and I’m guessing some of them live in your neighborhood or mine.