Free Essay On Why Should I Be Nice To You?

"Why Should I Be Nice to You? Coffee Shops and the Politics of Good Service"
The concept of good service dictates that customers should always be treated with respect and friendliness, even if they do not behave that way themselves. Raine comments that this is an unfair balance, and that if clients are rude to her, she will behave in the same way back. This makes sense as, even when in a client and waiter scenario, both are human beings and should treat each other with equal respect.
Raine once worked serving drink so people and she said she encountered a variety of different behaviours from customers. She reports that as the interaction was over quite quickly, many customers did not bother to be polite or friendly to her as she was serving them. Waiters are trained to always represent the establishment they are working for, by projecting a smile and friendly demeanour at all times. While this makes sense on a professional level, Raine makes the point that, on a personal level, waiters should not have to behave in this way to other people who are rude, whether they are customers or not.
It is fairly easy to understand the author’s argument in her article. For a client, the act of purchasing a drink is a relatively quick exchange, and not one which rates highly in importance. However, for a waiter working an eight hour shift, these interactions, collectively, make up a large part of their day. Therefore, even if an exchange only lasts thirty seconds, a customer ought to remember that their waiter is a human being and should be treated with respect and friendliness. Waiters are important and many of us rely on them on a daily basis. If we upset them, they may not wish to do their jobs anymore.