Being too nice?????

[Tika]

I work in an office that I think is too nice to patients. Let me explain.... If you walk in our optical area, we are suppose to jump all over you, like it's a sin if they wait a little bit. We even walk away from patients we are helping to try to help the person that walked in. We have had patients even complain about that exact thing. We bend over backwards for them. Bring in a frame that is broke and is over a year and half the frame is missing, sure we'll give you a new one! And it seems to me that patients don't appreicate it, they demand it. They are rude to us, act like bullies and I think because we act this way they don't respect us. I think we should not act so desperate. We are told to finish up an order before moving to the next patient but if I'm entering an order or filing away their form and someone walks in I'm told "OH SOMEONE JUST WALKED IN!!!!" Like the place is going to implode if they have a wait a minute. Thanks for letting me vent...........

[Ladyoptician]

I'm going to take a guess here and say your probably under the age of 30 ...am I right?

[chip anderson]

Maybe your coworker is being very, very nice to the boss. I often pity anyone who employs a group of women as there is always this type of petty infighting amoung them which the boss is forced to listen to and deal with. When one employs men it things become critical they go out back and settle it amoung themselves.

Chip

[THE MEB]

question, how is the business doing? If the answer is that it is doing very well financially, then they have found the formula that works correctly for them. I have a difficult time with employees that can't understand why the business is being so nice to their customers, when the business is thriving, and management isn't asking them to take the hard line with patients.
Maybe it's like ladyoptician indicated, that we "over 30" are old school, and thusly naturally treat people as if we would want to be treated.

[Tika]

I am 37 and have been doing this for 17 years. The practice does ok and it's me, another woman and a man so no petty arguing. My point is I think we need to offer good service to our patients but that doesn't mean not taking a stand when the patients are clearly taking advantage. One of the other opticians even admitted that we are spoiling them and they are becoming ugly about the least little thing because they now expect to get whatever they want instead of appreciating it.

[cocoisland58]

Maybe your coworker is being very, very nice to the boss. I often pity anyone who employs a group of women as there is always this type of petty infighting amoung them which the boss is forced to listen to and deal with. When one employs men it things become critical they go out back and settle it amoung themselves.

Chip

No Chip, the trick is to employ women who think like men. By that I mean no pettyness, no drama, no problems. Employ women who get along with and would rather work with men and you have a winning team of women.

[Dave Nelson]

I'm with Tika on this one. I never could figure out why some people feel that having a customer get their bearings for a moment and look around, just for a few seconds, or a minute or so, before asking if they need assistance is some kind of cardinal sin. Many people, including myself, do NOT want to be accosted within 3 seconds of entering the premises, and appreciate a moment to look around first. Now, its different if there are 1 or 2 employees chatting away and you obviously need assistance, but waiting a moment for an employee to finish some small task is not poor customer service. The "door attack" favoured by so many employers under the mistaken belief that its good "customer service" only puts unwanted pressure on the customer, who believes a commission-hungry pushy sales person won't give them a moment to look around.

[LandLord]

I don't think acknowledging a walk-in is pushy. It is just courtesy and it's helpful. If the person just wants to look around, they will tell you that. Tika obviously works in a doctor's office. Most people don't walk into an office just to browse. They are there for a very specific need. It's the assistant's job to find out the need.

[optigrrl]

I worked many shifts understaffed. I had a personal policy of making sure I greeted a new customer within about 30 seconds. I never interrupted the person I was currently working with until I politely excused myself to say "hello" to the person walking in.

I did this for both courtesy as well as loss-prevention. If a potential thief is noticed then they might be a little more wary of thinking you are an easy target. If the person walking in is greeted, they don't feel ignored and can still look comfortably without being approached.

[Chris Ryser]

If the person walking in is greeted, they don't feel ignored and can still look comfortably without being approached

Optigirrl is the winner of this contest according to my book.

[Ladyoptician]

I am 37 and have been doing this for 17 years. The practice does ok and it's me, another woman and a man so no petty arguing. My point is I think we need to offer good service to our patients but that doesn't mean not taking a stand when the patients are clearly taking advantage. One of the other opticians even admitted that we are spoiling them and they are becoming ugly about the least little thing because they now expect to get whatever they want instead of appreciating it.

I just find it hard to believe that soooo many people coming in to one particular establishment could act that spoiled.

[keithbenjamin]

One of the other opticians even admitted that we are spoiling them and they are becoming ugly about the least little thing because they now expect to get whatever they want instead of appreciating it.

You could beat them with a stick when they walk in the door. Imagine how much they would appreciate you every time you DIDN'T beat them with a stick. This could be the next big thing in customer service!

You can't be too nice to customers (unless of course they are abusive). This is how you differentiate yourself from the clowns down the street that can't be bothered to greet their customers as they walk in the front door. If you do it right, not only will they come back, they will tell their friends about how well they were treated in your office.

-Keith

[Ginster]

You can't be too nice to customers (unless of course they are abusive). This is how you differentiate yourself from the clowns down the street that can't be bothered to greet their customers as they walk in the front door. If you do it right, not only will they come back, they will tell their friends about how well they were treated in your office.

-Keith[/quote]


This is so true, kindness with most people goes a long way..

[Andrew Weiss]

If I'm working with a patient, or even if I'm on the phone ordering or notifying a patient, I'll make eye contact with the person who walks in and let them know that I'm busy but will be with them as soon as I can. I do think it's impolite to interrupt a patient with whom I'm working to start working with another one, unless I ask permission from the first patient and get it. But it helps to acknowledge people.

Just think how you'd like to be treated when you walk into a shop or office; then do that to the people who walk into yours.

[ASenior]

As long as you are being genuinely nice, polite, courteous, happy, excited, helpful or any other meanings of the word or act, then you it can never be to much. If you are the type of person who wants to brighten some ones day then they wouldn't ask such a question, and don't think for a second that the patient who insists on being rude anyway doesn't notice when you are being the "bigger kid".

Taking advantage of goodwill or excellent service is abusing it, not receiving it. It's not the patient/customers fault that managment says... "yeah, lets go ahead and warranty that for them."

Do you also think its a crime to change nose pads for free too!!??

If you have a problem with managments policies, then say something or leave because you souldn't have to "VENT" about HAVING to make patients totally, completely, 110% happy.

[Jedi]

I'm with Tika on this one. I never could figure out why some people feel that having a customer get their bearings for a moment and look around, just for a few seconds, or a minute or so, before asking if they need assistance is some kind of cardinal sin. Many people, including myself, do NOT want to be accosted within 3 seconds of entering the premises, and appreciate a moment to look around first. Now, its different if there are 1 or 2 employees chatting away and you obviously need assistance, but waiting a moment for an employee to finish some small task is not poor customer service. The "door attack" favoured by so many employers under the mistaken belief that its good "customer service" only puts unwanted pressure on the customer, who believes a commission-hungry pushy sales person won't give them a moment to look around.

I have no idea how swarming people got accepted as customer service. 7/11 does it, but that is so they clerk doesn't get shot.

[Tika]

Ok, this week I was in the restroom, and one of the opticians knocked on the door and said "SOMEONE JUST WALKED IN!!!" I walked out and told them, the place won't go under if a patient has to wait a minute so I can go to the restroom...... I laughed to myself and thought wait until they hear about this on Optiboard....lol

[omisliebling]

... the trick is to employ women who think like men. By that I mean no pettyness, no drama, no problems. Employ women who get along with and would rather work with men and you have a winning team of women.

Amen to that !!!

[Ladyoptician]

Ok, this week I was in the restroom, and one of the opticians knocked on the door and said "SOMEONE JUST WALKED IN!!!" I walked out and told them, the place won't go under if a patient has to wait a minute so I can go to the restroom...... I laughed to myself and thought wait until they hear about this on Optiboard....lol

You apparently work with high strung people that need to settle down a bit. How long were you in that bathroom!!!!!!!

[chip anderson]

I used to work at a place where the bathroom was called "The Library."

[omisliebling]

Seems like our bathroom is the phone booth.

[wolfman]

Ok, this week I was in the restroom, and one of the opticians knocked on the door and said "SOMEONE JUST WALKED IN!!!" I walked out and told them, the place won't go under if a patient has to wait a minute so I can go to the restroom...... I laughed to myself and thought wait until they hear about this on Optiboard....lol

At least they knock, for me they usually just stand outside the door and wait for me to come out. Of course there are those days they will stand at the other end of the hallway and just yell that there is someone in optical.

[MarcE]

You apparently work with high strung people that need to settle down a bit. How long were you in that bathroom!!!!!!!

Just an hour and a half. Jeez, chill people!!!

That is exactly the reason we don't allow bathroom breaks. No good can come of it.

[Ladyoptician]

Just an hour and a half. Jeez, chill people!!!

That is exactly the reason we don't allow bathroom breaks. No good can come of it.

There was talk of catheters and depends at one point in our office!!