Dooley Noted: 1/20/2014
Yesterday, I took advantage of a service for which I pay over $80 per month.
The front desk associate was on a personal call as I entered the location. She did not end her call. She left me to wait.
After ending her call, she did not apologize. She did not greet me nor make eye contact. She asked me for my last name to look me up. She did not listen as I spelled it.
As I was finishing my session, she interrupted me without apologizing.
As I was exiting, she did not thank me nor say goodbye.
I choose my battles. I chose this one.
I don’t like to give unsolicited advice. But when someone blatantly provides poor service, advice runs freely.
I wanted to help prevent her from doing it to someone else, or from losing her job. So, I walked back in the door and confronted her.
Dooley: You didn’t greet me. You never made eye contact with me until right now. You didn’t thank me. You interrupted me. You left me to wait. Get your act together before you lose customers or your job.
Associate: Uh, EXCUSE me?!
Dooley: You heard me, ma’am. Take your job seriously.
Professionalism and work ethic don’t magically appear when you land your first big job.
You land those jobs by being professional. That’s why it’s called professional development: it develops over time.
It started for me in a job not unlike the associate’s work. Greet, thank, and provide a welcoming environment. That’s not difficult. That’s standard.
Whether I was working at the pizza place, movie rental store, with patients, or in academia, the employer has always received the same focused, attentive version of me as an employee.
At a young age, my mother told me this:
“Someone is paying you to work. So work.”
Your work is a reflection of your professionalism and commitment.
But as always, it’s your call.
-Dr. Kathy Dooley