Figurative Smiles

            The problem with the world today, is that everyone knows what the problems are with the world today. Everyone knows that our healthcare system is a nightmare, that our schools are underfunded, that poverty is still widespread, and that violent crimes still take innocent lives. What about the good things going on in the world today? If you have ever heard the advice, to smile while answering the phone, it supposedly improves your overall demeanor and makes you come off more personable to the other party, despite the fact that they will never actually know that you were smiling. As ridiculous as it sounds it does work. So why don’t we expand that advice.

            What if everybody was smiling all the time, always? Well then, our faces would hurt from overworked cheek muscles. But what if, and hear me out here, what if we all smiled metaphorically. This is probably tired advice, but trust me it is underutilized. I know because I have lived in the world. Now, I don’t expect the guy ringing out my groceries to build a deep relationship with me. I know that if I see that guy again next week, I probably won’t even recognize him, but we have all had that run in with the person who dare not speak a word that is not absolutely necessary to the immediate job at hand. Is it really that hard to throw me a “Hi, how are you doing today?”

I would like to take this time to briefly berate every company that has mandated their employees use a standardized greeting. (Hi, welcome to _____). It reinforces the brand, I get it, but it is fake and the world knows it. Also, I know where I am. I didn’t wander in here blindly without intention. So, for everybody that works customer service, or everybody that interacts with persons who work customer service (read everybody), here is the secret. Charisma is a characteristic, but personability can be learned. Want to improve yours? Try this. Throw them something unique. Everyone says “Hi, how are you?” Be the person that instead says “Isn’t it a great day today?” Don’t say “I’m good,” rather, say “I’m fantastic.” People largely tune out everything you say to them, because they think they know what you are going to say. So, say something different. Pull them back into the interaction. Don’t believe me? Try this then. Ask a hundred people for a dollar. Then ask a hundred people for 73 pennies. You’ll make more money the second time even though you’re asking for less money.

Now you know how to be a better person. If only everyone did. There are of course those people that are just angry at the world. No matter what you do they will never be happy. What do you do with them? My advice. Kill them with kindness. The nastier they are to you, be that much nicer. Something wasn’t done correctly take responsibility and apologize profusely, even though you likely had nothing to do with it. Be so apologetic, that they feel bad for being dissatisfied. Of course, there are limits. Some people just take things too far, and the only thing you can do is confront them. Let them know that they are a burden on you and everyone else involved and that their behavior will not be tolerated. Everyone is entitled to one bad day, but some people just need to be reminded that employees are all people as well, with their own problems and their own bad days. I know that took a negative turn at the end so let’s all put on a nice figurative smile and have a first-class day.

-AMS