My mother taught us to be polite children. Burping was heinous. Chewing with your mouth open--nigh unto a crime. Okay, maybe it wasn't that drastic. But I'm not even really talking about manners. My mother taught us to be fundamentally polite to everyone.
Let me define just a little further what I classify as being fundamentally polite: by word and deed, she taught us to do the following things:
- Say "please" and "thank you," and also "excuse me" whenever we bumped into someone or needed to move past them
- Smile at people
- Reply when spoken to
- Speak with those serving us . ..
Which leads to my point. She taught us to be polite to anybody we were requesting help from. To keep our frustration at bay and not take it out on the person on the other end of the phone line who, honest to goodness, is trying their best.
I thought everyone had a mother who taught them such things, but my experiences today filling in for the receptionist have proven me wrong. Apparently, people have no qualms about yelling at me about their problems--problems, incidentally, that I didn't create and that I would solve if I could.
Being on the receiving end makes me feel very glad that I've never been on the giving end.
1 comment:
Working as a phone surveyor has also taught me to definitely be kind to those making those ANNOYING calls to your home during dinner.
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