Train employees in customer relations

THE EDITOR: Thank you for allowing me space in your daily newspaper to help me voice my views and opinions. In this rainbow country of ours, we advertise about having the most pleasant people in the Caribbean to boost our tourism status. However how can we treat visitors with the utmost respect and friendliness when we can’t appreciate our own? Shopping in Port-of-Spain, the capital city of Trinidad is known for its wide variety of clothing, household items, accessories etc but what makes a customer enter and purchase or either enter and leave depends on the hospitality of the sales representative.

On many occasions I have entered shopping centres and the hostility that is there clouds the air. I think they should be charged for false advertising — they advertise having the friendliest staff when truth and in fact the staff needs to be educated on what is true quality customer service. You would venture into some stores and the service is so appreciative that when you visit another thinking you would be given the same treatment is almost like taking a chance at life. Sometimes if they are not treating you like a thief, there is the presence of racism. Owners, managers, there are too many times I have entered your establishment and experienced the rude awakenings, sometimes not only me but I observed it being thrown at others.

 I think you all should evaluate your workers, let customers fill out suggestions or questionnaires so you can see the level of attitude your staff puts out, and what we the customers have to put up with. Yes work can be stressful, it can be aggravating and tiring, but they have to know how to balance themselves positively. The wrong and common way is taking your stress out on the next customer that walks into the business. We are humans and we too can be stressed out, but insults, stubbornness and all the other attitudes you throw at us are certainly not called for. So ask yourself these questions. Was I in the right frame of mind when I was dealing with him or her? Should I have been so rude and abrupt? Or how can I be a quality sales representative and value my customers?

KELLY-ANN K VIDALIS
TT Hospitality and Tourism Institute