"Customer Service" is it just Lip Service?

Next time you ask me "how are you?" mean it and actually hear that I said "not too good" so you won't say "well that's great!".

Common Courtesy is Customer Service, I think that sums it all up for me. But is it really easier said than done these days? or am I just too sensitive? Please do tell.

First, I was shocked when I found out that I had to now pay ten cents for my BBQ sauce which I like with my fries from this famous fast food chain. From where I came from I can understand why they would have to charge for that extra sauce, but here?!

It's not that I mind paying an extra ten cents, but I never use to, that's the thing, I began to wonder if they're going to ask me to pay for a refill on my soda just like a small chinese restaurant would, which I understand the chinese restaurant but not this big company.

Second, My wife and I went to have a "Breakfast date" (if you have kids, every time that you are alone without the kids is a date.) and we felt like having a mexican food for the morning. Luckily we know this place close to my office which opens early.

I am guessing we were the first customers because the faces of the people in there seemed like they did not like to be there.  I told myself well maybe it's to early for them. So we chatted and we ate which was maybe about thirty minutes. We left the tip and we were still the only people inside and as we walked towards the door I was expecting a "Thank you very much" or "Come back soon" or something, they said nothing and still looked liked they despised serving us.

Third, Again with my wife but now with my two wonderful kids, my four year old boy and my a one and a half year old girl (so if you have kids of your own you know what I mean with the wonderful given with the ages.).

My boy asked me if we can have sushi for dinner which of course the answer to that is "yes sir".  I live in Sparks and there is that small sushi place not far from my home (instead of doing the drive to Reno we figured to give this one a shot.)

We walked in and there was maybe twelve open chairs by the bar and the waitress asked us if we wanted the bar or the table, we said the bar and as we try to settle in to one of the open chairs she said "no no not there, that's reserved." So we were waiting for her to tell us where we can sit but she said "you have to wait twenty minutes for the bar, but you can be served now if you chose the table." My wife adamantly answered, "we want the bar."
The waitress was true to her word, she made us wait for twenty minutes while the twelve empty chairs that was supposedly reserved was occupied by two people who didn't know that those two chairs were reserved for them.

After twenty minutes and two soy sauce bottles broken (culprit: zozo, I promise to you I did not have anything to do with that, he just has it in him to break things, needed or not.)

The waitress didn't have a choice but to give us four chairs out of the ten that was open (I was just really thankful that she made us sit with our children.). We had our fill and left, I wanted to stick it to them and not tip but my wife was feeling generous so I agreed.

I couldn't help but wonder...

Don't we act the same way sometimes in the real estate business?

I found out the hard way just like my stories.

Is a call back so hard to do for either a feedback or even more, for our transaction? This goes for businesses or personal calls. The longer I do not hear back from another agent it just tells me how much my call was worth to him or her. The longer a friend of mine does not call me back makes me wonder if I ever did offend him or her the last time we spoke, or maybe we're not friends anymore?

I got an inquiry about my listing and this lady wanted to find out everything about the property but not wanting to give me even her first name. Why is that? Is she scared that I might bug her with my calls or mailers? I would need your address first and then your number.

A referring agent from a different state tells me about all her properties that needs to sell right away, I get on the ball and spent a whole day preparing comps, contracts, and then mailing them overnight so I could meet the right away  but to this day I still don't have one back (this was three weeks ago).

The Banks with Short Sale Transactions! Need I say more?

The Escrow officer who constantly mails you materials  but could not return your call when you really need an answer.

The buyer you took out the day after Christmas to see homes at ten in the morning, could not even call you back to let you know that, "hey we decided not to go with you" or "we liked a different house" something.

I am sure that I have been guilty of the same things in my life and career, but I believe that the only true way to learn to be courteous is when you are in the other side,waiting.

So, Make sure we return those calls, better yet pick it up if you can. But never forget to call them back. Good news or not I want that call back from you, same as you want it from me.

Next time you ask me, "how are you doing?" mean it and actually hear that I said "not too good" so you won't say "well that's great!".

Smile. Aside from it being contagious it speaks volumes.

And if I want my four year old to see how sushi is made by having him sit by the bar, let me have it.

Ralph Waldo Emerson says it best (twice):

"Life is short, but there is always time for courtesy."

"We must be as courteous to a man as we are to a picture, which we are willing to give the advantage of a good light."