I Serve, But I'm Not Your Slave

In 2 minutes, discover the #1 enemy of good service.

Look.

My family and I eat at the same place every Sunday.

Rain, hail or shine.

It’s a sushi spot.

And they treat us very well.

They also have special dishes for me (I’m vegan) and a play area for my kids.

Even if people criticize us for being boring and going to the same place every week, we don't care.

We love going there.

Last week, while eating a vegetable teppanyaki, I saw a man talking to his waiter.

The young man stood behind the diner, who was ordering what he wanted.

But the diner was looking straight ahead.

Not at the person he was talking to.

The waiter stayed behind, trying to catch what he was ordering.

It was as if the waiter wasn't a person, and the man felt superior.

As if saying:

You don’t deserve for me to look at you. You’re just here to bring me what I ask for.

And you know what the worst part is?

The waiter accepted it!

That the client belittled him, treated him like an object.

Just because he was the one providing service.

Has this happened to you? Have you seen it?

I call it The Slave Syndrome.

That feeling that the one providing service is worth less.

The foolish belief that “the customer is always right,” and so we must belittle ourselves when serving them.

Accepting mistreatment,

and trying to go unnoticed in front of them.

It’s as if we deify customers.

And subordinate ourselves to them.

And you know what?

That causes worse customer service (not better).

Why?

Because when someone feels lesser,

they shrink.

They start to speak carefully.

To ask permission for everything.

To look up at the other person.

And from there, they no longer recommend.

Don’t guide.

Don’t truly help.

They just obey.

Remember this:

Serving is not subordinating yourself.

It’s not bowing your head.

It’s not making yourself small.

Serving is helping another, face-to-face.

As equals.

In fact, someone who serves well is not a nuisance.

They are a master, an expert, a guide.

They should feel proud, not minimize themselves to “not get in the way.”

This has been my fight for years. Repositioning service.

And I will continue it forever.

Reply “I serve” and I’ll send you a podcast on how to change this.

With warmth,

Carlos.

P.S. Remember: serving is the way.

P.D.2. If you want help getting your team to provide exceptional service and improve your results, let’s talk.

—

Shopology S.A. de C.V.

Av. Pacífico 468 Local C, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, CP 04330, México

unsub1024