It’s early in the morning. The sun is starting to peak from the sky as people are getting ready to head to work. Inside a coffee shop, baristas are doing their best to keep up with the morning rush of customers. The orders range from a simple large iced cold brew to five different types of drinks with different variations of flavors. Some are hot, iced, and blended. In one ear, you hear what’s being communicated amongst the baristas. In the other ear, there is a constant dinging that doesn’t seem to end, indicating there’s a customer waiting for their order to be taken. The line keeps growing as cars start wrapping around the coffee shop, and the drinks continue to multiply. All of a sudden, the store phone rings. “The line is going so slow. What’s taking so long? Can you guys hurry up? I’m already late for work.”  

I’ve been working in the customer service industry for almost five years now. In those five years I have interacted with a diverse group of customers. Some have been complete sweethearts. They’ve been patient and very understanding. They understand that some of the inconveniences that occur aren’t our fault and are out of our hands. On the other hand, I’ve also dealt with customers that not only have crossed lines but are short tempered and seem to think we’re incompetent and don’t know how to take simple orders. 

I remember taking someone’s coffee order and having a hard time understanding what they were saying because not only were they mumbling but they were ordering through the passenger side of the vehicle. After I had asked them if they could repeat their order for me again, they backfired with sass and yelling in an annoyed tone.  

From the beginning, I was always told that the customer is always right. This is something I completely disagree with. How can the customer always be right when even the customer doesn’t know what they’re ordering sometimes. I was working one afternoon, and a customer had come up to the drive through and ordered a cold brew with a splash of cream. When I handed it to him, he gave me a funny look and said, “This isn’t what I ordered.” We proceeded to make him three different iced drinks and he was unsatisfied with every single one. Not only did we waste product, but on his way out instead of saying thank you, he said “Starbucks does it differently.”  

I strongly believe we need to start treating people in the customer service industry better. I completely understand that life is not fair but yelling at someone because you didn’t want whip cream on your drink is beyond baffling and ridiculous. It’s disgusting behavior and it doesn’t matter if you had a horrible day. You don’t treat people like that. You don’t take out your anger and frustration on someone who is just trying to do their job. Especially when some are working at minimum wage.  

I think people working in customer service don’t get paid enough, especially when there are people that want to make it known that they’re having a bad day. It can be draining having to deal with customers all day and having to take complaints about things that are out of your control. What’s even more frustrating in my opinion is having to take it all with a big smile on your face and not being able to fight back because of the worry that you might get fired. I think about the younger people working in customer service. Some of them are in college or trying to make payments, whether it’s rent or any other utilities and personal expenses. Getting paid at minimum wage and having to keep up with the economy is stressful enough.  

At the end of the day, no one is forcing you to come to a coffee shop. You can buy the ingredients and look up recipes and make the coffee yourself. You’re tired? So are the people working in the customer service field.