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Uniform Disapproval and Ignoring the Up-sale

Written by: Don Doman

Article Overview: Smiling at the memory, Jose continued, "I was so amazed. Here I was making a customer really happy. And I had just made the company an extra $600 and all management saw was my vest."

Uniform Disapproval and Ignoring the Up-sale

Jose was enjoying himself. He was enjoying the customer. He was giving advice and the customer was putty in his hands. Jose was up-selling the customer from coach to first-class. Although the resulting sale tripled the price of the tickets, the customer was delighted with the comfort and fun he and his wife would have in first-class.

“Out of the corner of my eye I saw a high-management official take note of my actions,” said Jose. He walked by a couple of times and then went over to Jose’s immediate supervisor and talked to him, while they both watched him. “When my supervisor took me aside an hour later I was ready for a compliment,” Jose confided with a smile, “You don’t hear compliments every day.” He wouldn’t hear one this day, either.

What Jose wasn’t ready for was chastisement. “The manager’s only concern was about my uniform! Can you believe that? I was wearing a non-regulation sweater vest. I had a regulation vest back-ordered from HR, but it hadn’t come. Mine was really close in color and style.”

Smiling at the memory, Jose continued, “I was so amazed. Here I was making a customer really happy. And I had just made the company an extra $600 and all management saw was my vest.”

Part of a supervisor’s job is to make sure employees are presentable and if uniforms are required then the supervisor’s job is to make sure that uniforms are worn. However, it’s the mark of lazy supervision when the only thing they can see is the uniform. Supervisors need to see the employee and how they perform.

In Jose’s case the manager was close enough to hear part of the conversation. Even if the manager had no clue as to what was going on at the ticket counter, he still should have seen the delight of the customer.

What did Jose think of the manager? “I had always gotten along with both of them before. I explained about the sweater-vest and told my supervisor about the up-sale. He just kinda shrugged his shoulders. I don’t think he ever told the manager anything.“

Jose confided, “You know, every time I hear or see that manager, I remember that day. What in the world did he think he was doing? Doesn’t he know what we’re in business for? Isn’t helping customers and making money more important than a piece of clothing? Why couldn’t he see what was going on?”

Sometimes we get distracted, and sometimes we take the easy way out, but we uniformly should never lose track of customer service and sales . . . and those that are doing the job.

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