Attention to the little things: survival English
I stopped going to the Greenpia Cleaners here in Ewing, NJ, a few months back. I used to like going there because the folks running the place were friendly, if heavily accented. But somewhere along the line there was a change in ownership. The new folks are still friendly, and still heavily accented, but this bunch is a little weaker with the English language than the previous proprietors.It took me ten minutes to explain to them that I needed a receipt for the cleaning of my son's marching band uniform. This, after waiting ten minutes for the woman in front of me to explain to them what she needed cleaned. I am not supposed to be impatient in situations like this -- after all, I will soon be the possessor of a newly-minted teaching certificate in ESL, and will probably be teaching internationals the elements of business and technical English in a high school this fall. With any luck.
But patience with MY OWN customers is a MUCH DIFFERENT THING than being patient AS A CUSTOMER. The responsibility for correct, efficient communication with customers falls on the entrepreneur in this relationship, and nowhere else. As a customer, why should I have the responsibility for teaching English to the people I am paying for service? Especially when I can easily go elsewhere, and not have the same problem? If I am to teach English, then let me BE PAID for it, rather than PAYING.
The lesson I learn from Greenpia Cleaners? To hire myself out to resolve things like this. Especially to entrepreneurs, as they are the ones I feel the most empathy for. But I won't have my son's band uniform cleaned there again. Stay tuned.
Labels: office space
posted by Ron @ 7:40 PM
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