Another Service to Salute on Memorial Day Weekend: Customer Service

It is no secret that Memorial Day weekend has become devoted to the launch of summer blockbuster movies, major retail sales, and various other outlets of media consumption. And, not unlike other holidays or observations, we traditionally at some point are reminded of the true meaning of the marked occasion, which in this case is the remembrance of our men and women who have died during their service in the U.S. military. 

As a child whose family has a vast military background, Memorial Day for this reason holds a very special place in my heart.  Yet as a member of the customer service industry, on the other hand (and on a much lighter note, for that matter), there is an entirely different place in my heart set aside for Memorial Day weekend.

I would like to take this time to personally pay tribute to my fellow colleagues of the customer service industry, including everything from food and beverage, restaurant, hospitality, janitorial, and everywhere in-between.  Special mention to our lifeguards, police and fire departments as always, but this time is specifically a nod to those of us with another call to duty.

You guys know exactly what I’m talking about.  Go back in time to a few weeks ago when your buddies or gal pals told you about some crazy trip or event scheduled for Memorial Day weekend.  So you went to work the next day, headed for the schedule calendar so you could ask for it off, only to find your boss had written in bold and in all caps: NO REQUESTS. 

Annoyed, you flipped forward all the way to Labor day, just on a whim, where it reads: DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. (I apologize to my staff if you happen to be reading this. Don’t hate.)

Don’t get me wrong.  It’s great for business everywhere you go.  As a consumer, it means crowds, long waits in line (which is a blog for another time), and traffic in general. But being on the service side of it is always a special kind of adventure.  You know that act we do, where we smile and feign our sincere interest in what kind of sides you’d like to have with your meal, or what beverage you’d like to enjoy…etc.? 

We have to sport that same expression when we portray how happy we are to mop up that spill, find specific color crayons for some kid’s menu, and wipe down and re-arrange our tables and chairs after that party of 12 has left.

Again, these are all things we do gladly, as we wouldn’t be in this industry otherwise. Those of us who work in a mall know that misery loves company.  The other day I asked one of my customers, who happens to work at the movie theater in the same mall, about how the weekend was looking for them.  She shared with me the one question she repeatedly had to answer all day Wednesday, which was: “What time does the midnight showing start?” Hmm…

Clearly, vacation comes to us in many ways. Anecdotes and customer service nightmares aside, Memorial Day weekend is a special time for everyone, in so many ways.  I happen to be the proud granddaughter and daughter of retired Navy veterans, as well as having multiple other family members who have served, including my aunt who is about to retire as a Navy captain.  And I’m on my way to pick up my sister who’s flying in from Italy, where she serves in the U.S. Air Force.

As for my customer service peeps, I salute you. As we deal with the crowds and craziness this weekend, let’s not forget how important this holiday is to so many of us. And on that note, I’ll be serving you at the mall.