The Ferris Wheel

Undoubtedly, there is a general consensus about one of the greatest challenges that Guam presents. That challenge or opportunity is customer service. In every facet, from a simple "Mom and Pop" store to even what is considered as fine dining, therein lies either ignorance of providing service or the lack of desire to provide good service. Greeting, awareness, attitude, and unfamiliarity are some of the most common areas that people struggle with when dealing with customer service representatives. Guam seems to require an overhaul in the customer service department. There is a great need for general education on this subject. At the front line of every business are their customers service representatives. They are the people that convey how the company does business. Chances are if a customer receives good service, then he or she is likely to return and possibly recommend the business to someone else. Successful companies know how important it is have a solid and well prepared front line. These companies invest a lot in training their representatives or associates to provide a level of service that will have customers going home feeling satisfied. On Guam, such is not the case.

The first step in providing adequate customer service is the initial greeting and eye contact. When entering into a shop or a restaurant, there is an expectation to be acknowledged and greeted. Usually a "hello," "hi," or "welcome" meets the minimum criteria. Through my experience, there is about a 30% chance that I will be acknowledged with at least a head nod when I walk into an establishment. Of that 30%, there is about a 50-50 chance that someone will actually welcome me in. Many customer service representatives make it a habit to greet without making any eye contact. It feels as though they are doing it out of force and do not really mean to welcome you into their establishment. There are occasions when I am discouraged from a business before I even speak to its representative. Very often do I approach a kiosk or shop and before the associate is aware of my presence I can see that they are on a computer playing a game or surfing the internet. If I decide to not announce my presence, I would be able to stand there for about 3-5 minutes unnoticed. This kind conduct makes customers feel as if they come second to a game of solitaire or some internet blog. Many customer service representatives are unaware that they are potentially losing customers by not giving them the attention they deserve.

When actually speaking to many customer service representatives, I can sense that they have a chip on their shoulder or there is some kind of emotional baggage being brought to work. It is common for me to speak with someone that has no smile on his or her face or someone who has a look of regret before they even ask you the question, "How may I help you." As a customer, I feel like I am bothersome