Part of my past work history includes working in a coffee shop for about a year and a half. Recently I've taken a temporary job running a small country store, it's a legitimate *country* store (think, the store fits into a two car garage). It's lambing season right now and the owners are kind of busy. While working there on Saturday I couldn't help but reflect on the difference between working at the coffee shop, a more commercialized industry, and working at the country store.
At the coffee shop customer service means getting the customer in and out as fast as you possibly can, yet capitalizing those few minutes that the customer is in there by making them feel welcome and as if they have a relationship with you by rushed and hurried chit-chat. Not only that, but each mistake was closely monitored and lectures were delivered if too many mistakes were made. Also, if a mistake were made on the drink we were not allowed to offer it to the customer, but had to dump the drink down the drain.
In comparison at the country store, when the owners are there, they take as long as necessary with each customer, chit-chatting about the weather, kids, farming things, answering questions about the store, and so on. The people who are waiting their turn wait patiently, or engage in the conversation themselves. They know that their turn is coming and that the owners will take just as much painstaking care with them. Also, the owners are frequently giving away stuff. Is this good advertising? Undoubtedly, but I know these people; they are good, generous people. They give because they can, because they want to, not simply because it's good business.
Back when I was a barista we were allowed one "specialty" drink per shift. These were also closely monitored. Putting whip on a non-whip drink was discouraged, or adding syrup to brewed coffee (which was unlimited and free for employees) was considered a shift drink. My pay was at minimum wage, (plus a tip jar) when I had worked there for a year I received a nickel raise. When there was down time we were encouraged to constantly stay busy...or at least look busy. There was much unnecessary "busywork" that was done (aside from a legitimate chore/cleaning chart) simply to look busy. Our boss had camera's installed with which she could watch us from home.
Skip forward to working in a country store. The owners are as generous to their employees' as they are to their customers. If I am hungry I'm encouraged to eat or drink some of the product from the cooler. My starting wage is far above what's necessary for tending such a low-maintenance shop. The owners encourage me to bring a book or something to keep my hands busy when I'm slow. Do they have stuff that they'd like me to do? Yes. But it's stuff that actually needs being done, and isn't just silly work so that they feel I'm earning my keep.
What's the outcome?
Well, as an employee I *want* to work hard for them. I find things to do that I'm not told to. I serve with a joyful spirit, and do everything I can not to take advantage of their generosity. Did I do the same at my old place of employment? Yes, as a Christian I felt it was my duty to glorify God through hard work. But I always had a sense of dread hanging over me for any mistakes I might make.
My question is this - How did customer service go from being an intentional time of devotion to the customer in order to make sure they got what they really wanted, seeing that they were treated as a member of community that you were well acquainted with, and treating them to generosity; to getting someone in and out of the store as fast as possible, with as much stuff as you could force/suggest them to buy, while making small talk to make sure they enjoyed their "experience"?
How did we go from a mutual appreciation in the relationship between the employer-employee to a relationship where they both try to take advantage of each other however they possibly could?
Was it the development of transportation, and hence a loss of community? Was it the coming of mass production and huge corporations? Was it the growing commercialization of the West in general? Was it the dying of Christian principles and a loss of understanding in what it meant to love God and one another?
I believe the answer to all the questions about is "yes."
In abandoning Christ we have lost much. Do I believe cars, trains, and buses are wrong? No. But it certainly allows for a great deal more of unaccountably, it allows for a thief to rob their master and skip town fast. It allows for people to run away from their small town (and church) where everyone knows everything about them.
Mass production has taken from us an appreciation of how much work is put into producing something. Huge companies have taken the humanity out of employee-employer relationship. Commercialization and the advertisement emphasis has made us look to how much money we can make in order to buy what we don't need.
The Christian principles, laws that involve not going into a debt filled lifestyle, not extorting, not stealing, are in their death throws here in the West. Money is the sole focus, debt is a necessary evil (if viewed as an evil at all) and "loving your neighbor" is considered a sappy sentimental way of life that Jesus suggested, not a command to follow the law when dealing in all things. Romans 13:8-10 addresses all of these categories nicely.
"Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "you shall not commit adultery," "you shall not murder," "you shall not steal," "you shall not bear false witness," "you shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment , are all summed up in this saying, namely, "you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
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