Customer Service Dilemma (Part 2)

As you read in my blog, “Customer Service Dilemma Part 1“, I was having a conversation in my head with God about how to handle the situation with the customer service agent who spent 85% of her time in front of me attending to her personal business and ignoring mine. My assistant, having read the blog, made a reference to my patience. I replied that had I been running late, I would have had smoke coming out of my nostrils, which I guess is a little sub-lesson of the story.

When a person is taking steps to grow in holiness, it is natural to notice when others are acting in disobedience. For example, this woman was stealing from her employer by not working when she was being paid to work. It was a blatant example and easy to recognize. However, we are told in Matthew 7:1, “Do not judge, lest you be judged”.

But that is where the plot thickens. When asked the most important commandments, Christ gave two. First, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind”. And, second, “love your neighbor as you love yourself”.

The bottom line is that our first command is to treat each other with charity or love. But in the heat of the moment, what is the charitable thing to do? First, you must ask yourself what your role is. Different roles have varying degrees of responsibility and investment that will direct your actions.

I was not this woman’s manager nor co-worker. I was not her best pal. I was not a close friend of the owner of the dealership. Had I known the owner of the dealership well, I would have more investment and responsibility in getting this woman to perhaps increase her awareness of her actions and make some course corrections. I would not have appreciated it if a good friend came to my business and be treated like this from an employee and not told me or done anything about it. All of these would have led to different types of responses.

In this case, I was simply a customer. If I were a customer angry enough to leave after such an incident, to be charitable I would have written a customer complaint. It would not have been wrong to say something directly to this woman, but I felt God was calling me to a more silent form of communication, which I do believe she picked up.

I happened to be in the dealership picking up some touch up paint several weeks later and saw this woman. She was busy working. But I did notice out of the corner of my eye that she took several glances on me.

Catholic Women’s Guide to Healthy Relationships Tip: When you notice another person struggling with a sin, pray, consider your role, and ask God to give you the courage to take the charitable course of action.