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RECENTLY in the service desert – a conflict story from everyday life

Updated: May 19

When did we begin to abandon the principle of service quality in the provision of services? Do we expect appreciation without creating value? And why will I probably make my own coffee in the future and forgo a barista-style foam head?


Train station, Wiener Neustadt. I'm picking up a colleague. There's still enough time to enjoy a leisurely coffee at the fast-food café attached to one of those bakery chains. More to unwind from the stress of the last few days, less for the sake of enjoyment. We're at an Austrian train station, after all, not Grand Central Station in New York. Everything's fine. Expectations are where they belong. After all, as a trained mediator, you know that the causes of conflicts also lie in your own expectations. After this incident, however, I will have expanded my pool of experience: I will have learned to consistently lower my expectations. Especially those regarding service.


Why I'll probably make my own coffee from now on.
Warum ich mir wohl künftig meinen Kaffee wohl selbst zubereite und auf eine grafische Schaumkrone verzichte.

When did we say goodbye to service?

So I go to the display case, where an employee is busily making sandwiches (for my German readers: sandwiches). I ask for a Verlängerter Schwarz (a mocha with more water, or call it an Americano, it doesn't matter, the simplest form of coffee). I'm told that coffees can only be ordered from a colleague who isn't here at the moment but will be here shortly. Now, in Austrian usage, "gleich" is a synonym for an indefinite period of time. My nephews use it quite successfully when it comes to putting off household chores as much as possible.


But just as my nephews' parents have learned to live with it – they usually do the chores themselves – I, as an Austrian, am conditioned to this word. If you want something, you have to be patient. And of course, I don't question why the professional busy making sandwiches can't press the button on the semi-automatic machine. We have very clear regulations here regarding barista training (what's the feminine form: Baristina?). Where would we be if everyone pressed the button? We already have universities of applied sciences for entirely different subjects, which provide us with plenty of bachelor's degrees in various professions.


Is service reasonable?

So I patiently stand in line at the coffee counter. I'm the only customer—apart from two others engrossed in their laptops or cell phones. And I'm following a conversation. The conversation is between the store manager and an employee who, "by the sound of it," is apparently new to the business. They were conducting it in the back of the store, out of sight from where I was standing. Training like this can take a while, and I completely understand. Luckily, I don't want milk in my coffee either; it would probably sour in the meantime. The comments regarding the new employee's health are exciting for me. She's told not to let herself get stressed out. Some customers are apparently quite demanding, simply an imposition on the employees. I can't imagine that right now; after all, you can always take the next train if the server at the fast-food place isn't working so quickly.


Service with poor performance

Eventually the two ladies appear and take their seats behind the display case. Not a word about the slightly longer wait. It's unnecessary, after all I've just benefited greatly from a second education. I place my order: Extended Black, to drink here – that's what we Austrians say when we take our time with coffee and don't want to scald ourselves on it to-go. The brew simply tastes better from porcelain . It's all a question of packaging. It sizzles and bubbles. The coffee is ready and is served to me in a paper cup. In a paper cup. The porcelain cups were rejected, probably to prevent the technician from scalding his hands on the hot steam from the dishwasher. Reflexively, I tip and head off to one of the standing tables.


What remains are three questions that go beyond this anecdote:

  1. Appreciation: Has appreciation become a one-way street? Why are more and more employees calling for more appreciation? Perhaps because the "employee" resource is a valuable one. But what about the appreciation we give to our customers?

  2. Service: Could it be that customer service is closely linked to one's own performance? The largely poor customer ratings of top retail companies suggest this.

  3. Can't I do it better myself? No waiting. I press the button myself. I choose my favorite cup. Okay, I still need to work on the barista foam. I'm definitely worth the tip.



Conflict Barometer

People involved:

🧨🧨

Escalation:

🧨

Relevance:

🧨

Possible empathy:

🕊🕊

Solution options:

🕊🕊🕊

Achievable compromise:

🕊🕊🕊


The author uses satirical means to address personal conflicts. The Conflict Barometer is a non-scientific attempt to evaluate conflict situations. Depending on the severity, up to three sticks of dynamite or peace doves can be awarded.


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