This week I reluctantly returned my car to a local bodyshop where it had been worked on earlier in the summer. There was a small, overlooked issue that if left as is had the potential to create a problem.
I took a friend, an advocate who understands cars and was the one who noticed the issue in the first place, and meekly entered the bodyshop office. About 30 minutes later, I exited with an appointment to fix the issue and a fair amount of guilt and frustration. All it takes is a defensive and argumentative employee to remind me why returning merchandise is downright painful.
My teacher inclinations have been highly sensitive since that experience. I want to help this employee learn, not pay. I wish he knew that he is the face of the bodyshop the minute a customer walks through the doors of the office. He has the power to affect the customer's opinion of the business for good or bad without hardly trying. That is a huge responsibility, and the bodyshop is counting on him to help convince people like me that I should come back for more and encourage my friends to do the same. Yet I'm not so sure I want to.
Oh but how many times has something similar happened in our schools and classrooms? When patrons, parents, and students walk through the doors of my school, I am the face of education. I have the same power to affect customer opinion as does the employee who belittled my concerns.
As I'm looking forward to a new year in the classroom, I feel responsible to keep the memory of this experience close to my heart and mind. I have a huge responsibility to represent my profession with excellence in all interactions with my "customers" but especially when they approach me with concerns. Whether they do so with meekness or agitation is immaterial. Regardless, I'm the face of education, and the way I react and treat them will shape their views of school, maybe forever. I'd better do all I can to convince them to come back for more.
P.S. If you're interested in my recently published book for teachers, look here for information about how to purchase it. I'd love to share it with you!
I don't care for experiences like this either. Glad you took someone with you. I do try to remember that parents want to be heard and that you truly care about their child. I look at it as it is our job to have good PR to be able to build relationships with the families.
ReplyDeleteLori, PR truly does make an impact. Some people have been burned by schools, so I sure hope I can give parents a more positive experience.
DeleteOh yes! This takes me back to my many years as a Blockbuster manager. Being that face is a big responsibility. Thank you for the reminder!!
ReplyDeleteEm
Em, I can only imagine you represent education beautifully.
DeleteI remember reading once that some parents did not have a good experience in school themselves. Don't know why, but eye opening for me. And it encouraged me to try even harder to see things from their view point.
ReplyDeleteSara
Sara, I'm not surprised by what you read. I've witnessed it myself. Trying to remember that their perspectives help shape the ways they react on their children's behalf is helpful for sure.
Deletethanks Tammy
ReplyDelete