Being the only food source available here on campus, Sodexho, in my honest opinion, has the worst of the worst customer service I have ever endured in my life! For the past few weeks I have been keeping records of things I have personally endured, witnessed and/or overheard. While waiting for food that I have ordered or standing in the check-out line, I have heard everything from workers’ personal schedules, who the managers are sleeping with and money being stolen from the register to name a few. These topics are being discussed by workers of Sodexho while I wait to be served. After you wait, wait, and wait, finally someone will turn to you and just stare until you greet them. Confused and still trying to recover from utter shock by the nonsense that I just heard, I then ask them how they are doing in hopes to change the intensity of the atmosphere.
Whether I go to The Panther Grill, The Panther Mart, or even the dining area (I’ve only been in there once this semester), I, for some reason receive the same incompetent, rude, unfriendly, and highly unprofessional customer service.
I understand there are only a handful (I literally mean about five), that make others feel eager to be a customer there, but quality customer service should be a priority to any customer whether a student or not.
I don’t know if it’s a cultural thing, or if they are just not trained properly, or if these people just don’t like me. Perhaps I’m just a stickler for delightful customer service. Whatever the case may be, students are still paying customers and deserve to be treated with respect especially when students are the reasons they even have jobs.
While some people may feel that my perspective is too radical, I challenge you to walk into any of the food services here on campus and see how long it takes for them to acknowledge your presence. I don’t know about you, but I want a business to act like they want my money, greet me when I’m walking in, be polite, and act like they want me there. What can we do to get treated with respect from the very place that exists because of students? Do we have to sleep with the staff since that’s what’s being said at the counter instead of “Hello, how are you today?