140p3S - Read the following article, highlighting key points, quotes, incidents, ideas and/or phrases that jump out at you. Then, select 4 to 5 of these points and write a response or reflection for each:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There Is No Place For Racism In Customer Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What do you call a customer service agent from India?

A customer service agent!

The past months headlines have been riddled with a focus on racism, anti-Semitism and bigotry. The incidents in Charlottesville, Virginia, continue to fuel concern throughout not only the United States but also the rest of the world. Racism seems to be in the spotlight.

Then I read an article penned by Ice McDonald, a professional magician and a past president of the Society of American Magicians. Hes African American, and he recently wrote an excellent article about racism in the magic community. He started the article with a joke: What do you call a black magician? (PAUSE FOR EFFECT ) A magician! It doesnt matter if a magician is black, white, Jewish, Asian, etc. He or she is simply a magician. That started me thinking about writing an article on racism in the world of customer service.

My first thoughts were about an employee not treating a diverse customer (anyone different than him or her) with the utmost respect that everyone deserves. There is no room for that. But what about when the customer treats a companys employee with disrespect in the form of racist behavior? As I was just starting the article, by total coincidence, my friend and fellow customer service expert, Kelechi Okeke, asked if I would comment on an article he was writing about racism in customer service. His angle came from the customer treating an employee with a racially prejudiced attitude. (By the way, Kelechis article is well worth taking the time to read.)

Here is the bottom line ... There is no room for racism in customer service.

Actually, there is no room for racism anywhere, but since I write about customer service, Ill stay focused in that area.

A customer service representative (just like anyone else) deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. When you call for help, their job is to help you. And, if they do a lousy job of it, it has nothing to do with their race, religion or color of their skin. Its because they are either not properly trained to help or the company they work for made a bad hiring decision.

So, what should a company do if a customer is making racist or prejudicial comments? First and foremost, the company should take a stand to support its employees. To ignore the customer can erode employee morale, cause a lack in productivity, a hostile work environment and less engaged employees. Customer service reps can become disenchanted with their leadership, the company they work for, and maybe even fellow employees. But those arent the only reasons a company should take this stand. The company should ultimately do so because its the right thing to do.

Racist comments are made for two reasons: hate and ignorance. While ignorance is not a valid excuse, if the comment is not motivated by hate, I would advocate for a different approach. As offensive as a comment may be, how it is handled should be based on the reason behind it.

Racism that is fueled by true ignorance can become an educational opportunity. Sometimes people dont realize what they are saying. Handled the right way, a properly trained customer service rep can manage the situation with a positive impact for both sides. Customers who come to realize their verbal ignorance may truly feel remorse (they should). The customer service agent has the opportunity to demonstrate compassion in the situation and turn the negative situation into a positive one. Both sides win.

But, racism motivated by hate is different. This is where the company and its leadership can show employees that they care more about the employee than a sale.

Id like to share some of Kelechi Okekes excellent article too. His closing comments are worth repeating here:

Racism in any form is offensive. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect irrespective of occupation, tribe, ethnicity or skin color. When a customer (or even an employee) makes a racist or bigoted remark, it is important to respond with firm disapproval whether you are a colleague or manager. Failing to speak up is not a sign of respect, it implies that you agree with such comments. Your silence gives consent.

I wholeheartedly agree. And if there is any good that can come from the news reports of racism on display, I hope articles like ours and dialogue between people will generate more compassion, understanding and respect. The world needs it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Questions ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First, summarize the writers ideas. Then, explain what each quote, phrase, incident, or idea that you chose means to you. Do you agree or disagree with it? Why? Include some examples and observations from your own experience in your response. See the questions below for further ideas of what you might think about and include in your response.

Some things to think about and possibly discuss in your response:

• How has race seemingly affected you in the customer service that you have received?

• Have you observed customer service workers seeming to respond differently to customers depending on their race? How did this make you feel at the time?

• Do you feel you could talk to a coworker if you observed him or her responding to customers of different races / ethnicities in different ways?

• Have you ever experienced or witnessed a customer treating you or a coworker disrespectfully with racist language, comments, or behavior?

• Thinking back on the situation, did it seem that the behavior or comments stemmed from ignorance or hate?

• How should employees (the victims) and their teammates respond if a customer treats them in a racist way?

• What should employers do in these cases?

• Does your company have a policy or provide training on how to react to customers who behave rudely in a racist or sexist way?

Select 4 or more quotes, phrases, examples or ideas from the articles to respond to in writing.

PLEASE POST NEW CHEGG ANSWER. I ALREADY USED THE OTHER CHEGG ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM, HENCE A REPEAT WILL GET A DISLIKE. A NEW RESPONSE WILL GET THE BIG UPVOTE