Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Customer Service

Well the service industry is having an interesting week don't you think?

First and foremost there is the incident of Steven Slater.  What did you say?  You've been under a rock for the last few days and just came up for air and have no idea who Steven Slater is? No he's not Christian Slater's brother, though he looks like he could be.  He is the Jet Blue flight attendant that made possibly the best "take this job and shove it" move ever! Those of you who have worked in customer service, especially in the food industry (flight attendants have it even worse), you've fantasized about a dramatic exit from your horrible job.  In fact, co-workers typically fantasize about this type of thing together.  And this is why Steven Slater is the new Great American Hero, because he actually did it, the fantastic exit.  And his was even better than the one you imagined.  Basically he was told off by a passenger who apparently hit him in the head with the luggage compartment door.  He ran to the intercom, told the passenger to "f*&$" herself and said it's been a good 28 years (as a flight attendant) and grabbed a beer or two and hopped out the emergency door and slid down the inflatable chute.   I've gotta be honest, I'm down with Steven Slater.  Sometime enough is enough.  By the accounts I've been reading he was trying to refrain from arguing with the passenger and finally lost it.  Who hasn't wanted to do this at one point in their life?  The bad news he's been arrested and is currently being held at Rikers Island.  Ouch!  That's a heck of a price to pay for telling the job to go "f*&$ itself".  If you watch this video you can see Steven smiling from ear to ear.  That my friends is the smile of a liberated man.  It would be a little ironic if he had to pay for his liberation by being incarcerated (for up to seven years).  Hopefully cooler heads prevail, no pun intended, and Slater get's a slap on the wrist and finds a new career as a Game Show host or something.  In the meantime you should check out the Free Steven Slater Facebook Page.  There are already 17,000 fans of the page.  Don't worry Steve; we've got your back.  Tell corporate America to shove its wage slavery and tell the puppet consumers who thrive on oppressing the workers to "f*&$ off!"  You've made our week!

And if this wasn't enough, a woman named Melodi Dushane was just sentenced to sixty days for a fight at McDonald's.  What was the fight about you ask?  Melodi was going through the drive thru and hoped to order some chicken McNuggets.  She was very disappointed to find out that Mickey D's was only serving breakfast.  After some time she responds by climbing out of the car and fighting the cashier through the window, eventually she throws something at the window and breaks it.  Watch the video, my favorite part is after she drives away and the cashier gives the next customer their food.  It's priceless.  And Melodi, I'm sorry but I don't have your back on this one. 

Next time I'll have a little more substance, I promise.