Greetings from Veterans' Day

After WWII, volunteer veterans were hailed as heroes. Korean Conflict veterans were confusing--was it a war or not? During Viet Nam, volunteer and conscripted veterans were dismissed, disgarded, and disregarded. In the past 20 years, distant wars in the Middle East have taken their toll on our veterans, including more women soldiers than ever before. One Vet of three wars, asked me if I thought Truman was correct in releasing the bombs over Japan to end WWII. He cared about my response. He had struggled to justify the deaths of innocents and agonized over how to stop the killing while preserving democracy and world stabilization. Nightmares plagued him. My father-in-law weeps seven decades after experiencing horrid events that haunt his memory. More Viet Nam Vets have killed themselves than those who died in action. US Vets are completing suicide every hour of every day. My brother has not spoken about his months on Viet Nam soil. We are just now understanding how important it is to recognize service and sacrifice in defense of our country and constitution, so we often say "Thank you."My step-son told me how proud he was when anyone stopped him on the street while he wore his uniform and said "thanks." Yet, he served state-side only, never went into battle. He sleeps pretty well at night. Finally, old evidence shared in VFW bars and VA hospitals is being published as new information on "Moral Injury" for civilians to read. The need for chaplains exceeds the need for psychotherapists with returning warriors. Perhaps "Thank you" creates a conflict within a soldier's conscience in today's warfare against non-uniformed enemies who can be any gender and age. If a soldier's action on duty has resulted in the death or injury of innocents, he or she may feel guilty when thanked. Perhaps, out of sentitivity, we should say, "I am glad you are alive and home again." Welcome home.

A Simple "Thank You"

So often I see and hear about poor customer service. The pizza dispatcher who holds us for 3 minutes 37 seconds to verify our $10 coupon, the sales clerk who continues the phone call as we stand at the register with carefully selected items, the store representative who argues the return policy with no apology or empathy.... These stressful economic times take their toll on underpaid and understaffed sales personnel and on underpaid and underappreciated customers. Everyone is working to pay their bills and debts, and everyone is sleep deprived in the process. Patience is thin and tempers are transparent.

So I was delighted when during the past week, I witnessed three examples of excellent customer service in three different places. Two women at a check-out stand were told there was no rain-check for the sold-out item they wanted, but there might be some restock items in the back. The clerk called and within two minutes the items arrived. A construction client received a discount and a gift during a delay on an outdoor home-improvement project due to wet weather and resulting scheduling conflicts. A patron received immediate and expert attention during a suit sale. Color coordination and customized fitting services expedited the shopping errand and accompanied extra tips for value pricing and additional coupons. These experiences amazed me. The extra time and effort to serve the customer went beyond the norm.

Yet, none of these services was verbally recognized by the primary customer at the time of the service. A simple "thank you" goes a long way--long enough to help the next customer in line to experience good service! Pass on the good word--it can help build the economy.