the price of rudeness..

i wondered if anyone else had observed or experienced the price of 'rudeness'
in their life? does anyone else think that rudeness lends itself to depression? sometimes i think its up to me to overcome all obstacles so i wonder how to overcome it in my budget? just thought this was interesting.. thanks for reading and sharing The Price of Rudeness

Pamela Harvit M.S.
What is rudeness costing your business? Plenty! A survey done several years ago by Eticon, Inc. revealed that 80 percent of 1,281 respondents believed that rudeness was increasing in the work place. When asked how they dealt with rudeness, more than 58 percent said they take their business elsewhere, regardless of cost or inconvenience. USA Today found similar results in a comparable analysis.
In yet another study, one of the largest of its kind, more than 20,000 participants were asked why they did not repeat business with a service or company. The results were startling; a whopping 68 percent did not repeat business due to rudeness. This figure can drastically affect the bottom line of any business. Of the remaining 32 percent, one percent died, three percent moved from the area where the business was located, five percent moved their business to friends, nine percent went to the competition, and 14 percent were dissatisfied with the product.
External Customers

According to several studies, customers find the following behaviors the most rude or annoying when dealing with businesses: telephone rudeness and poor telephone skills, lack of respect for others’ time, poor listening skills, non-professional or poor dress, an abrupt tone or rude language, personal conversations in business situations, lack of preparation and interrupting or cutting off conversation during discussions.
The most abhorrent telephone behaviors included:

• An “I don’t care” attitude
• Ignoring customers or clients in order to hold a personal conversation
• Voicemail abuse
• Unreturned phone calls
• Long holds (and loud offensive music on hold)

Other common complaints include:

• “They didn’t listen to my question or request”
• “I was transferred to the wrong department”
• “I was placed on terminal hold”
• Excessive automation (For example, “If you would like to speak to so and so press 1, press 2 for this, press 3 for that, and so on.)

Internal Customers

In addition, rudeness between coworkers can wreak havoc on productivity. It has been estimated that close to 30 percent of management’s time can be spent on damage control between employees and/or customers, repeating instructions and in conflict resolution. This 30 percent loss in productivity can be catastrophic.
Poor etiquette skills can hurt an employee’s career as well. When CEO’s of several Fortune 500 companies were asked why employees do not advance, the reasons given had nothing to do with job performance, but surprisingly, were rooted in poor etiquette skills.
The top reasons listed included poor or inappropriate:

• Table manners
• Introductions (not knowing the proper way to introduce people)
• Handshakes
• Listening skills
• Dress and grooming
• Telephone behavior
• Consideration of common spaces
• Other behaviors (e.g., not covering their mouths when they cough, not coming out from behind the desk when meeting someone for the first time, etc.)

This was blatantly obvious during the hiring boom of the 90’s. Many large corporations hired a significant number of employees directly from college, only to learn that many lacked professional polish and business etiquette skills. The goodwill and reputation that many companies worked to build was being damaged by their new employees’ lack of etiquette.
Etiquette Solutions

The Wall Street Journal reports that an increasing number of companies are sending their employees to manners camp or bringing in etiquette consultants for training. Managers realize that business etiquette is an asset of enormous value that increases the talent level of their employees, as well as the good name of their company.
So what can a business do to improve its employees etiquette skills in order to increase sales and/or services? In their article about the lack of business etiquette, Lewena Bayer and Karen Mallett suggest that upper management ask (and find answers to) the following questions:

• How does your company ensure that your clients feel like people and not numbers?
• How can your company turn seemingly negative “wait times” into an advantage? (i.e. use them to generate revenue.)
• How can your employees better manage the telephone?
• What are the guidelines for technological communication such as E-mail, cell phone and voicemail?
• How can your company ensure that it leaves a positive first impression?
• How is the body language of your employees being interpreted?
• How are their listening skills? (Do they have good eye contact when speaking with customers or clients?)
• What do your employees do if they forget someone’s name?
• What is the secret to professional polish?
• Do your employees understand the importance of proper conduct at a business lunch or a networking reception?
• How can your company maintain repeat customers?

By finding these answers, management is well on the right track to developing good business etiquette skills within the organization.
Rudeness in the workplace can have a powerful and costly affect on any business. A positive customer relationship builds a base for repeat customers which results in sustained business. In addition, good etiquette between co-workers helps to improve moral, quality of work, efficiency and team work. When employees feel valued, they develop a willingness to contribute.
Not only does proper business etiquette exude professionalism, it can also help to make the difference between success and failure for both the company and the employee.

i did some researching, i didnt find rudeness in the hierarchy of needs so i'm taking for granted that rudeness is not needed to survive?

i just thought this might be interesting in these economic conditions so i thought small or missing paychecks might factor in somehow and poverty, well....

the theory i am trying to develop i guess (thanks for playing along ) is that our attitudes do affect our pocketbooks on a large scale and it is so very difficult to fake happiness, but kindness is easier, isnt it? just saying a prayer for our nation and earth (thats me i guess) thanks for reading

(nowheretorun))))))))))))))))))))
I know when i ran my biz I tryed as best i could to always be kind. I at times would listen to ppl for as long as they needed me too.
When I shop places I try really to only shop where ppl are nice if I can.
I greet them with a smile and really hope they return it...
rudeness does hurt ppls biz....its also hurts ppl

Its very hard to fake happiness i would think...
Kindness i wish was a given when shopping.
((((as everyone does matter )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
muffy

thank you for caring (((muffy))) im sorry if it sounded like the point is finance, for me it is more about the expense in a persons spirit when rudeness happens... you are never rude to me or anyone that i know of.. sometimes at work it was really hard for me to relate to others because of the depression that wouldnt go away... i couldnt fake a smile and it made me feel worse trying to....

seems like rudeness is a way of bringing attention to yourself

Sometimes it's important to get attention for so many reasons - you need food, you need love, whatever. And rudeness is an "easy" way to get it.

Not saying it's good, I think it does cost, but maybe that's why it's there in the first place? A selfish way of getting what you want/need?

thanks for taking time to answer turquoise, worth considering but i wouldnt want to live there haha... i think i became a little lost what this post is supposed to be about (happens sometimes) .. i guess i was just disturbed by some unkindnesses i had witnessed and thinking that i could do something about it by expressing my hurt feelings over it but it didnt go so well this time.. maybe next time .. hope you are well..

Yes, I think that rudeness is certainly a factor that can affect the internal or external part of a business. And sometimes maybe we should substitute rudeness for assertiveness without loosing our good manners... personally, being a person that adapts well to a nice environment it would be hard for me to be in a rude environment, even if a job meant a world to me... Rap

I do hate how rudeness is such a part of daily life. People seem to be trained to be rude - take drivers in new york city. It's taken to the point where if you're NOT a "rude" driver - you're NEVER going to move and you're going to create a dangerous situation (thanks GOODNESS I've never had to drive there)
I wish your expression of hurt had made a difference,
sending hugs
and, working on being well, I hope you are too

(((sea))))) a friend indeed

too many years of customer service for me i guess lol

well, thanks for your help with me trying to get out what i'm trying to say

i apologize for the ad in the OP and admin may remove it..

i am just very concerned, as a citizen, as a member of all of this...

that which separates one from kindness is the tip of pain imo and well....

Rap, thanks for your considerate comments.... whew! Spain is welcome in my world well.... i spose when it comes down to it i think about a saying a friend of mine quoted, i think its from the Godfather

take care of the Family, and the Family will take care of you!

we all matter and thanks!

((((((((((((((((((((nowheretorun)))))))))))))))))))))))
The world isn't the best place to be, but it's getting better and we can help that happen, by doing little things, each and every one of us, and by teaching others the way of kindness

I wish I could make the world instantly nicer for you, for everyone

((sea))) im so with you! kindness helps everyone you bring a great portion here for us, thanks for all you do..

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In a way, this is my poison. I sometimes act in a totally inappropriate manner to "out" people whom I find condescending or demeaning. Today, I said something that I should regret, but I don't.

I am Jewish, and people whom I have met before at synagogue are full of themselves. These people were at the restaurant my wife and I were at. When questioned about why I was behaving this way, I said "I am just an ignorant Jewboy" real loud to get their attention. I succeeded.

My wife and I were having a discussion about a baby we were providing interim care for. This baby is African-American, was exposed to several life altering substances and medical conditions in the womb. She said she wished the mother never had the kid we are providing care for. This is the third child the mother had and provided an adoption plan for (she also has several children at home). She loves the child, as I do. But, she thinks too many kids are being born and relegated to the system. I disagreed and romanticized that we are lucky to have the child.

I also said some other inappropriate comments, like shvartze -- which means black in German and Yiddish -- to prove a point. This is one of the many demeaning comments I've heard other people say.

I wish I hadn't said the comments, but I feel I was already starting with a deficit in these people's minds (this is why I said these things -- I was trying to prove how ugly people can be)!

What do you think?

i think that you reacted in a way which you deemed an equivalent rudeness to the rudeness you perceived you had received.. in doing what you did you 'brought the issue to the table' for examination.. my experience with rude people is that they often react in surprise and shock when called on the statements they have just made, feigning innocence and attempting to deter attention back onto the responder, away from themselves.. they use tactics such as sarcasm or ridicule to threaten the other persons sense of self esteem, trying to cause a reaction of anger or some other socially unacceptable behavior, castigating their perceived opponent, and thus escape back into their place of self claimed superiority...

do not allow them to affect you so negatively , and i do understand the situation...

knowing who we are are, and what we are, for and about ourselves, is the strongest place for ourselves as individuals to be coming from... allowing anothers lack of personal development to affect us in an emotionally negative way reduces our ability to help ourselves, and them... being our own role model is the best we can do for ourselves and our community because it sets an example for others to follow if they should choose to.. we cannot change others, but we can find that others share the goals we have for ourselves and our community, and by 'walking the talk', we can encourage others to join us in our march towards a more co-operative and peaceful life with our neighbors everywhere..

i wish you the best with this serious issue we all must face at some point in our lives if we are to walk free and self actualized in our shared community and world..

((nowheretorn)))))) you said ((knowing who we are are, and what we are, for and about ourselves, is the strongest place for ourselves as individuals to be coming from... allowing anothers lack of personal development to affect us in an emotionally negative way reduces our ability to help ourselves, and them... ))))))

I know this is very small. Today i went tanning. Its my way of dealing with lack of sunlight. Its also my way to relax. The ppl who run it are the kindest ppl I have dealt thats why I keep going there. They know me when I come in. No hassle ever. My bed is ready right away.
I ran a biz myself so I know how hard it can be dealing with ppl. Today the young girl was running it. She had a customer before me who was very rude. Rude to the girl , rude to me. The girl and I just looked at each other after she had gone into tan.
When I came out I asked the girl if everything was ok? my fav question. But she had that look on her face. I knew the other lady would have been out before me as I was in longer. I guess the lady had given her a hard time on the way out the door. Just as she had on the way in. Now maybe the lady was having a bad day. No need thou to take it out on the young girl.
The girl said the lady had gone on and on about 2 bulbs being out. Well if they had been you would get out and ask to go to another room.((i would think)) I asked the girl if she wanted me to check the bulbs. She looked so shocked lol . I said it was no biggy. As she was busy. The bulbs were all working. It looked like the lady had tryed for a free tan. Or she just needed to be rude. Which imo not nice.
As that young person is so kind., I have never ever gone in there when they are not smiling.
All the workers the guys and the girls.
This girl handled it so well. She never took her smile off. She made me smile how she handled this today ...
Sorry I rambled ...
muffy