Don't be an ugly customer - Serve Us Right

This letter is published in TODAYtoday.

Don't be an ugly customer

Serve Us Right

Liang Dingzi

I cannot remember when Singapore launched its que-ueing campaign, but I recall the personal pride of aspiring to be counted as one of the world's more progressive nations.

It suffices to say it was a long time ago. So, by now, one would expect standing in line and waiting your turn to be a Singaporean habit.

But not, it seems, according to some people.

Today reader Evelyn Tan was appalled to find a young woman jumping ahead of her to board a taxi, although she had been waiting there first. In the midst of the dispute, the taxi driver — perhaps wisely — moved ahead to pick someone else ("Of cabs and graciousness", April 2).

Unfortunately for Ms Tan, there was no formal queue and they all stood along an open road.

In some countries, even without signs or guide rails, a queue is formed naturally or, in the absence of it, there is tacit understanding that whoever comes first gets served first. That surely must be the lesson any successful queueing campaign should have left us with.

I had a similar experience, even though I was waiting in line at a taxi-stand on busy Shenton Way. After a long wait, a vacant cab finally whizzed into the bay. A couple outside the queue made a quick dash and boarded it. Everyone stared in disbelief and disgust.

Although I was not next in line, I accosted the cab driver to inform him that it would not be fair if he allowed the "invaders" to remain on board. He said it was not his fault, then asked the couple to get off and took the commuter waiting in the line instead.

Ms Tan was only reiterating what many others have lamented about Singaporeans' lack of social graces.

I shall put it bluntly: Don't be an ugly customer.

As customers, we are quick to complain about sub-standard service. But we do not realise that we sometimes contribute to the unpleasant experiences of other customers.

We may even put the service staff in an unenviable position of having to necessarily favour one party and offending the other.

Sadly, the ugly customer is almost ubiquitous in our daily lives.

Once, while waiting in line along with several others at a bank, we had to listen to a woman's frivolous indulgence. After the transaction, she rambled on about her exhilarating experience at a new restaurant.

While service staff should not allow chatty customers to monopolise their time in such a situation, some may find this difficult for fear of appearing unfriendly.

That's when the customer becomes ugly, as when an overstaying guest taxes a host's hospitality. We should know when to disengage ourselves.

Two weeks ago, I wrote about ugly customers who messed up a table at hawker centres without consideration for those who will use it after them ("Value for money", March 29).

A friend of mine finds certain parents to be even uglier customers: They do nothing to stop their children from running about in restaurants as if they were in some playground.

It comes down to that cardinal rule of doing (or not doing) unto others what you would others do (or not do) unto you. When we exercise consideration for others, everyone benefits from a more congenial environment.

Such ugliness surround me daily, especially waiting for a taxi on the road side. Some are so bold that they will walk a few step ahead of you. Unbelievable.

You want to see ugly customer? Just head down to a hypermarket on a weekend. Plenty there. A sure way to push your blood pressure up the roof.

So here is the question? For a country who is in the 1st world with tons of world class xxx, being 1st in almost everything, what happened to the people? Didn't they advance together with the country? Why are they left behind? A friend commented that graciousness may not surface until our great, great grandchildren's generation? That's in another 100 year? I will definately not be here to witness it. Graciousness, civility will definately not happen in my lifetime. All I can do is do my part. Afterall, I can't do anything about them. So I make sure me, my man and my junior behave ourselves and not let other call us ungracious.

Personally, I find that it's the group that's neither here (Rich Group) nor there (Poor Group), that's the most pompous, arrogrant, demanding and show off.