A simple question asked on two continents revealed a customer service lesson about professionalism, service, and being human.
This article is part of our Customer Service Series — reflections and lessons on how service is designed, delivered, and experienced, from Frontline conversations to leadership choices.
Look for the similarities first, not the differences.
A week before speaking at a Customer Service conference in Athens, I was facilitating a private training class in Australia.
During a session on dealing with difficult Customer situations in Australia, I asked participants:
“What Customer behaviors irritate you?”
The responses came quickly:
- They repeat themselves
- They won’t listen to me
- They threaten to complain on social media
- They use capital letters and exclamation points
- They don’t respect me
A week later, standing on a stage in Athens, I asked the same question.
The responses — entered by audience members using their phones — appeared live on the conference screen.
And the answers in Greece were almost exactly the same as those in Australia.
The Similarities Were Striking
This outcome didn’t surprise me.
Here’s how I’d summarize it:
- Customers around the world exhibit many of the same behaviors that Employees find irritating.
- Employees around the world report many of the same frustrations when serving Customers.
- Leaders around the world face the same challenge: helping their teams deliver consistent service despite those frustrations.
And whether I ask this question in Basel, Manila, or Sydney, the answers are almost always the same.
How Often Does This Actually Happen?
After the list of irritating Customer behaviors is completed, I then ask participants to answer the question below:
I originally wrote this course in 1999 and have identified a predictable pattern in the answers.
Sure enough — in both Australia and Greece, the answers came in largely as expected.
Participants typically estimate that roughly 20%-30% of Customers exhibit behaviors that Employees find irritating.
I don’t claim that’s an industry standard.
But I can tell you there is a pattern to both the answers themselves and how frequently these behaviors are experienced.
No matter where in the world I’m working.
Professionalism Doesn’t Mean We Don’t Get Irritated
I’ve yet to meet a frontline service professional who never feels frustrated or annoyed.
It’s part of being human.
And we can’t talk endlessly about being more human without talking about these kinds of feelings too.
The important lesson is what happens next.
Professionalism means not allowing our feelings of irritation to impact the quality of service we provide.
When the conference organizer in Athens asked what music I wanted to be played as I walked on stage, I chose the classic disco song I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.
Because dealing with people who exhibit behaviors that irritate you isn’t just a service skill.
No matter where you live.
Thank You for Reading
I regularly share stories, strategies, and insights from our work across Contact Centers, Customer Service, and Customer Experience. If this article resonated with you, I’d be pleased to stay connected.
Feel free to get in touch anytime, or explore more of our work below.
Daniel Ord
[email protected] / www.omnitouchinternational.com
