Dealing with unpleasant/rude reception staff

[Rozellelily]

How do you personally deal with “rude” reception staff?
It’s interesting that for the most part I really only encounter these types of people in medical settings such as Medical imaging places receptionists or medical centre reception etc…
Most other places/services seem to value customers so put emphasis on customer service but medical type places often don’t seem to value customers as there is a high patient need > service provision ratio so there is usually no business financial loss for bad customer service because there are always plenty more customers (sick people,pregnant women etc) if that makes sense.

Even asking basic questions over the phone some can come across so rude.
I understand it’s a high pressure environment and very busy etc but can that really excuse it?
So many seem to have such a bad manner even when you talk in nice/friendly tone to them…
I speak in a patient tone and don’t be demanding etc but they seem to feel entitled to act this way no matter how nice you are?

Christian means you’re meant to be kind to people even when they aren’t themselves but sometimes I feel like a bit of a doormat taking rude behaviour and being kind back

 

[Melbourne]

Normally I place a smile in my voice and will end the conversation with something like “thank you so much for your kind assistance. God bless you”

 

[CatholicZ09]

I don’t know if being a high-school teacher makes me a little jaded at times because I deal with teenagers all the time, but in situations like these where someone is being outwardly rude to me, I often don’t have a problem making it known that I won’t be a doormat.

Your story reminds me of when I called my therapist’s office to schedule an appointment. I had to list my insurance info, and I told the lady that I had medical assistance because I had not yet enrolled in the employer’s program (had to wait another week before o actually could), and had assistance before being employed, but this lady then started asking me personal questions like income and job status. She sounded condescending, and I outright told her that I would like to not speak with her and would like to speak with someone else because I NEVER had to answer those personal questions in the past to make a simple appointment. She even asked me, “Why don’t you have insurance through your employer?” I was already an established client with the practice, so I had a feeling she was just prying. She then got someone else. Her tone lightened up when she realized she was in the wrong.

I think there’s a fine line between putting someone in his or her place and being ruder. Like you, I often encounter this in the medical field—it seems to happen to many people. I think this happens more in this field than in the sales or retail markets because there is more job security in the medical field, possibly. Retail places are quick to correct a cranky employee. I understand we have bad days, but I don’t like it when someone is talking down to me when I am being as polite as possible.

Again, I don’t know if working with moody teenagers everyday makes me a little more cynical and crabby, but this is just how I feel.

 

[Niblo]

Christian means you’re meant to be kind to people even when they aren’t themselves but sometimes I feel like a bit of a doormat taking rude behaviour and being kind back

Refusing to allow the behaviour of others to dictate how you behave is not being a ‘doormat’; it is being true to yourself…faithful to your own values. Stick with it!

 

[KyPerson]

I guess I am lucky. My doctor, dentist, eye care staff are all as friendly as they can be. I’ve never encountered rudeness.

 

[Mary888]

I tell myself they must be bored since their job is boring and feel sorry for them.

 

[Rozellelily]

At the same time though I shouldn’t let them dictate how I feel but I sometimes am by feeling affected by the interaction etc.
I find it hard sometimes to distinguish between being “nice” versus being kind.
Ie:I think sometimes being too nice makes it harder to deal with not nice people/situations.

 

[blackforest]

How do you personally deal with “rude” reception staff?

Charitably. Trust someone who’s been there: Reception work is positively one of the most vapid and soul-less jobs out there. I’m pained to admit that at times it turned me into a jaded and rude person. It might shock you to learn that most of the public that they deal with can be quite rude. And then co-workers and supervisors treat you as Jane of All Trades and insist on dumping on you all of the work that they don’t want to do.

It can take its toll on a person. That’s not an excuse, just an explanation.

But if your cheerful attitude isn’t changing them, why let their sour attitude change you?

Depending on the context and the individual, I’ve found that empathy can break through their shell.

“Wow! It’s hot in here! I can’t imagine how you survive this all day!”
“Hang in there! It’s the end of a long day for all of us.”

If all else fails, you can take Lisa Simpson’s approach with the cafeteria worker: “Do you remember when you lost your passion for this work?”

Kidding. Don’t do that.

 

[Pattylt]

I’m not making any excuses for rude staff but I do want to point out that most of these positions aren’t just reception. They often have to multitask as a biller or data entry, too. This causes a problem when the office higher them for their computer skills rather than their personality.

We had this problem in our lab. Those that answer the phones are also expected to do massive computer entry, troubleshoot orders, etc. and so we hired them for those skills and then expected them to outstanding personalities on the phone…that only works sometimes.

We also learned not to put our best phlebotomist in the outpatient draw area. She was a dour personality. The good but not best phleb was really sweet and charming and the funny thing is all the outpatients thought she was a much better blood getter. In a way, she was as she relaxed the patients and made the experience so much better.

Oftentimes, that staff that are unpleasant mayjust be having a bad day OR they weren’t hired for their personality. If ever someone is rude…TELL SOMEONE. The clinic, treatment center or hospital doesn’t want their customers unhappy just like any other customer facing business.

 

[Niblo]

At the same time though I shouldn’t let them dictate how I feel but I sometimes am by feeling affected by the interaction etc.
I find it hard sometimes to distinguish between being “nice” versus being kind.
Ie:I think sometimes being too nice makes it harder to deal with not nice people/situations.

Welcome to the human race!

 

[Crusaderbear]

Always try to model proper, Christian behavior.

Bless you.

 

[Allegra]

If I encounter someone who is being rude, I usually point it out, but I try to do it in a non-accusatory way. If figured out that people who are rude without being provoked, are usually not people who are known for being quick to take responsibility for their own behavior. If you tell them they are rude, they will either blame it on you or the situation. Probably you though. However, if the person isn’t necessarily trying to be rude, and you point it out in a non-accusatory way, they may decide for themselves that they are coming off as rude and change their behavior. I usually say something like, “I’m sorry. Did I call at a bad time?” or “Have I done something incorrectly?” A lot of times, the person will back track and say, “Oh, no. It’s not you. I just had to deal with the Wicked Witch of the West on the phone.” and the conversation will continue more pleasantly. Now, if the person is a career jerkface, they will probably roll their eyes and say “no”. Then you can follow up with something along the lines of “Oh good. I thought from your tone that I had offended you or something.” To a jerk, the worst possible weakness a person can have is being sensitive. They’ve spent a lot of time blaming the outcomes of their outrageous, bullying behavior on the other parties being too sensitive, so they take great pride in their ability to not be offended or upset by other people. Even suggesting that you might have offended them in some way will usually shut this type up pretty quick, and you don’t have to be a jerk yourself.

 

[adgloriam]

but they seem to feel entitled to act this way

many of them do.

In some (most?) countries the medical profession is considered an academic/social nobility. By their wages, the high grades in accessing those college degrees, and their job security. But even more, that they are inherently in a position of power. They’ll interface with the patient for a few brief minutes, the patient being intimidated and outside an environment he’s familiar with. They’ll also have “small town mentality”, a few specialized workers, always the same every day, in close contact for long hours, such context is given to gossip, backbiting, and social games, as a form of socially dominating.

However @Rozellelily , I’ve met some of the most upstanding humans I’ve known -in terms of ethics- that are members of the medical profession / health care.

So, my honest advice: that’s a moment and setting to keep calm and meek. Unless you have a real need to speak up and make yourself herd: asking tough question and demanding an answer (to be informed) of your medical condition is considered an elementary right of the patient.

Also, I’ve been to medical doctors that were dismissive of my complaints: THAT’S THE MOMENT TO PRESS ON WITH THE QUESTIONS AND DEMAND ADDITIONAL EXAMS.

 

[adgloriam]

Very good and intelligent post @Allegra .

(It took me years to learn some of the things you mentioned.)

 

[esieffe]

I often don’t have a problem making it known that I won’t be a doormat.

I have to agree. We are after the customer in this situation. The second time it happened I would at l ask her if she is having another bad day. I would most certainly let my feelings be known to the doctor by the third incident. I would do my best to find another practice if I could. It isn’t as if the doctor doesn’t know it is happening.

I sincerely do pray for people like this all the time. I would hope that if I were this miserable, someone would pray for me.

 

[Glennon_P]

I’m not making any excuses for rude staff but I do want to point out that most of these positions aren’t just reception. They often have to multitask as a biller or data entry, too. This causes a problem when the office higher them for their computer skills rather than their personality.

We had this problem in our lab. Those that answer the phones are also expected to do massive computer entry, troubleshoot orders, etc. and so we hired them for those skills and then expected them to outstanding personalities on the phone…that only works sometimes.

Very true. Those are very different skill sets.

I sincerely do pray for people like this all the time. I would hope that if I were this miserable, someone would pray for me.

Fabulous advice.

 

[TK421]

I can’t recall any times that anybody in any forms of customer service was rude but that might be because my expectations are low. Unsolicited calls are rude but that is part of their job.

My laymen guess is that medical receptionists get asked a lot of questions/requests that they either can’t answer or that they can’t compromise on, so they end up adopting an iron posture.

Edit: Okay. I remember. One time a few years I was calling an internet service provider to hook up my internet in a new apartment, and I could tell the guy on the line was mad because I casually told him I would call another company to check their rates and then call him back, and he took it personally. Like you honestly expect me to be personally loyal to a for-profit ISP. That guy was rude/weird.

 

[Delphinus]

I try to remind myself that people in these fields are very regularly verbally abused by people. They often develop that rude behavior as a self-defense mechanism and to appear strong to head off a lot of problems at the pass, as it were. Staying continually kind, smiling, and thanking them often will wear them down with time. Sometimes not. When I’m feeling like I can’t handle their behavior charitably, I usually invent a reason to hang up and call back later hoping to get another person, or politely request to be transferred to someone else.

 

[Zach]

I went to a dentist once and the assistants were not just rude but downright hostile and nasty. That’s the last time I went there. The current dentist everyone is nice but there’s a new receptionist who is uncooperative, condescending, and sarcastic. I’d complain but she’s related to the owner. So now I will only go there now for cleanings because the hygienist does a good job. For everything else
I go somewhere else because so far they are all nice. The doctor I go to his new assistants are rude and unfriendly. He seems to change assistants frequently so I’m hoping they are gone by the time I go. The point of all this? Mean people &#@$. And I’m fortunate to live in a populated area where there’s many choices and where I don’t have to put up with them.

 

[Rozellelily]

One example is when I rang up an imaging place to make an appointment and I asked (in a nice,friendly tone) what the latest appointment time they had.I wasn’t pushing for any certain day as I tried to be understanding/patient because these places are busy and I required a certain time of day.
Still,with the attitude she gave on the phone they make it seem like they are doing you a favour and that you are being a nuisance for asking for certain times.

They seem to have no understanding or respect that customers work too and have work or family commitments that limit their available times?
Also, this is a private imaging where customers pay so you would think they would value you but apparently not…

With any other service (hotel,hairsalon,cafe etc) you can just choose to give your business elsewhere but the catch 22 is that in my country medical type places are limited/under served and there are much more patients/customers than clinics so they often display an attitude of don’t even care if customers no longer go with them because they have plenty other sick or pregnant women etc wanting imaging…business never goes lacking.

I find it seems to be not a one off but a general theme amongst these places so even if i go elsewhere it’s often the case they also have rude reception staff as there are many bad reviews online!

I won’t even get started on some medical centre and hospital receptions or some doctors!

It seems the attitudes/poor customer service will never change as long as the imbalance exists of more service need vs service provision?