The dying art of service

I don't care how irritated people get about Americans saying 'have a nice day' - I just love the way they look after me in restaurants and shops. I know it helps to increase sales and all that, but to have someone watching out just in case I need something, instead of being ignored by waiters chatting about any and everything except whether anyone needs something, is lovely. I don't want suffocating, not do I want to feel dismissed, and I think they generally have it just right.

seems to me you are asking a lot of questions and not giving anything away as to what you think - are you doing a whole lot of surveys?

How did you get a whole forum topic to yourself, *CharlotteOldie? Not just a conversation or thread, a whole topic?

Shove off and give us back Geraldine.

Be polite, Jingl until we find out what is going on.

In this country people seem to feel that it is demeaning to give service - and the general public don't help... in the USA it seems that doesn't apply, and if I'm working in a restaurant or a shoe shop, say, I am making an honest living and am not to be looked down on.

I don't think you would think much of the service in an American restaurant if you tried to leave without giving a sufficiently large tip!

I get the impression that The Oldie is looking for material for features - Polyfilla?

Not much service in French supermarkets - it does annoy me when there is a long queue at the one till that is open and plenty of staff are labelling or shelf-stacking. I want to shout 'Serve the bloody customers , that is what you are here for'. I am surprised at how accepting the French are of poor service - I always thought they were a feisty nation.

I used to subscribe to The Oldie (I still subscribe to Private Eye) but for some reason I can't get it sent out to France. I prefer it to Saga magazine.

This morning I was going to put a match to British Gas for keeping me on the phone 20 minutes -but the kind considerate smiley englishwoman I eventually spoke to, caused me to forgive all.

This morning I was going to put a match to British Gas for keeping me on the phone 20 minutes -but the kind considerate smiley englishwoman I eventually spoke to, caused me to forgive all.

This morning I was going to put a match to British Gas for keeping me on the phone 20 minutes -but the kind considerate smiley englishwoman I eventually spoke to, caused me to forgive all.

Y'know that's just how I''ve been with TalkTalk and my heating company. I don't mind what happens as long as people contact me and let me know they are dealing with the problem. And the words 'sorry to have kept you waiting' don't go amiss. The word sorry is underused I fear. It's quite easy to diffuse someones anger if you don't immediately go on the defensive. [note to self; take your own advice ]