Thursday, February 8, 2007

Is It Complaining or Truth??!!

When I read "Why Don't We Complain" by William F. Buckley Jr., I was immediately brought back to a time when I was younger, approximately 12 years old. My mother and I were shopping in Columbia, one of our favorite things to do. My mother needed to get some school supplies for her classroom, so we went to this office supply store. She got the things she wanted and went to tht check out line. We waited for about five minutes and then a young woman came out behind the counter. She told us it would be a couple of minutes before we could be checked out because they were having a crisis in the back. We ended up waiting for 30 minutes to check out, and we also watched that same young woman walk in and out of the back on her cell phone with her boyfriend. Point of the story...my mother most definitly complained.

Should she have done this? Is complaining an effective way of getting what you want? I believe that if something isn't going right, we should most definitly complain. In all actuality, I don't even believe that it should even be called complaining. I believe that if something isn't going the right way, the truth should be told.

Of course, my mother got the manager and complained because this woman, had first and foremostly lied to us, and second of all, she wasn't even working on store duties, she was on the phone with her boyfriend. All my mother was doing was telling the truth. She wanted justice to be done. If she hadn't "complained" about this girl, maybe the girl would have continued doing this to more customers. I beieve that when there is something that we feel is not right or isn't going the right way, we shoud let someone know about it. Don't complain, just tell the truth!!

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

yes Rebekah it is better to tell the truth when something is going wrong. something like that happen to me when I was in 8th grade and I had to go dress hunting we went to the mall. At this store call DEB this young lady never came to help me untill I was almost out the door. My mother and I was leaving we did not receive any help at all.so my mother complained about the service that we had not received. So the young lady gave us a discount on this dress that I wanted.
I believe that when I complain I make sure I making logical reasoning. meaning that I complain about is worth it.So yes it is better to tell the truth so another customer would not have to deal with it.

Anonymous said...

I most definitely agree with your mother's decision Rebekah. I think that it was the right thing to do. That girl's job was to check out customer's and help them not to talk on the phone. I think that there is always a proper time to complain. Now i think that if it would have been something nonsignificant then no. But I definitely agree with you and your mother for complaining.

Anonymous said...

I also agree with your mother's reason to "complain". Sometimes in life, people feel as if they can take advantage of others any way they want. In your mother's situation, that girl was not doing her job, annd your mother was right to complain. Your mother only wanted good service, and good service was what she deserved.

Anonymous said...

Your mother's reason to complain is a valid one...when service isn't given in an establishment that relies on service, you should complain. My mother ordered one thing at Ruby Tuesday's once, and they brought her something else...and when they brought the right thing, it wasn't cooked all the way.

My mom complained and got the meal for free, along with my aunt's. So, it paid off then too. I have to admit, I was embarrassed, but I think it was more of the fact that I wanted to blend in with everyone...and not make anyone mad. I would never have complained, probably.

Anonymous said...

I definitely agree with you, Rebekah, when you say that people should complain when they feel that something is not right or when they see someone committing an injustice. As you said, this is not even complaining, it is simply demanding your right as a human being to be treated with respect.

I also think that it is wrong to complain about everything, because a person that does this will eventually get people to stop giving attention to what he/she says. But I agree with you, in your mother’s case, she was absolutely right in complaining.

Anonymous said...

I agree with what your mother did. I would have complained. I have been plenty of places with my fiance and she can get ignored when she needs help. I politely tell them that we have been waiting and we want some help. I am not scared to ask for the manager. I just think people should do their jobs. Don't make me wait. My time is precious.

Anonymous said...

I do agree that it is alright to complain when there is a logical reason and meaning to do so. I disagree with the people who just complain over the small things.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Rebekah. Your mother really did the right thing.
I think it is Manager's right to know whether his or her employees are doing what they should.

Anonymous said...

I like how you distinguish between telling the truth and complaining, Rebekah. I think, complaining is when teenagers tell their parents their cars are too small or request for something that their parents had already said no to.

No offense is committed when the truth is told, it only becomes a problem when it’s exaggerated.

Anonymous said...

I agree about your mother complaining Rebekah, because that was personal issues regarding the sales associate not work related. I had a boss that told his employees, "When you come to work leave your Drama at the door, you are here to do a job and make the patient comfortable and happy." I could see how that could have been really frustrating to both of you. I know when I go to a dentist office I don't want to hear what Joe Bob did last night to his wife. I want the atmosphere to be plesant and fell like I have the Dentist and dental assistant's undevided atteniton. So that is what I applied at work as an assistant. There are things that need to be complained about at that was a perfectly legitimate complaint.

English 102 student said...

lakisha s said...
When a situation like that occurs, it is always good to express your opinion and tell the truth about what was going on. Clearly at any store customer service is a key to success and the woman did not do her job. It is not right for a customer to have to wait because of a personal issue. I believe that making a complaint is a good way to express one's feelings about an issue. Yes it was a good idea for her to take action and report to the manager about what occurred.

Anonymous said...

First of all i think that complaining is when you argue about something that you have no reason to. In situations like the one Rebekah states, her mom was obviously doing the right thing. I would agree that all she did was tell the truth.

Marisa said...

I do agree with you Rebekah. It is ok to tell the truth, and it is ok to also complain. If you held in what you were feeling, do you think anyone would ever hear you? It is not the fact that you are complaining, it is the fact of being heard. When something doesn't sit right with you and you feel the need to let others know, it is because of a purpose. You want them to know that this isn't right and you should do something about it. I understand totally.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Rebekah because lying doesn't get you anywhere therefore it's always good to tell the truth. I believe if I was in your mother's postion I would have done the same thing.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Simone to a certain extent. It is best to tell the truth, but sometimes a lie is neccessary also. There are times when you may need to lie to save someone's feelings.

Anonymous said...

Rebekah, i totally agree. Sometimes in life we come across people who think they can walk all over you. Its our duty to put them people in their place and stand up to them.

Anonymous said...

I agree that telling the truth is the best thing to do when something goes wrong. If we don't complain about some things, we would never get things done or nothing would turn out right. Your mom was right about the girl not doing her job and lying to you and she did the right thing and complained. If we don't complain about things that happen to us, then it will keep happening to everyone after us and no one will leave happy.It's better for people to be told the truth rather than not said anything to and make people unhappy and their jobs not getting done.

Anonymous said...

I agree. People are payed to serve their costumers, so when your not being served you can complain, its our right.