Newsroom Notes: Business needs Santa's services, too

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When you're walking through the grocery store with a 6-year-old and he's belting out "Grand-ma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" at the top of his lungs, it's a sure bet that Christmas is on its way. As an adult, the celebration of Christ's birth is most signicant to me, but I'll fess up: As a kid, I couldn't wait to go to sleep and wake up to see if Santa gave me what I asked for. |ret||ret||tab|

Just for fun, I've decided to pretend that the business world is my Santa, and I know just what I'll ask for this year:|ret||ret||tab|

Is it too much to ask for a live person when calling a company? I used to circumvent the voice-mail maze simply by pressing zero until I was transferred to the operator. But more and more, I nd that my trick doesn't work, and all I get is a computer-generated, "Invalid entry. Please try again." Please, Santa, let me talk to a real person. I promise, I'll be good if you do!|ret||ret||tab|

One more thing on the telephones: There are few things as annoying as rushing to pick up a ringing phone, only to hear a recorded, "Your call is very important to us. Please stay on the line for the next available associate." If I'm that important, then let a person greet me. I'm not sure which companies are doing this I usually hang up immediately. But Santa, if you nd them, tell them to stop!|ret||ret||tab|

Can I nd a grocery bagger who uses common sense? I realize that the plastic bags common in most grocery stores are recyclable, but I still think it's wasteful to put a single item in a bag and then transfer it to the cart. If I buy several items and among those are, say, chicken breasts and a household cleanser then, sure, I can see the logic in keeping the cleanser away from the chicken. But when a package of paper towels and a package of socks are among my purchases, I don't see why they can't be bagged together. It's not like the socks are going to leak onto the paper towels.|ret||ret||tab|

Can I please go shopping without pushy salespeople hounding me? One of my favorite things about shopping is browsing around and exploring my options. When I'm asked, "Can I help you?" and I answer, "No, thanks. I'm just looking right now," that's what I mean. I realize that salespeople are supposed to make sales, and I respect that, but I have been known to go out of my way to nd another register if the one nearest me is staffed by someone who's been following me around and trying to "help" me pick something out. I say, give me my space and I'll give you my sale.|ret||ret||tab|

Can I make a new rule that wait staff won't ask if I need anything else two seconds after I've taken a big bite of my entre? First of all, it's rude to talk with food in your mouth; and second, I just started eating. How do I know if I don't like what I'm tasting? I haven't swallowed it yet.|ret||ret||tab|

How about if we make it a rule that no one gets in the drive-up lane at the bank until they have their license in hand and their deposit or withdrawal slip lled out? Some banks have taken to adding courtesy islands with said forms in the drive-up lane, because sometimes people don't have the slip they need. I can understand that. But there's nothing worse than sitting behind a fellow customer and waiting while they rummage through their purse or wallet looking for something and why does this happen most when I'm in a hurry?|ret||ret||tab|

While we're at it, Santa, there are some companies that deserve a special treat this year.|ret||ret||tab|

For the companies that train their people to be courteous and polite and to use the words please and thank you, I hope you'll leave something extra under the tree. They deserve it. |ret||ret||tab|

For those companies that make it a point to help others during the holidays by donating time, goods, services or money I hope they'll get lots of good cheer and good deeds in return. There are a lot of people in this community who need help, and the more people and companies who step in to offer it, the better the community will be. |ret||ret||tab|

It would be nice for all of these wishes to come true. In the meantime, Merry Christmas. I hope that whatever it means to you, it's a good one.|ret||ret||tab|

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Maria Hoover is Inside Business editor for Springeld Business Journal and a big fan of Christmas spirit.|ret||ret||tab|

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