Do you feel like a customer service and profesissionalism should be taught to high schoolers?

Question

I'm so tired of people with bad people skills and unprofessionalism.

Its like human resources never taught them how to behave to customers or even how to value a customer.

I learned my skills through Chick-fil-A and from people who cared about their customers.

This just came to me. Do you feel like high schools should teach a life skills class that focuses on people skills, professionalism, good business conduct, and so on?

I feel that a class such as this would benefit everyone who took it.

What do you feel? Would it help or be a waste of time and education funds?

Everyone needs to know how to conduct business with others rather you are a dog trainer or a McDonald's worker. I'm tired of getting poor gramatical e-mails from professionals and so on.

Lawyers deal with people too!

I am not currently working a Chick-fil-A. I worked there when I was 16, but they valued customers. I am currently an office manager, but I carry skills from previous jobs to every job I hold. Its called learning.

Answer 1

I believe that these skills should be taught in school. I don't think it should be a class in and of itself but incorporated into life skills courses. Many school districts are now requiring some sort of life skills course for graduation. These classes typically include things like balancing a checkbook, keeping a budget, interviewing for jobs, etc. What you're talking about is basic respect (for self and others) and responsibility. In an ideal world people would be raised from birth learning these skills from parents and teachers. Unfortunately that is not happening. I teach a student preparation course at a local community college. Part of what I try to teach them is respect and responsibility. You would be shocked at the number of students (both fresh out of high school and older working adults) that don't understand these skills. I set up the entire class to have consequences. They have due dates that I hold firm on, I deduct points for lateness, I correct disrespect in the classroom. Every year I have at least 1 student that leaves because I am being "mean" to them by not letting things slide. I've also been told by a director of the program to allow students to take and retake tests and assignments until they pass. How ridiculous is that? How does that teach them to be responsible if they can redo projects. You can't do that in life. Our society has turned into a bunch of people that blame everyone and everything for problems except themselves. It seems as if a learned helplessness has set in to our younger generations. Until more teachers and parents take a stand it will continue.

Answer 2

I think it's a great idea to incorporate business professionalism and customer service skills into a school class. I learned how to treat people in the business world by what I was taught at home and then with experience as to what works best when dealing with clients and coworkers.

I'm amazed, shocked, and a little frightened by the behavior of people who I deal with (usually their young assistants). They don't even know that they should say who they are when they call my office. I have to drag it out of them. And if I get one more business email with IM-speak, I'll scream!

So, yes, I think it's a great idea.

Answer 3

I think it would be excellent. It may not be enough material for a course all of it's own, but something like that definitely has a place in some sort of life-skills course....that and how to balance a checkbook.....

I know there are business-specific customer service training programs that some companies use for their workforces - a lot of that information is universal - just in how to deal with people in general.

Answer 4

When I was a Junior in high school (1988), our English teacher took about 2 weeks of class time and taught us how to write resumes, how to interview, answer questions, ask questions, how to dress, etc. To this day, I know that was THE most useful classroom time I ever had in high school. I would definitely encourage some kind of business etiquitte class in high school.

Answer 5

waste of educational funds

not everyone will be a customer service rep or want to be for that matter

and what do you do about Lawyers?

They go to school for all that schooling and still cant save a document in word correctly. Plus thier CS skills are shite(excuse my language)

so there are gaps all over.

Answer 6

Our school does. We teach them how to look for a job, how to conduct yourself in an interview, how to be polite and we also teach them basic skills like how to do laundry, how to balance a checkbook, how to do a monthly budget. I agree all schools should do this, some people today are so rude it makes me wonder what happened to parents.

Answer 7

Well, it's something everyone should know, professionalism and basic courtesy. However, with everything else the schools have been mandated to teach, a whole class on it would be soooooo impossible.

Answer 8

I think parents need to be a little more responsible for how their children come out. Teachers shouldn't have to teach commen sense and courtesy.

Answer 9

yes. that way all highschool graduates can be as successful as you at chick-fil-a some day.

i have a feeling the details to your question are exactly the same as the details of your resume.

Answer 10

I think that is an excellent idea.