When I was very young, much younger than the officer or the “customer” in this video, I worked as a customer service rep for a very large telecom. Many times when dealing with customers, either on service or billing issues, they would become outraged by our business rules or provisioning policies. I have been subjected to the most vile swear words and every other objectional “talking” you could imagine. Often times the customer would ultimately say, “Just disconnect my service, I’m done with you a$$holes”... etc. etc. To which I would happily comply. (just doing what the customer requested)
In our business many if not most of our contacts were observed. On several occassions my supervisor would remove me from the line and take me to the conference room for a review of the call. In 100% of the cases, regardless of the abuse, I was told to call the customer back, apologize for allowing the situation to get out of hand, take full responsibility for the esculation of temperments and do my very best to convince the customer to reconsider their cancelation of service.
Nine times out of ten the customer would themselves apologize, refuse to allow me to accept blame and would cancel their previous disconnect order.
It did not take me too many of these “grovellings” before I learned to not allow the situation to reach a point of becoming a “pissing contest”. I had all the power to disconnect the customers service (back when we were the only phone company in town) and they had no recourse. But, what was the goal?? The goal was to resolve the service or billing issue amicably to the benefit of the company and the customer.
To make a point of this long story, the cops have to realize that “most” citizens do not deal with cops and the issues cops deal with on a daily basis. What was the goal of this particular cop in this particular situation? Most people are not used to someone “having power over them” and them having no recourse. It is in the best interest of the cops and the citizens for the one in power, to exercise restaint and have more than just casual “I’m just doing it by the book” attitude towards the “unwashed”.
In the end the cops will gain the respect they deserve and the citizens won’t feel like they are being trampled on by the gestapo....
Excellent post.
susie