We can blame many things on Covid-19 but we can also credit it for some positives lately. Not positive tests but rather attitudes and mind-sets, and I think we can all agree that there’s been a marked improvement in retail service and business in general.

Tell me that’s not attributed to both service providers and employees now knowing and valuing what they’ve got before it’s gone! Anyone who took their clients or job for granted before Covid-19 hit the scene must have had a change of heart during those dry months of lockdown that forced everybody to reflect and revaluate themselves in order to survive or stay afloat.

I don’t think any business entity can ever satisfy every single customer all the time and in fact as customers, our needs and interpretations of good service not only vary but are bound to change over time. So in essence, what may be regarded as poor service by one person may not be considered a big deal by the next client. That said, we expect businesses to do better regarding customer care, and there’re some basic norms and practices you expect when you walk into a bank, pharmacy or even the small shop in your neighbourhood. We can’t still be complaining about people who don’t even say "hello” or barely look up from their phones when we walk into their stores.

You don’t have to force a smile as an indecisive shopper goes back and forth over which pair of shoes to go with, but you don’t have to act disinterested or rude about it either. It’s not unreasonable to expect a "thank you and please come again” when we buy something, but even if we end up not getting anything, don’t curse us out because you don’t know if we’re planning to come back the next day, week, month or even recommend your business or service to our friends and family! It was only recently that I was finally able to check out a restaurant a friend had been raving about long before anti-pandemic precautionary measures forced it to close temporarily. My friend was right about the service.

I was impressed and will definitely visit again, and who knows, I might even be compelled to leave a tip!