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Sometimes you’ve got to rock the boat.

I spent last Sunday showing Ross from Ex Libras around some of my favourite Shoreditch haunts, while enjoying a few drinks over lunch. Yes, I'm name-dropping, but I've known him since I was eleven so I reckon I'm allowed to. If I can get away with kicking him in the shins all the way through secondary school, I reckon I can use his name for the purpose of this anecdote.

Anyways, we were waiting for the lunch to arrive and the conversation came around to customer service, and how to deal with bad customer service. Now, before I became a writer I worked almost exclusively in front line customer service roles. As a result I am extremely aware when I receive bad service - but Ross said something that concerned me: "Ed doesn't like to make a fuss". What struck me about this statement is that he's absolutely right. I'm a terrible customer. I will complain to everyone around me about the terrible service that I'm receiving EXCEPT to the person who can really make a difference - the service provider. There have been countless times I've felt that a waiter, shop assistant or manager has taken liberties with my custom and, unless it's over the telephone, I get caught like a rabbit in headlights, refuse to say anything, smile through gritted teeth and sometimes (only sometimes) neglect to leave a tip.

I don't think I'm the only person in this country who has this problem. We're all so insular, it becomes a real challenge to stand up and be counted when we feel we're not receiving the service we deserve. We simply can't bring ourselves to rock the boat. This is a really unhealthy state of affairs to live in, as we, the customers of the world, bottle up all of these negative emotions and, without the proper outlet, they can manifest themselves in different areas of our lives, until one day we're being dragged out of the local Starbucks, kicking and screaming because they forgot to use soy milk.

This applies to any service relationship. Whether you're the client or the service provider, hiding behind a polite veneer can ruin what once was a healthy relationship. I don't for one second think that everyone should say what's on their mind every second of the day (that would lead to a nation of sociopaths who would make the panel on Loose Women look like well balanced rational pillars of the community) - just that if you think there's a problem, or think something hasn't been handled correctly, speak out. Don't get angry, just present your point of view and how you feel about the situation as soon as you can. Chances are it will get resolved in a matter of minutes, and what could have turned into a caustic situation will suddenly develop into a stronger bond where the avenues of communication on both sides are clear, leading to a more productive relationship.

Next week - world peace.

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