Many thanks for being a Stay customer

If you live in America in the 21st century, something similar to this likely has happened to you.

An employee handed me my order at a drive-thru window and offered these words: “Have a good one.”

He smiled and seemed friendly, but I left shaking my head. Why couldn’t he just utter the words that the situation warranted, that I earned as the customer.

All he needed to say was, “Thank you,” but he didn’t.

I’m not sure when it all fell apart, when “Have a good one” or “Here you go” became acceptable alternatives to thank you, or when “No problem” replaced “You’re welcome.”

But they shouldn’t be because they are not synonymous.

I’m sure no offense is intended, but it is sloppy customer service not to plainly express gratitude. My parents taught me well such that I never had to be told by an employer to say thank you to customers. But these days, no employer should just assume that gratitude is something their employees know how to express properly.

It means the world to us at Stay when someone takes the time to visit our website or stop by one of our pop-up appearances. Every purchase is significant. We take nothing for granted.

That’s why we are direct with our customers, whether in person at a show or with a handwritten note included with an online order.

We just say thank you.

Failing to do so, now that would be a big problem.