I recently started working for a company whose mantra for it's work force is:
"Fast, Fun, and Friendly".
There is a lot to be said for living up to those ideals in the retail environment,
but pondering them together it struck me that one does not fits in with the others.
Our society has come to expect it as a sign of excellence. Fast, faster, fastest.
How does that work with friendly?
It is friendly to say "Hi, how are you today", but not have enough time to even
process the answer before running off to the next "important appointment?
Doesn't a nice leisurely chat over a cup of coffee fit in with being friendly a tad more?
How does fast fit in with fun? Of course there are a few activities that may be fun and fast, but I seriously believe that true fun also takes an extended amount of time.
Being fast and moving on to the next thing just seems to devalue the present one.
Getting back to the retail business. How many decades ago was it that retail environment included going to the store for what you needed didn't meant not just material goods. It also included good conversation with the friends, whether it was the store owner, who's reputation and repeat business were built on his friendliness, or friends you met there. Maybe even a game of checkers. Time for friendly and fun.
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