I'm sure most of you have heard of the phrase, "Service with a Smile" before. It means we expect to, not only be served, but also to be served by someone, who looks like he is happy to serve. I think we all like this idea. When you pay for services, you expect the person providing the service to provide a smile. When a waitress serves food, we expect her to be smiling. We even tip more when our servers smile. There are very few businesses that do not follow this rule of business. If you want customers to return, you better provide a smile with your service, but what about the people being served? Where is the smile on the other side of the transaction?

Just because you are paying for a service doesn't mean you are somehow better than the person that is providing service. Time and time again, I've seen individuals paying for service and just go on their way, not acknowledging the people providing the service. Have we turned into elitists just because we can afford to pay for and expect these services? It pisses me off to see people that go about their days as if they are better than others that provide services.

I ride the campus shuttle every day to campus. People get on and off the buses without even acknowledging the drivers. That is so fucking rude! Just because it is their job to drive the buses, doesn't mean they are somehow beneath those that ride the shuttles. I make it a point to greet the bus driver when I get on the bus and I make sure to thank the driver when I get off the bus. Although I get to ride the shuttle for free because I am a student, does not mean I can treat the drivers like they are beneath me. They provide a service that I need and I am grateful for their work.

Even in something that may seem menial, such as fast food service, the people still are providing a service that I want and deserve some recognition and thanks for their work. When I pull through a drive-thru, I make sure to thank the person at the window.

People need to stop being so full of themselves and realize they are being helped. I think our actions, during these daily transactions, shows the state of people today. We identify so greatly with our status that we think we can buy, not only services, but people as well.

Let's see more service with a smile. Put that smile on both sides of the mop, on both sides of the drive-thru window, and both sides of our daily transactions with others.