The DiGiorgio Campus Center, informally known as “Digs”, is the place to go for a quick bite, cultural events, bookstore, coffee and recreational activities such as ping pong or billiards. But what happens when the staff is not necessarily the nicest? While yes, the staff there are always busy and have little to no breaks, that still does not excuse them from being potentially rude or hasty.
Yes, they have to deal with hundreds of students and not all of us are the nicest to the staff, so I do sympathize with those who work in this facility and have to deal with us. But what does this sort of behavior from the staff show and say to those looking in from an outside perspective?
Take for example, you are a server in a very busy restaurant. The dinner rush just hit and you are understaffed; how would you feel? Miserable, and you most likely will not have a smile on your face. The server is on the frontline of the restaurant, much like these staff members who see a hefty portion of students each day are on the frontline for the university.
This example parallels the staff who work in Digs; without those “smiling faces” and great attitudes, it will deter and hurt the university as a whole. When students, parents, professors and anyone interested in being part of this university comes to visit, they are hyper-vigilant. They look at everything around the university, and poor customer service at one of the only eateries on campus can easily push people away. Digs is where a lot of students, old and new will hang out and have lunch, dinner or relax. The Digs staff are the face of the campus because of the role they play as a constant presence in student life.
As a student, I do take into regards the pressure and insincere attitudes that are flung into the faces of these hard-working staff members and I feel bad; I see faces who want to do good and I see students trying to pay off their school debt.
We as a “family” at Winthrop must respect these hard workers even if they are out of avocado for your burger or there are only one or two registers open. At the end of the day, neither one of those things will matter. While this does not excuse the behavior of the staff at times, they are trying and working as hard as they can.
Next time you go into Digs and get your super complicated burger with a fried egg, three kinds of cheese and sautéed mushrooms, try saying “thank you” — it will go a long way. Their behavior starts with your own, you get what you give.
