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(Disclaimer-I have no preconceived notions of people that have been or have ever been on welfare or maybe in the future. Ill speak on what I have seen, heard, and continues to come up in the media and stories I hear from people I know.)

The origination was for the government to have a way to help the unemployed and the underemployed. Most of what I read about went back to the Great Depression. In a time where the government was attempting to solve the issue that many families suffered no matter race, gender, or family make up. It was a great tool in place to assist families in distress. Welfare on the city of Dallas site discusses providing short term emergency needs to eligible residents. It is meant to be a temporary service until the party can return to gainful employment or gain other resources. It goes on to list areas of eligibility and how appointments are scheduled or you can walk in. Welfare encompasses all things from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Stamps, aid for the elderly.

However, over the years you have to look and wonder if the ropes are as tight on it as they should be??? I’ve heard the stories and known some people that were riding the system just because they could. Does that make it is my business, not really…but when we are speaking of my money going toward assistance to help others and many are using it for the wrong reasons then I will voice my opinion. Where does it come from? DID anyone else wonder this? What do you consider welfare? I personally don’t only see it as food stamps, or TANF, but we as fam and friends can be enabling others by providing this as well.
If people are using it for what it is there for…I have no problem. These programs can be great assistance to those that have had layoffs and unforeseen financial struggle. The stats found while researching this suggested that there is not enough money out there to help everyone that needs assistance. They noted that many of the families defined as poor actually have people working in their households, but just not making enough to be considered living above the poverty. The sites shared stories of women that have gone to school to make a better life for them and their kids and still have a hard time finding or keeping a job. I believe in those aspects, it is wonderful that we can offer that assistance.

I have known people that have been laid off and turned to these programs for help only to be turned away due to reasons like: your car is less than ten years old (even without a car note), you make too much (although after they take out for medical benefits, you can’t make a decent living). Just curious why you hear of so many people that need these programs and can’t get assistance, but on the flip side of the coin you hear of those using the system and they seem to be living on cloud 9. I don’t mean necessary luxury, but making it without the woes of working and having to care for their family. We have many people sitting on our system, making money, not raising their kids and aiding in the revolving cycle that their kids will get out and do the same. Don’t misunderstand; some kids will break that cycle. However, when a person that has multiple kids, unable to work due to being on disability and is legally married claims on paperwork not to be legally married to get more benefits; there is a concern. Why is there not a way to check this? How is it that we continue to support someone in the system continuing to have kids they can’t care for? If you have one child and things happen or multiple kids that you were able to take care of prior, most people understand financial turmoil and can see past that. If your life has revolved around getting over on the system with psychological issues that don’t actually exist, continuing to have kids, not running a structured household (I know this is subjective), and the cycle starts back over with your children doing the same thing. Shouldn’t something be done, said, stopped? I mean, I have worked hard for years. I have had my struggling moments and not that I fault people for turning to the program as that is what it is there for. I fault them for abusing it. I wonder daily how it is that people can abuse this system and not be criminally charged for theft, but people that make options for their own body like smoking weed are put in jail for their choice to do something to themselves. At least it is a personal choice, if they want to spend their money on it… I could care less. However, when you are speaking of reaching into my pockets, people I know pockets…it gets me on my soap box. Is there a reason why people on these programs can lie about marriage and get away with it? I am not randomly picking this stuff up. I have had people tell me that is how they keep a certain amount of money coming in while their husband works. They have had their kids trained to do or act a certain way during evaluations in order to get disability checks or discussed taking in other kids they knew and advising up front the amount they could get for caring for them. We are speaking of functional kids, no learning disabilities, no handicaps, just being taught from their environment that this is ok. Then when they are popping out kids in high school and focused on having another before trying to graduate rather on building their future or finding a legal job, there is something to be said. In that particular scenario, I thought it was odd that the mother felt it was ok for her sons to keep this behavior up, but told her daughter she better not come home pregnant. NOW WAIT A MINUTE!!!!! WHAT THE HECK DOES THIS SAY TO YOUR DAUGHTER? I accept what they are doing because of what nonsense. Thank goodness for that little girl, who did graduate without a child and I believe it was because she had to assist in caring for her nieces and nephews as her teen brothers and sisters were not fully able to. But wait!!! Did you bring this child up in this way? Did you help them see a world where you don’t have to have a 9-5 or a manager looking over them or teaching them that nothing comes without hard work? What kind of kids are we putting back in society to date our sons and daughters if they think that life is about lying and cheating? Does a son that sees his father at home all day, feet propped up, doing nothing but playing video games gain respect for him as a hard worker? Does a daughter watching her mom day after day never attempt to work, want to have the same drive and ambition? Please understand in these environments it is 100xs harder to walk out on faith and decide to do better. I have heard men say it about their baby mommas and vice versa about their baby daddies (I don’t personally care for these terms). I wonder how people that sit home and aren’t trying to do better feel knowing their kids are learning either how to be like them or have resentment toward them. What is the uproar about drug testing for a county program??? If productive citizens are drug tested and screened before being offered a job…is there a reason why county programs don’t offer the same. They they have implemented this based on screening assessments. Do you think if a criminal thinks like a criminal they would answer this honestly knowing they could lose their “benefits”? I guess some would say yes, as some would, but majority won’t.

I do believe sometimes we become a person’s welfare as well. If we have become a parties personal ATM, then we maybe enabling them. I am not speaking of scenarios of assisting here and there. I am speaking of fully supporting people that are not willing to get out and be productive. I have been guilty of this one too. I haven’t always known when I may not really be helping someone by passing funds over and over, but really hindering them because there was no effort there. I truly believe this is a form of welfare. I have worked two and three jobs at times to make ends meet. So… I have to say looking at what I have done for some, probably wasn’t the best. I have had those that I have asked, can we sit and evaluate where your money is going. I was generally met with a stern no. My response was, then if you continue to expect for me to support your living style… we will want to evaluate that as I am unsure if you truly need my help or are just becoming dependent on it.

Don’t misunderstand by this blog; I am a generous and caring person. I do not have respect for anyone that is willing to live on the system because they will not make an effort.

Are you someone’s welfare check? Do you know people abusing the system on welfare or making no effort?

What does excellent customer service mean to you? Is it a greeting as you enter the business? The personality of the party assisting you as you browse? Is it the quality of the product and the people representing it? What drives you to keep going back to certain places, if it isn’t the service?

Customer service is something that every business strives to gain magnificent ratings in. The review of this is normally done with or through surveys, secret shoppers, and examining complaints. Service normally determines if you will visit that business again.

My family is huge on customer service. It stems from personality to the quality of whatever the business is serving. We have traveled miles to stores to grocery shop at a particular store due to the customer service. I have an aunt that will not drive out of the drive through without making sure if she orders fries somewhere that they are pippin hot. If they aren’t, she will ask if they would serve cold, burnt fries to their mothers, sisters, or family. LOL… When I was younger I didn’t get it. However, now being older and working for my money, I definitely understand it. I have a friend that will not shop at a particular business if the parties working there are not polite as they greet her on her way in the business.

Every position I have held centered on customer centricity. No matter while assisting internal or external customers, the particulars of the position did not matter. Yep, internal customers count as well. In the positions I have held that focused on the customer, those interviews particularly focus on your customer service experience. For example, tell me about a time you provided great customer service and tell me about a time you made a promise to a customer and did not meet the deadline. In those roles this should never be hard to answer as you do it daily if focusing on the right things with your business. They want to know before they hire you how you handle the customer. They don’t mind hearing your mistakes; it is more about how you recovered and handled the customer after a situation went haywire.

I personally won’t spend money in an establishment that has poor customer service on multiple occurrences. This goes from things as grocery stores, restaurants, car maintence facilities, and hair stylist. I have time under my belt in the education, serving, car sales, and corporate world arena. As a server, I would have lacked in tips if customer service did not come first. My tips were pretty good as I tried to approach it in the way of how I would like to be treated. One customer would point at items as he requested them with nonverbal gestures. I assumed he was unable to speak due to this. We even had a few times that he ordered that I had a hard time understanding what he needed. He still never said a word. Later, I look over at the table and he was speaking with the people he was there with and showed no sign of struggle in talking. What in the world… why would someone attempt to communicate with a server in nonverbal gestures, but can speak without any mishaps. SMH… In the education role as a recruiter, I let my personality shine and let my drive for education be the priority. The university I recruited for was big on wanting to make sure that as we promote higher education, we were to also focus on making sure it was a good fit for the student. I loved the fact that we were not just about getting someone to apply and join our campus just based on a number. I was attending school fairs, giving speeches on the importance of higher education, speaking at preview events for the university. There was no time for letting my attitude or a bad day get in the way. Believe me I do give that as an out normally when I receive bad service. During my time in car sales, simply put, there would have been no car sales without customer service. I recall lending a helping hand to women that was old enough to my grandmother. She had been in a car accident and totaled her car out. She decided to retain it for salvage as she wanted to research and see if she could get the best deal for it. She was very particular as to what she was looking for based on her age (she reminded me a few times, this maybe the last car she would buy), her fixed income, and needing to make sure she could assist in picking up her grandkids. She initially wanted to find something in the 2008 to 2010 range, somewhat worried about the mileage, warranty, and the car note. I listened to her story and concerns as well as shared that I might be able to get her a better deal on something newer that would generally have less warranty issues. She was very hesitant to go with a newer vehicle. I tried to explain that I understand her concerns, but the role I was in, I needed to educate her on the best option and she could determine how to move forward. It took two months to close the deal. My GM was concerned we had lost the deal. I didn’t have this concern so much as I talked to her over the phone once a week, I would pick her up to come in and view cars, called to discuss options, and arranged to get her car towed in for review. She did eventually buy a vehicle with me and she did share the reason she did not look elsewhere over time was due to the customer service. She was probably one of my most memorable customers. For me, it wasn’t about making money off of her and getting her into just anything. I think sometimes people get so caught up in the $$ signs in their eyes, that they don’t consider what they may not be sharing or doing that will benefit the other person.

If you continuously run into an issue with customer service. You may want to make sure that you are not giving off vibes that are causing this. Not that I am making this an excuse. I have seen some customers in stores be rude, yell, and act pretty embarrassing when the person providing the service is not doing anything wrong. In the event, it is not you…you may want to evaluate the places you are visiting and spending your money at. Although, in any role you have to be prepared to take the brunt of what someone gives off, even if you aren’t the person they are mad at while complaining or discussing an issue. I was in CVS the other night after work and as I approached the cashier, him and a woman seemed pretty deep in a discussion. I waited patiently until it was my turn. Once it was and the young lady had exited. The cashier proceeds to tell me the woman was upset, I thought that was odd as she just seemed engulfed in their discussion. He asked if I would like to discuss what they were talking about. I advised I had no idea what was being discussed. He said CVS was not going to be selling cigarettes anymore. He said the lady said that was dumb and then referenced it to weed laws. He said he had no idea where she was going with it, but just went along with the conversation. I said I would pass on that conversation and wished him a good night. Was it great customer service for him to extend on the conversation with the customer that wanted to share her opinion on cigarette sales and then into legal weed? I thought he did a great job of letting her vent and then she left. He didn’t have to share his opinion or details. She just wanted to be heard. I had to laugh in my head because we have all been there when a customer goes from what is going on to another topic and your gracefully wait for them to finish. :)

I have been with the company I am with now for almost eight years and this has been one thing that has been a top priority for the company since I started. They evaluate it when they review for performance and do quality monitoring. They are looking at the way you are handling both customers, internal and external. The way you handle your customers will directly impact the bottom line of a business.

One of my favorite places to frequent is Ten Eleven Grill. They not only have a grown environment, offer different types of entertainment, but also provided awesome customer service. The Candra and Dewayne Bryant will make time to come speak with you and check on you. They have been recognized in articles for such. You can tell in one visit that they care about their customers and want them to have a pleasant experience. It starts from the door, to the serving staff, the cook, to the band to the poets, and that call comes from the exuberant attitudes of the owners. They make it known to their staff that they want their customers to know they are valued.

**I will be a guest on the Say Something radio show w Lady T, tomorrow. Please tune in at TMIradio.com from 6-7 CST. **