People have been taking to TikTok to vent their thoughts on customer service. It’s no surprise that a popular content creator went viral on TikTok after revealing his thoughts about “service with a smile.”
The video features TikTok user Cory Wayne (@theonlycorywayne) as he sits in his car eating a macaroni and cheese bowl from QT.
“Customer service does not have to have a smile,” he says to his 532,000 followers. In the content creator’s mind, if his voice and face appear neutral, he was polite and did his job, that’s all that matters, he says.
“Looks like the customer was serviced,” he concludes the video.
In the caption, Wayne asks the question, “Bad customer service or bad customer?”
@theonlycorywayne Bad customer service or bad customer? #foryou #foryoupage #comedy #laugh #smile #inspiration #motivation #FindYourEdge #factsaboutme #truestory #share #periodt #DidYouYawn #relatable #justsayin #lunchtime #customerservice #worklife ♬ original sound – TheOnlyCoryWayne
The Daily Dot reached out to Wayne via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment. The video amassed over 892,000 views as of Friday, where viewers agreed with the content creator.
“The thing is my check is still going to be the same if I smile or not. That list of requirements for the position says nothing about smiling,” one viewer said.
“This is why I don’t smile to those that I pay for services. It’s my tone and still being polite,” a second agreed.
“Yaaaaaaaaaas. like did you get serviced? Okay my job is done. I answered all questions and got you in and out. so go get OUT!!!” a third echoed.
However, some viewers disagreed for a number of reasons.
“I’m the opposite,” one user stated. “Always thinking of the other person, I would hate to be a bad experience for them. I smile and hope I’m a positive part of their [day].”
“No, because people complain about my face like I can control my resting face,” a second remarked.
“You may have a point here ngl but a smile is more welcoming. Even tho we probably don’t want them there!! LOL,” a third explained.
In addition, others shared their experiences of when customers told them to smile.
“Omg I literally got YELLED at once because I didn’t ‘smile big enough’ to a customer,” one person shared.
“An old lady tried to tell me at 8 am that it would help if I smiled more and I told her that was just my face and to have a good day LMFAO,” a second commented.
“The amount of times that grown MEN, ask me to smile. Like sir, leave me ALONE,” a third wrote.
Update 12:12pm CT, May 27, 2023: During an interview with the Daily Dot, Cory revealed he’s worked in customer service for nearly 20 years. The content creator still practices “service with a smile” but that it depends on the customer.
“A smile can change someone’s day, but if they walk in sour they set that tone, why would I smile at someone with a sour attitude? I start off nice and let the customer decide where we go next,” he shared via Instagram direct message.
