The Smile and The Tone.

Colleagues have told me umpteen number of times that my job was to look pretty and smile. I never protested, but added on that I have to do that and keep a sweet controlled tone even when I knew the customer was trying to evade payment of a bill. Example: a lady once came to me and accused the cardiac surgeon who had operated upon her husband of asking her for 'black' money. Rs 40000, she said. That hospital was squeaky clean about money matters and so was the surgeon she mentioned. I reached out for the phone to ask the surgeon about it. Suddenly, she changed track and said, "Not him, actually the cardiologist is the one who's asking for the money. Says he won't give a discharge unless I pay up." Ok, I said, let me check with him. "Check later," she said and hurriedly departed. I did. This lady's husband, the patient, was admitted under surgeon I. When that surgeon was out of town, the patient took seriously ill and an emergency surgery had to be performed. She was short of funds. Surgeon II, who took over the case, did a highly risky (and successful, may I add) procedure and had signed an undertaking based on the woman's promise that the amount would be paid for before discharge. The kind, elderly cardiologist had reminded her about it because Surgeon II found it awkward to do so.
I was annoyed with her, but I smiled as I explained, whilst she squirmed. Next post, another example. Ciao.