When is bad customer service a good thing?

Sometimes it would be neat if we could just speak the truth. It would be neat if we could change the paradigm of political correctness and customer service. And I'm not talking about being mean to people without a purpose. I mean saying the truth to help people.

Let me word this another way. Sometimes customer service defeats the purpose of what we are here to do.

I will let that sentence stand on it's own. We are here to help you. If you are prescribed medicine and refuse it, why are you even here? Go home.

Like that.

Or, you have a patient with end stage COPD. They are in denial. Because of that denial they keep smoking. But, the thing is, they can't breath. They are killing themselves. You try to educate them. So too does the doctor. At some point you just give up. You have to. It's the polite thing to do.

But let's put customer service aside. So, now what are you going to say to that patient. "Look, you have end stage COPD. I'm not saying this to be mean. I'm saying it because we need to be real so you can get real treatment."

But, it's what you have to do.

"You are here because you smoke. Your smoking is destroying your lungs. If you don't stop you're going to kill yourself sooner rather than later."

Yeah! I know this sounds mean. And I don't see myself saying this. But, there are those patients where saying something like this might do them more good than harm. And, yes, sometimes the truth hurts before it makes you better.

I could give more examples, but I'll end there. Have you ever experienced something like this? Let us know in the comments below.