Why are ethics and morals more important in Customer Service than in other jobs?

Jesus said: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's". I believe that phrase correctly exemplifies how we should perceive our company, and how to manage our work relationship.

Photo by krakenimages

A boss is not a father, nor a friend. A good company can be similar to a family, but it will never be one in a literal sense. So, why should we care about our work? Why should we be good and responsible?

I came to this idea after watching "The Meteorite Manifestation", episode 14 of season 12 of The Big Bang Theory, in which Sheldon Cooper says to an employee: "... Because, on the one hand, Confucius says we owe a greater responsibility to people we're close with rather than to society at large. But, on the other hand, Socrates says that we're obligated to obey all laws, even unjust ones. And then, furthermore, if we're entertaining rules about when it's okay to break the rules, I should-- where does it end?" The employee's response is great: "Well, for me, it ends at 5:00".

Although the answer is subjectively funny, is it correct in a work-related and moral sense?

What are the consequences of not being ethical if we work in Customer Service?  

If we lack a good moral code, we are not fit for life in society, either because we have an unpleasant and disrespectful personality, or because we commit illegal acts, which, if discovered, will put us behind bars. Since in Customer Service we handle private data of people and companies, the consequences are real if we are part of a security breach.  

In short, the lack of ethics sooner or later results in isolation and/or jail.

I am not interested in any of those bad endings. There will be those who believe themselves too clever to be caught, or who think that following society's rules is boring. As for me, I have come to the conclusion that eventually, amoral workers will face the consequences of their actions. Evil is not worth it.

What do you get if you are ethical when working in Customer Service?

I would like to answer that 100 million dollars. However, I would be lying and my ethics do not allow me to. Although, one can obtain something quite valuable: a clear conscience. Tranquility is the best remedy for insomnia. Like at the end of chapter 19 of the first season of the series Angel, "Sanctuary", when Faith can finally rest in prison after letting herself be caught and beginning to serve her sentence for murder.

How to be more ethical at work?

• Reflect on whether your behavior at work could harm vulnerable people or populations.
• Follow the local and national laws of where you live. If you don't know them, start studying, because ignorance is not an excuse for committing crimes.
• Follow the policies and statements of your company, as long as they do not contradict the laws of your country.

Why is being moralistic not the same as being moral?

• Ethics is not measured by the number of words, but by actions.
• It is not about showing off, nor about putting yourself above others, as in "The Best", from episode 31 of the fifth season of The Amazing World of Gumball.
• Don't behave well because of what others might say: do the right thing because it is the right thing. Or at least because you care about living with someone other than yourself.

Doing good feels good. We don’t live in a world where being ethical guarantees you a promotion at work, but if you get a promotion without compromising your morals, I assure you that you will be able to sleep better.

So be good, and we’ll read each other next Saturday. I hope to come back with fewer obscure references, although if you understood them all, your level of morality is over 9000!

This article is also available in Spanish. Read the Spanish version here.

Since you care about good practices, and the Client's quality and experience, I recommend that you read another one of my articles: How to Say No to a Client and Still Make Them Feel Well Taken Care Of.