The Bell

At work there is a desk bell that sits on one of the service counters and is there so that in case we don't see a customer standing at the counter they can ring the bell and let us know they are there. Now, I HATE this bell. It is one of the most obnoxious things I have ever come across. It rings so many times in a day that I sometimes hear it ring when there is no one there and a few times I have heard it in my sleep at night. As I said before, I HATE this bell. But, that is life and it is a part of my job, so, I cheerfully continue on, answering the bell every time it dings. However, there is something that I cannot abide - rude customers. There seem to be several medical students and medical office personnel who insist on ringing the bell twice or even three times if you do not appear at the counter within 1 second of their ringing the bell. And then there are those who insist on ringing the bell when they can clearly see that you are on the phone and cannot attend to them at that moment. How rude and inconsiderate is that?!?!?!?! Does working in a medical building or being a med student give you the right to mistreat people? I often want to ask them how they would like it if I stood there at the counter and kept ringing the bell at them. However, it is my job to be friendly and polite. That means that I cannot really comment on the poor behavior of these rude bell ringers. I simply have to smile at them and help them. Every now I and then I will politely let them know that I heard the bell the first time, but that is only when the behavior is very much out of order. Otherwise I just breathe deeply and plaster at least a half-smile on my face and ask them what it is I can help them with. I know the bell is necessary, but how I wish there was another way. I am always thankful for those customers who are so reticent to ring the bell and apologize profusely for doing so. They are good customers. I wish they would rub off on the others who so desperately need something to rub off on them. Oh, well. I'll quit ranting now.