Etiquette at the Workplace

Hello again everyone. I wish to thank everyone for their comments and emails from the previous "hot topic".
To begin today's topic, let me share with you that I am not a regular shopper. The just concluded holiday season took me through various department stores and shops in search of gifts for everyone I know. I had several experiences at some of these business houses which were extremely disappointing and disheartening to say the least. Much of the workers I encountered on each occasion, were very unmannerly and generally disrespectful to themselves, to their jobs and more importantly to me personally. Some of them were having a bad day, others were unhappy with their jobs and the list of reasons goes on. Nevertheless I'll illustrate a bit for clarity.
Here are some experiences a business owner should work diligently to avoid if he/she should remain or become a successful business owner.
There was a power outage at a clothing store so the employees had to use large flashlights to find their way through the store. This was no fault of the employers' or customers but I was shocked when one employee was reluctant to assist me in finding a pair of pants in the store-room because another worker was too "lazy" to go fetch a flashlight to help the situation. He referred to the other worker as a "thing" in the most disgusting voice and went on relating to me )the customer) using expletives and generally "colourful" language. I was shocked and amazed. The only reason I did not leave the store immediately was that it was nearly closing time in the city and I NEEDED the particular pair of pants for a special occasion that night. So the insults went on and I had to ask another worker for help which she gladly offered to me. While there waiting, the "foul-mouthed" worker continued with his swearing at the top of his voice about other issues, including some level of dissatisfaction with the boss, who by the way was standing at the store's entrance. Luckliy English is not the boss's first language so most of what was being vented may not have been understood.

These are the types of people you DO NOT WANT anywhere near your business. Customers and people in general love to be treated "nicely" and like to be respected as well. Whenever someone has such an experience, they most likely will not return to that place to do any business and that unhappy customer will share his experiences with everyone he/she knows. By now you can see where I am going with this...business declines and profits begin to shrink.
I know of many businesses where the administrator(s) may be absent quite often and the people who interact with the customers(cashiers, store clerks, etc), really give the business a very bad reputation.
I also noticed that two employees at a crowded restaurant were loudly gossipping about someone with whom they had an altercation over the weekend and there was name-calling mixed with profanity. What a shame. I thought to myself, if the owner were there, he would instantly fire the two of them.
The most important section of your business is where there is interaction with the clients. This is where your business earns its reputation. If people are not treated with respect and decency, then your business will surely fail over time.
In future posts, I'll be outlining aspects of training.
This topic will continue...lots more left to be mentioned.
Once again thank you for reading.