Go ahead...make my day!

So, I got this really funny email from a customer yesterday. He had called in earlier in the day with a technical issue and for whatever reason he was directed to our sales line, but that's not the funny part.

I contacted him later in the afternoon via email to indicate that someone would be getting in touch with him and he replies to my note thanking me for looking into the issue for him and adds "by the way, you have a sexy voice" Needless to say, I burst out laughing! It got me wondering about where the line is between dealing with someone professionally and personally. I'm sure everyone who has worked in some sort of service position has had similar things happening "will you marry me", "move to florida, we'll buy a boat and go fishing", "come to Jamaica with me" or "why don't you come driving with me in my truck on my next run?" My question now is what makes a person think that it is ok to cross over from professional niceties to the above?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not offended by the comments... I find them quite amusing. I'm just curious as to what goes on in people's minds that says to them "hey, she had a sexy voice, I think I should tell her at this juncture so I'll write it in my email to her". I suppose I'm just amazed with all of the awareness about sexual harassment and what defines appropriate behaviour in the workplace, some people just don't seem to have received the message?

Thoughts?


C.R.