I just got back from a Caribbean cruise with my girlfriends. It was an absolute blast. I can’t say enough wonderful things about the ship I was on, the food we were served, and the service we received. Wait- almost all the service we received.
You see, there was one customer service experience that sticks out like a sore thumb, and it’s really nagging at me.
We had a port of call on a small island, and chose to spend the day relaxing in a comfortable cabana. The host who greeted us at the island was helpful and friendly, the tram driver was enthusiastic and charming, and the man who took us to our cabana and saw us settled in was downright chipper. There was a small snafu with the electricity in the cabana not being on when we arrived, but the maintenance worker corrected that in a hurry. Things were fantabulous.
My friends and I napped and read books all morning, and finally ordered drinks from the waiter around noon. Things seemed great until the waiter came back to check on us a bit later. We were doing well, and didn’t order anything, but he proceeded to tell us that he was irritated to still be working, and that his shift was supposed to have ended 20 minutes earlier, but here he was, still taking orders. It was bizarre, and in the circumstances of the serene setting, it was very jarring.
It was so out of place, in fact, that the four of us sat there and talked about ways he could have handled the situation differently.
You see, no one wants to hear that you aren’t having a good day.
Your guests show up for a pleasant experience. They want good service, attentive staff, and the bottom line is that, even when you’re having a bad day, it’s so important to check your irritation at the door. Putting your personal issues upon your patrons isn’t fair. People may feel sorry for you and your plight, but they may also feel angry at you for burdening them with issues they shouldn’t have ever had to worry about.
Look at me- here I am going on and on about one small interaction that clearly colored the way I look at an entire 4 day vacation. Don’t be the person that does that to your own guests. Don’t give someone a reason to feel negatively about your center.
Instead, choose your attitude. If you’re working with a guest and are ending shift, or turning them over to an event coordinator, etc., simply introduce your guests to your replacement and thank them for allowing you to serve them. (Chances are, they will ask to tip you for your stellar service before you go!) Let them know that they can expect the same level of service from your team member. They probably won’t even remember the whole interaction later, but they’ll be left with the sense that they were taken care of. Who could ask for more?
Have you ever had a small incident color the way you remember an otherwise wonderful event? OR had a great moment turn a negative experience around for the better?
