I was somewhere far away the other day. A bustling town it was. Actually, more vibrant than I expected. I got a clean and secure room at a surprisingly fair room rate. I stayed for one night and hopped out to another destination. I checked in and began preparing for the next day’s business which was to start very early.

I noticed I had a few creases in my already-pressed clothes and asked the lady at the front desk if she could help me by contacting the laundry room assistants. With such a beautiful smile, she told me the launderers were out watching football so she would call me when they got back. I was wide-eyed! Then, I half smiled at the answer she gave me. The smile was not full because her smile was endearing enough to elicit a smile but my disappointment at the answer swallowed the rest of the smile. It’s not a big deal to watch TV during working hours, right? Now I can’t even tell whether they actually went to watch the people play on a field.

I told her she didn't need to call me because I wanted to take a nap. For one who has trouble catching afternoon sleep, you don’t just call them when they manage to enter the first stage (N1) of sleep. I think I managed to do a long 30-minute one.

When I was up, I ordered a meal that necessarily had to be served with veggies. I was told the meal would be ready in about 10 minutes. From experience, 10 minutes can be from 10 to 30 minutes. I waited for about 25 minutes. Then I heard a gentle knock on my door. Another sweet-faced lady mentioned to me that “the morning shift people finished the veggies” so she would bring me the food without veggies. ‘What a wonderful thing to say,” I asked her. “I need to advise this lady,” I said to myself. I told her it was not such a professional thing to tell a guest how some veggies got finished and in any case, what is finished can be bought. We had a short chat that I hoped would have made meaning to her. After the chat, she brought my super bare food. It was quite flavourful so I was somewhat appeased. Before she left, I requested for early breakfast the next morning before checking out.

Later in the evening, I went to check on the football watchers. They were not back and the front desk executive was also not there. I wonder how many travellers came over in their absence. Customer service running in the negatives or boss disservice? You decide. It is either one of them or both of them.

Very early the next morning, I saw someone sleeping on the couch in the lobby. I asked if he worked there and he said yes. I asked for the launderers and he told me they were not around and asked if I needed an iron to press my clothes… the first time I was handed an iron to press my clothes in a home away from home.

On my way out for the activity planned for the day, in the hotel yard, someone came rushing to me with a bowl of something and a saucer of something. How was I supposed to down the content of both the bowl and the saucer when I had to leave that moment? She felt bad that she didn’t get breakfast ready on time and was sure I was upset with her. It was more disappointing than getting upset.

It was so noticeable that their little knowledge of customer service stemmed from sheer ignorance. Perhaps they were not trained for the tasks they performed. I kept guessing and guessing but I loved their smiles!

When I checked out, I had to go to another place, about a two-hour drive away from where I left. Again, I requested an early morning breakfast and the receptionist, also the manager told me the earliest time to have breakfast was 7:30 am.

If you work in a service-oriented establishment like I do, remember that every action or inaction speaks volumes about your brand. Make people comfortable when they visit you and make them want to come to you again and again. If you are an employer, please train your customer service personnel, and pay them well to deliver and when they don’t, you won’t be described as terrible when you show them the door.

There is a lot of competition in the business space so strive to stand out.

Cheers!

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Lighthearted is a page intended to release happy hormones in your system. It addresses everyday issues in a casual and informal way. Serious issues are discussed in a relaxed manner. Release the tension as you read it. It’s as breezy as it is insightful. Enjoy!

About The Author:

The writer is a public servant. On the fringes, she works with words because she believes that words unleash creativity and drive action. Writing, teaching and reading are her favourite three.

Email: christadelaclarke@gmail.com