No Bad Days When Riding for the Brand

Did you ever have a bad personal day? Argue with your significant other? Expensive car trouble? Got turned down for the next gig?... Did you take that attitude to work with you? Do you know a co-worker that has done that? Have you ever been served by someone and wonder what that snottiness is coming from?

I worked many years at a resort that not only dealt with business groups. A large percentage of the banquet and catering business was weddings. We (the management) stressed the importance of having No Bad Days for weddings. A tiny whiff of a bad attitude by a new bride, and you not only ruined her entire wedding day, you have ruined it for life. She will definitely let everyone she encounters how much you suck...for life. Or at least until the divorce, which you will have started with her crappy reception.

Business functions were not as bad. Maybe because they're used to it. Maybe because they hate their jobs, too.

Perhaps that's why working at destination vacations have made me expand my No Bad Days to all day every day. Many people hate their jobs. They live for their vacations. Dealing with people that make them upset ruins their time and that ruins their year.

I was going to illustrate with my own example of going on a destination vacation. I was really very satisfied with a place until running into a grumpy employee at the resorts bar. After that I noticed the stains in the carpet (behind the closet door); how often the windows were washed...or not...it doesn't matter if it is on the 15th floor; a hard water spot on my knife....

But I think I'll use another example. There is this seasonal place that I have heard very wide reviews from past employees. It seemed to be a place that is very much liked...or very much disliked. I decided to look at it's tripadvisor.com reviews from guests. I found it to be much the same...very high ratings and very low ratings...it almost sounds like two different places. I decided to read a little closer. Can you guess the ratings from these quotes:

"The front desk was extremely accomodating, they really went above and beyond in lots of little ways."

"Two young men at the desk were worse than indifferent."

"All the people who worked there that we encountered were very friendly. A number of retirees spend the season working there, and they report really enjoying it."

"There's a very dark bar with a very angry bartender. He seemed to hate being ther more than anyone else."

"Everyone was very friendly, especially..."

"The employees were clueless...and none were especially nice."

Maybe you know this resort, maybe you don't. The name doesn't matter. I'm just using it as an example for promoting NO BAD DAYS.

Go ahead and share your problems with some of your co-workers when you're alone. I'll empathize and maybe help you out.

I'm in this business because I really enjoy serving people. There are many other career paths that I could hyave chosen if material gain was the goal. I really like the smiles more than the cash. I'll empathize and maybe help you out. But if you have that attitude during a guest contact, there is nothing that you can be going through that I can't make worse.