#175: Service With A Smile?

Tonight at a restaurant I was reminded of a speaker I once heard who asked a simple question: "Why do so many people work so hard to get a job then, when they get one, do everything they can to avoid actual work?"

What helped me recall this question was the attitude of our waitress. This is a restaurant a friend and I frequent often and have for years. We know the management and serving staff well. Tonight, from the moment she approached our table it was obvious the waitress didn't want to be at work. She took our orders then sulked away.

A few minutes later another employee, off duty, sat with us for dinner. When she saw the attitude of our server she asked, "What's her problem?" "I don't know," I said. "Maybe she's tired." "But that's no excuse," she said. The interesting thing? The two women are roommates so maybe something will be said at home later about proper attitude. One thing for sure, the tip reflected her poor service, even forgetting to bring two items that were part of the meals. But my friend and I chose not to make a big deal of it rather than getting more of her moodiness.

It turned out she was told to work overtime and had no say in the matter and her new shoes hurt her feet. Understandable. Still, the attitude was not appreciated. I'm sure you can relate.

Haven't most of us had jobs we didn't care for? But we need to remember that for the guest or customer, our pleasant attitude may be just what they need to perk up an otherwise bad day. They don't care if we're tired or our feet hurt, they are there to enjoy a meal or to purchase a product. They want and deserve an enjoyable dining or shopping experience.

So the question is: How is your attitude at work and how do you handle things when you feel your mood slipping into darkness?