Steven Slater, American hero! . . . well sort of. Fulfilling the real American dream of the “take this job and shove it” experience. So Slater having enough from airline passengers behaving like they’re desire more important than the safety and a state of order decides to tell off the passenger over the plane’s P.A. system, grab a beer and use the emergency exit slide to get the hell out of Dodge and back home. Seems simple and it is but in a larger scheme of things where personal F.U.s can amount to a societal epiphany it’s more complex. In many ways it’s an employee who frustrated with the economy and the tension that it’s caused all over but it is to me, somebody who has spent numerous years working in different aspects of the service industry clear response to the modern guest, shopper or whatever.
The idea that the costumer is always right is still one cherished by companies all over even if it’s just a practice in bribing somebody to shut up. It’s been proven time and time again that a displeased person will tell other people of their negative experience more often than they will talk about a great one and because of that companies spend a lot of time trying make up for what may seem like a wrong doing. This has become so common that there are people now who intentionally find things to complain about, wasting an enormous amount of energy to get an upgrade at a hotel or a free meal, to them it is a game where the reward outweighs the risk of being a jackass. These are the same people that will try to walk out without paying if they aren’t given what they want and then write a nasty letter to the corporate office or owner about injustices done to them during their experience. Generally the guest will be compensated with a free night’s stay, ticket to anywhere in the country or a complimentary meal; this to me unacceptable behavior. I’ve even dealt with guests that ask for money . . . cash! The idea of everybody acting on good behavior and if there really is an important issue you discreetly bring it to the proper person’s attention has been thrown out the window as well as the squeaky wheel theory where if you’re a whiner you will get more attention. I’ve seen with my own eyes people going beyond that and just disregarding everything and everyone around them to get what they want, shoving people in line out of the way, using cell phones while the plane is trying to take off. There is a sense of entitlement that goes along with people’s impatience; it is a toxic combination. I understand that when we pay for something we have expectations but somehow expectations have become ignorant or reality. Unless I’m wrong and money really does buy everything no matter what and if that’s the case most misbehaving passengers, diners, shoppers and guests aren’t paying enough. When I worked at the front desk of a 4 star hotel a while back we had some dirt cheap rates available on line to increase our occupancy and to keep the employees busy and working. This rate became known as the riffraff rate to the front desk staff as the guests who took advantage of this rate were ridiculously high maintenance with expectations that revealed a lot about who these people’s life experience. So while these individuals complained about there not being free breakfast buffet our guests who were paying more than twice as much for the same product were all delighted that we had a complimentary wine and cheese hour available. While the former group were adamant that they had reserved bigger room the latter group regarded everything charming, cozy. Maybe the guests who paid less felt like they were being unfairly financially discriminated against, they felt that they were getting a good deal that would propel them to higher status when they were getting equal treatment as other paying clients. The abuse that these folks dealt out to the front desk staff was completely uncalled for and you would think embarrassing to the guest but like I said before there are people that don’t mind expending the energy and time; it doesn’t mean anything to them, it’s a game.
The result of such misbehaving however should be available to other hospitality providing companies. We have web sights devoted to rating companies, ranting, raving and trashing them, right? Why is there not a database full of bad guests that a Cruise line or airline can access to see who is unfit to be a part of their program? A friend of mine once demanded that people should have to take a test to fly and until you passed you would be labeled “unfit to fly”. I would like to see this, I would like to see bitches and asshole be pit into the public eye and known for their deeds.
It should be said that there are indeed testy service industry employees who can genuinely make an experience uncomfortable or horrible and these folks are more than likely burnt out on their career choice as it obviously one where the daily grind can really bring you down. The rewards are the occasional, “thank you”, cash tips and hard to obtain employee deals with your company.
I will be honest, a kind person who can strike up a good rapport with the immediate decision makers (desk workers) and aren’t afraid to let it be known their tight with Action Jackson will be welcomed and given special service by those who can. A good suggestion when going to a hotel for a lengthy stay is to tip very well on the first day or two of your stay and you will be treated like the V.I.P.
Just a note, when I say rapport I don’t mean calling people “bro” or behaving like you’re “on their level” for that’s not what a bellman or flight attendant wants. All they want is the respect that are willing to give you for being a respectable person.
