I work at a hotel every other weekend. Believe me, I’ve run into almost everything there, all walks of life, international visitors, weddings, events, and even some human trafficking. I’ve gotten to know the county sheriffs.
I have seen people needing “welfare checks” and people too drunk to lift themselves off of the pavement. It’s humanity.
Generally the people I serve are well-heeled and courteous. We aren’t a cheap hotel. I like meeting people and I make small talk with almost everyone who shows interest. I like talking with older couples from out-state Minnesota. They are usually the “salt of the earth,” small town stalwarts and farmers.
Mistakes are made once in awhile, and people show their true colors—vibrant, coarse, or subtle. I admit that as a person who has had an inordinate amount of sadness these past years I tend to have little patience for complainers.
Sorry.
The petty irritates me.
But there IS value in serving petty people. They are the quality control of life. I need to listen to them respectfully and try my best to appease their desires. Something is missing in their lives, and we hospitality experts must jump to the expectation!
When people ask for the moon I must humbly apologize. I can’t deliver. I can make an attempt to be nice, though. (It’s hard sometimes. I’ve had people scream at me!) They forget that I am limited by the standards of the business I work for. I simply cannot give them what they want, served on a silver platter.
Are you a petty person? Do you make demands of those who try to serve you? Do your expectations belittle reality? I hope that the one you belittle can appreciate your criticism and your “helpful” ideas about what should be instead of what is.
Next time you check into a hotel or order food at a restaurant I hope you imagine that the person behind the counter or tray is possibly someone working on a master’s degree, has five children, is a widow or widower, has experienced cancer, is taking care of aged parents, is a full-time teacher moonlighting for extra cash. You may be surprised at the life experiences of these “petty people!” Just because someone folds stacks of laundry and cleans up (disgusting) messes in your rooms doesn’t mean you should belittle or berate.
Be nice. Be kind. We are trying our best to learn from what you want and need. It’s okay to be petty, because there is value in producing quality, but it isn’t pleasant.
I like it when you are thoughtful.
Those are my thoughts.