I’ve been thinking of writing something about love because even though I don’t celebrate Valentine’s, I can’t discount the fact that February is always associated with the word love. And love for me is always associated with kindness.
Yesterday, one female guest was shouting at my colleague at the reception. She wanted to move to another villa on the other side of the island away from strong wind. My colleague informed her that one villa will be vacated soon however, the guests of that villa decided to extend their stay. Unfortunately, my colleague forgot to inform that female guest, hence the ruckus yesterday morning.
Last December, while my colleague at the reception was talking to a guest, another guest, a middle-aged lady dumped a sack on the reception desk, wet and full of sand. The lady screamed at my colleague complaining about sacks on our beach and reef. Those sacks were used as sandbags that we place on the beach to prevent erosion. After some time and due to the weather, those sacks wore out and the ropes loosen. When that happens, the sacks would either get stuck on the corals or wash up on the shores. The lady ranted about how we as a brand promote ourselves as socially responsible when we couldn’t even clean our own beach and reef.
Both guests are not entirely wrong. They pay a certain amount and they have certain expectations. Of course, we all do. In both cases, we admit the negligence from our side. However, my colleagues, me, and all of us working in the service industry are also human beings. I am not trying to make excuses but we also get tired and we can also make mistakes.
When the whole world was on lockdown, most of us if not all, must have wished for the time to come that we can travel again. And now that the world is slowly opening up, I hope we don’t forget what we have been through inside the four walls of our houses.
At this time, hoteliers are also front liners just like health care workers. We nurse mental and emotional health by providing service so all of our guests can have a great holiday, the break they have been all longing for a while on lockdown.
If you would be able to travel soon and stay in a hotel or eat in a restaurant, as a hotelier, I ask you to be a little bit kinder. Let go of minor mistakes if it doesn’t really affect you at all. If the employee admitted that it’s his or her mistake, please forgive them. You know how difficult it is to admit mistakes and say sorry. If the error is unbearable, you may always let us know but you don’t need to scream. We can hear you enough and we understand.
Because of COVID, the cleaning and hygiene standards doubled. That means, in order for us to provide a safe environment to our guests, we have to double our efforts in cleaning, sanitizing, and following the safety standards. It entails a lot of round-the-clock work that you don’t really see.
As a person in the service field, we know that we get paid because of the service we provide. However, even a little appreciation and a simple thank you can go a long way.
17 responses to “A Little Bit of Kindness”
A thank you from a smiling face weighs more than anything.
You are absolutely right, Aysa. You and your colleagues, and all others like you, are also human beings.
Just like those who pay up and place an old sack on the reception of the place they are staying and demanding more, just because they are paying.
Honestly, I really hate such kind of jerks who keeps on demanding more, just because they are paying.
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Thanks Hammad. My colleague was at the verge of crying while the lady with the sack screamed at him.
It is really saddening to see such kind of attitude. They paid their stay but they didn’t pay our lives *__*
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So many just don’t even bother to understand the impact their words or actions can make.
Such individuals are simply heartless!
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That’s true. If we can all just be kind to one another 🙂
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Reblogged this on Blog of Hammad Rais and commented:
Check out this thought provoking post from Aysa!
This is especially for those who are making travel plans for themselves.
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Salamat sa paalala, Aysa. Masungit pa naman ako minsan, especially if I paid for it. Haha.
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Actually ako din masungit lalo na pag alam kong dinidiscriminate ako. Di ko naman kasalanan na mukha akong dukha HAHAHA…Pero at this time, kung may pinagdaanan ang guests during lockdown, kami din hahahaha….at actually, direct contact din kami sa iba’t ibang tao, napakarisky ng work namin
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Truthsahamnida!
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Thank you for the reminder.
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Welcme po and thanks for reading 🙂
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Well said!
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Thanks!
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Tama girl… we should be more aware about our reactions… consider to be kind first before anything else…
Thanks for this very thoughtful post..
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Mahirap panindigan maging mabait kasi bruhilda ako minsan (or madalas) pero I try haha
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Haha. Parang mabait ka naman… feel ko slight… parang tunay na kabaitan 😂— since service provider rin ako, at nakatanghod lang sa mga kaamuhan at since we manage hedge funds (maka hedge funds naman, ano?) napapansin ko, ang mga old money, mas mabait kesa new moneyed people… parang kwentang kwenta nang mga newly rich yung binabayad nila sa kumpanya namin kung maka demand ng serbisyo pero ung mga legit, chillax lang sila…
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naks ngayon ko lang narinig ang hedge funds hahaha salamat sa iyong explanation hahahaha…pero totoo yang yung mga tunay na mayaman eversince ay mababait hahaha
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Hahaha, kaya pag naka meet ka nang mahadera… ay naku, new money 😀 😀 😀
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