Courtesy...an endangered species!

From my experience in the variety of jobs I had through the years, there is something that it seems to be at risk of extinction which makes me a bit sad and sometimes frustrated...

It is already a pain when a customer is rude or treats you like shit as we are only there to serve them like slaves, but what's worse is when the staff lacks of courtesy towards the client.

You see, I learned that even if the client is the most fucked up person, everyone, including them, should be treated with politeness and courtesy! These are actually your best weapons to treat people, especially the worst ones, because you shouldn't get to their level and with patience and assertiveness, like a toddler with a tantrum eventually stops being a dick and understands that they won't achieve anything with that behaviour. Unless they speak with the big bosses and manage to get what they want because of the "customer is always right" bullshit but that might be content for another post!

Anyway, the staff not being polite or having the courtesy towards a customer is another story! We are providing a service, not just massages in my current case, but also we need to make the client as comfortable as possible.

Massages can make the client feel very vulnerable, especially those who come for the first time to the spa. A smile and other simple things like asking if they are ok a few times during the session or even letting them in the massage room first, simple things can make a huge difference and turn the treatment even more pleasant.

No matter how bad your personal life might be or how many problems you might have, even if it's difficult to separate things from the outside to the inside of your workplace, you must leave everything outside the best you can! Because the clients are not to blame for what's happening in your life nor they can blame us for their lives.

What matters is to provide the best service possible!

"...but, but, Eliana, your English is great you can talk more freely with them, it's easier for you, blah, blah, blah, excuses..."

Any now and then I hear this from co-workers...

Well, I did invest my time and money and focused on one language which is English but it doesn't matter because I barely speak French and know just a couple of words in German (and count to 10 lol)! I can still communicate in some form like gestures and I can always use a translator from the phone or computer.

What matters is that you do your best to communicate and most of the time you can ease the communication just by smiling! It's the most universal thing and the standard for every job that deals with people directly, no matter how bad the client and/or your personal life is messed up!

Treat people you would like to be treated and your smile is your best weapon!