Hospitality

I wrote this article while I was still working at the Upstream Brewing Company, Omaha, Nebraska. I worked there for almost 6 years as a server, bartender, manager, and office manager. I truly found the experience life changing. I learned a lot from the company, the managers and the staff. I learned about food, wine, alcohol, business management but most of all I learned about people. I wanted to post this "food for thought" to those people who do or do not understand what it takes to work in the hospitality industry. Being a server/bartender is rather overrated by most as a “college job”, however, a good server can make a lot of money and have a very fulfilling career "serving" others. The hospitality industry is not something anyone can do, although many try. There are many servers, but very few good servers. Enjoy the read. Hospitality: Cordial and generous reception of or disposition toward guests; an instance of cordial and generous treatment of guests. Disposition: One's usual mood; temperament: Working in the restaurant industry, I am more than aware of the importance of hospitality. Hospitality is the need to make the customer feel as if they stepped into my own dining room and are about to encounter a dining experience like they have never had before. I have exactly 30-60 seconds to win my guests over, and convince them that I am here for them. I want them to be able to ask me for things they need, however, I want to anticipate what it is they may need before they have to ask me for it. This is part of the “service” included in their experience. Hospitality is a “cordial and generous reception of (and) or disposition towards guests.” I stress the “and” because I may be at the job, I may say hello, I may give them all the things they ask for, but I may have the worst disposition in the world. Therefore, hospitality includes disposition, it also includes awareness of one’s job. The smallest details can make or break an experience for a guest. Wrappers on the table, a glass not staying full, the empty plates not being pre-bussed, the server not knowing the specials, the server’s knowledge of the food preparation, what options are available for the guest to purchase, and the timeliness of whole dining experience. My friend’s mother will not go back into a particular restaurant, because the hostess “huffed” at her when she asked to not sit in the bar area, but instead wanted the main dining room. This started the whole experience off for her on a bad note. I understand there are personalities out there that cannot be satisfied, even with the best of disposition, but it is my job to make sure I have gone above and beyond the call of duty, to have tried to satisfy every person who walks through the restaurant doors. I repeat the importance of disposition. An attitude of whether you are at your job to make money, get the job done, or you are a body taking up space makes a difference. Not only to how the day will be for you, but how your customers will treat you, how your coworkers think of you, and what your management will think of you. You are not in the hospitality business to be a slave; however, you are there to work, to make money, to satisfy the needs of the people who have come into the business you have selected to work for. If this is not why you are there (and the space or energy you are exerting to complain and whine is your purpose) then perhaps you should find something that works better into your own personal disposition. This being said, it is amazing when giving an extra ten percent to a guest, can produce more in our pocket book. We are all capable of being a little more hospitable if we try to focus on it. The amount of information that we actually retain in our minds, may come in handy when discussing food and drink in a social situation outside of work. The pride that you have, because you did make a true effort will reflect in your pocketbook, as well as, in your own consciousness of being a good person. I find the reward in kindness to others and making other people happy makes me a happier person also. I know that same ten percent could account for the percentage of people who can’t be satisfied. These are usually the same people who forgot that they are supposed to tip. In the whole big picture, if you are treating everyone equally, and doing your best, you will end up off setting those people in the book of odds. You will make more money, which if this is your only goal, will make you happy. If you insist that you have done everything in your power and have had the best attitude, then you will have to write those few people off. Usually if we look at how our whole “performance” came about, we will find we could have probably done a few things different to make the experience better for everyone. No one is perfect, no matter if you are the server, bartender, server assistant, host, manager or guest. We can only strive to do our best, and if we don’t feel like the best, we will not obtain the best experience. Attitude counts. Attitude can make or break a situation in life wherever you may be. Our attitudes at work, school, home, in relationships and friendships, whether good or bad, affect our lives. All of us have choices. We have choices to let work be work, or to challenge ourselves to take ourselves out of it, and enjoy the experience. We have a choice to be lazy or ambitious, happy or sad, mad or glad, negative or positive, giving or taking and all of these things start inside with the attitude we portray. The attitude or disposition in the hospitality industry counts for just as much as product knowledge, having a clean table, and finally our appearance to other people. Not only does hospitality include these things, it includes your presentation of yourself to other people. If you are smiling, your body and uniform are cleaned and tailored, you hair and personal effects are in order; people will take notice and make their opinion based upon not only your disposition in that 30-60 second welcome, but overall appearance. If you do not believe me, consider in your own mind your experiences on the other end as a guest. How much do you pick the server apart for their ability to do their job in relation to their overall appearance? Most people will admit they judge people first by the cover of their book. First impressions do matter, and the first impression you make to another person can be the decision between a good experience and a bad one. Thus giving food for thought, about an industry that stresses “generous treatment of guests” as the forefront to success. How successful do you want to be?

What if...

What if I didn't do what I was supposed to do today? What if I said screw it to everyone? What if I gave into temptation? What if I just let things be and be open to change? Perhaps it would come to me if I didn't "what if" so much. I am working on being more open to life. What things fall in my lap instead of what things my OCD tendencies have in mind. Do you know how hard that is? So hard some days, especially since I wasn't blessed with any kind of patience in the world. Biting my tongue is another one I am trying to work on. No more what if's and listening instead of shooting off my mouth at the wrong time. So far I can't say I have failed but I definitely have a C-. Wonder if there is any advice to get a B+ or A- average on this.

Let me know if you have it. The other what if's in my mind cause their own sort of havoc so I try to ignore them also. Some days that is harder than other days. Today is a hard day. Wanting my what if's today!!!

By Robert Frost

This is one of my most favorite poems.  I like the last two lines the most.  Enjoy, Mindy.

POEMS

BLISS
rolling hills,
snowy slopes,
elderly oaks,
long prairie grasses
sneak through the snow.
animal prints
mess its decor.
winds swirl,
sun caresses,
the bends and curves,
pink orange and purple
smear the horizon.
some winter resort,
no my home!


TREASURES
brown eyes,
ornery smiles,
dimpled cheeks,
hair tousled from sleep.
backpacks flying,
shoe tying,
bus waiting,
kiss before "they" see.
bickering mouths,
playful teases,
small battles,
chases around the house.
sweet kisses,
snuggle requests,
bedtime rituals,
lay with me please.
treasured memories
a mother's world.

a message in a bottle

Hey you. Are you aware that the world may end tomorrow and you are still in some time warp from your journal, writing the same things you did 15 years ago. Same ideals, same complaints, nice job moving forward there slick.

This would be my subconscious talking to my conscious mind after I reread some of my journal entries from at least 15 years ago. Thanks for reminding me I am still stuck like chuck.

Note for new year, GET UNSTUCK ALREADY.

Looking for motivational or inspirational help to move forward instead of sitting in the backward motion. Also giving advice, don't go reread your journals, may cause heavy drinking.

Don't Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,When funds are low and the debts are high,And you want to smile but you have to sigh,When care is pressing you down a bit,Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,As every one of us sometimes learns,And many a failure turns about,When he might have won if he'd stuck it out.Don't give up, though the pace seems slow -You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer thanIt seems to a faint and faltering man;Often the struggler has given upWhen he might have captured the victor's cup,And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out -The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,And you never can tell how close you are -It may be near when it seems afar;So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.
Author Unknown

Blessings from me to you...

May the passions guide you,
Where your head holds you back.
May the brightness of the day,
Bring the truths to your dreams of night

May life’s little treasures,
Dance upon your toes,
And make your heart giggle,
About the goals you call your own.

May love’s ever gentle hand,
Hold you when you are weak.
May you always feel protected,
By the magic that I speak.

Hold close to the wants,
Of the life you call your own.
You have everything inside,
Just turn over the stones.

May the drummer in your heart,
Beat the drum that he must drum.
May you never feel alone or blue,
Someone is looking out for you.

Mindy Venditte