Good service

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On Saturday I stayed at my friends' house in Edinburgh, and had to return to Glasgow in the morning.I got a cab to the station, and it was incredible.

They asked me exactly when I wanted the taxi for, and when the driver got there he held the door open for me, greeted me with 'morning, Mr Cook' and knew where I was going without me having to tell him.

What's more, the ride cost £3.80, I gave him four quid and he thanked me for being so generous!

Later I began to think about this. I shouldn't have been so surprised. This kind of thing should happen all the time.

Shouldn't we expect good service wherever we go, or is it an all-too-rare commodity these days? Was it better in 'the olden days'? Are people in public service getting nastier, or lazier, or both? What are your best/worst experiences in this area?

― Ally C, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I was a waitress last summer and I always tried to give people really good service. Like I would go out of my way to give them personalised service rather than just treating customers as if they are pests that need to be herded around like robots to make my job easier. People can be really bossy and nasty if they think they are not getting the good service they deserve and pay for, and I got treated really rudely sometimes. But also some people were so polite and decent that it really was a pleasure to serve them. Some people are not suited to the service industry, because they think serving others is beneath them, but I think it can actually be quite a priveleged position to be in, and for the most part I found it interesting and rewarding.

― rainy, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i once had a bus driver who was on the end of his route, dropped me home and let me smoke in the bus...midn you i once had a bus driver who wouldn't let me on cos i argued over the fare. nike's new slogan - expect nothing.

― Geoff, Tuesday, 21 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I have had the worst service of my life and aawful food today.

― anthony, Wednesday, 22 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Actually, I was at a fancy-schmantzy hotel in Connecticut for a conference this weekend. Service was excellent -- they set up the computers and projectors for the presentation exactly as specified, rooms were well-kept, service people were friendly and helpful, and when we had trouble getting cabs to take conferencees to the train station they shuttled them there free of charge.

Strictly speaking, I am still in the "service industry." (Yes, lawyers are considered to be doing a "service," and you can all now snicker and laugh up yer sleeves.) That said, I'm not that far removed from the shittier service-industry jobs (working as a cashier and such stuff) and I haven't forgotten what pains-in-the-asses customers can be. I always try to be as patient and understanding with people in such jobs as I can be, unless they're doing something outrageous (which does happen).

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Wednesday, 22 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Today at the bar I work at, I lied and told a customer that we ran out of espresso because I didn't feel like making a cappucino for her. Karma caught up with me later as two guys left without paying for their ketel-one martinis extra-dry with three olives.

― Phil-Two, Wednesday, 22 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I live in London. What's 'service'?

― dave q, Wednesday, 22 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ally, was the cab driver not just taking the mickey?

― Tim, Wednesday, 22 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You mean about the tip? Or the whole thing? I don't believe so, or if he was he was going pointlessly out of his way to do so. Anyway, what do I care? It was a very pleasant journey.

― Ally C, Wednesday, 22 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Of course the other side of this is being a good customer. Thanking waitrons for bringing drinks/cleaning ashtrays and of course TAKING YOUR GLASSES BACK TO BAR on departure are things i go out of my way to do. Christ they are being paid next to nothing to deal with shits all nite, the least you can do is be civil to them i reckon...

― carsmilesteve, Wednesday, 22 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

This is true. There's no reason to be rude to waitstaff. I always say thank you to the guy who refills the water, to the host, to the waitress who takes away the menus, to the guy who brings more bread, to every waiter as I leave...etc etc. Unless they give me a reason to be rude apropos of nothing, basically, I'm very nice. Which is why all my favorite restaurants are full of people who adore me and kiss me hello and give me free Sambucca.

― Ally, Wednesday, 22 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

twenty-three years pass...

im touring scotland (as it happens) and one thing ive noted is the seeming lack of experienced staff at the supervisory/management layer in the hotel industry and im wondering why this might be relative to at home or anywhere else abroad i can remember- its really striking on this trip but i have noticed it before when travelling around england, entire places seem to be run by student age teams

whereve all the experienced managers gone and why has this layer of management disappeared across the uk ( as i have decided it has based on my narrow recent experience)

― tuah dé danann (darraghmac), Tuesday, 24 September 2024 12:57 (one year ago)

South Africa has the best service of anywhere. You never wait to be seated, they come back to check up on you within 120 seconds of your food being served, anything substandard is immediately replaced, and the standard is in the hazy region between delicious and perfect. My jaw dropped when my partner casually asked for her margarine to be exchanged for real butter. That contrasted to where I came from, where trying to flag someone down is not worth the bother as you will have finished eating long before anyone comes to help you, grumpiness is the rule, and any request is a battle you have to brace yourself and mentally prepare your arguments for.

― Nabozo, Tuesday, 24 September 2024 13:12 (one year ago)

Also, how does 3.80 £ (even 20 years ago) cover the fare of Edimburgh - Glasgow. A cab for the same distance in Switzerland (yes, of course) would probably cost you 250 CHF.

― Nabozo, Tuesday, 24 September 2024 13:23 (one year ago)

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