Many people say, “It's not hard to be a server, I could do it no problem.” What they don't know is, many factors play a big role in being good at serving people.
Smile
No matter how mad one of your customers make you, always smile. My last employer told me something to help me keep the smile on my face no matter what. She told me that if my smile was disappearing count to four. After each number you count take a deep breath and your smile will return.
Their was a catch to this technique, as you count you find flaws on the person you are waiting on. For example, maybe a lady you are waiting on has nose hair. After you find that flaw, you debate on whether that's the reason they are so mean. Next, you tell yourself, “I'm a good waitress, you're bitter, you have nose hair but I think I still like you. I no longer use this technique.
Be Polite
Sometimes you get some of the nicest people possible. Maybe they have done this type of work and they understand how hard it is. Yet at other times you have to wait on some of the rudest people you will ever meet. In one example, I always waited on an eighty year old man who was so callous. He was made at the world all the time, and took it out on anybody he talked to.
He would come into Golden Girls everyday, and I would always wait on him. He always wanted ham, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, and whole milk. Everyday I would tell him, “Sir, we do not have whole milk, we only have 2 % milk.” Everyday he would commence to cussing at me. I would always smile and ask, “Would you like 2% milk or would you prefer something else to drink?” He would cuss some more then order water.
I never disrespected him, and I was always polite to him. The one day he decided to take the Lord's name in vain, I politely told him I did not appreciate him using the Lord's name in vain, and that if he did it again I would not wait on him.
Most people could not handle having to be polite in situations like that. You want to scream at them and tell them your job is hard enough without situations like that, but you can't. You have to keep your composer in the toughest situations.
Give Great Service
Though there are many people out there that never have any problems with you, there are others that just don't like you. As bad as that sounds many people come in with intentions of making your day as horrible as possible.
Just like the man that came in everyday, people come in just to complain. Lots of people try to get free meals. Others think if they complain enough they can get someone fired. Some of these customers need to take their anger out on someone. They don't know who you are, they might never see you again, why not take it out on you (the server).
No matter the situation or the callousness of the customers, you always smile when you give them their food. You always ask if they need anything else. You always come back to check on them. These people who say serving is a piece of cake, would probably throw their food on the table and never go back.
Servers that are good at their job overlook these situations, and try to serve the customers with the best attitude possible. Servers sometimes have the best personalities ever, on the other hand some servers let these customers get to them. Most servers with a negative attitude do not keep their jobs for long. Because you know what they say, “The customers always right.”
