As many of you know, I got 2 jobs - one in oil & gas company and another one in a night club. I've been working in a club for over 3 months, and have noticed lots of those little signs that people got used to and don't think about as it could be something unusual.
What I'm talking about is the service.
Oh, yes, please stop yelling that it's Russia, and we, Russians, don't know what a good service is. We definitely don't until we go to a really expensive restaurant with the well-trained personnel or abroad where people surely know how to earn money, do business and provide great service. So, as you see, there are only 2 ways to feel relaxed and comfortable in a place that you're visiting.
Well, back to club and service. To me, a good and reputable club starts with the security - also, security guys are the first people that you meet at the entrance door. They decide if you meet the standards of the club and either let you in or try to find an excuse so then you’d leave to another place. But they (the security) will surely be well-dressed up, polite and greet each and every potential visitor (we call them “guests”). They won’t beat anybody or speak trash. They will always be close enough if there’s a problem that needs their participation.
Speaking of internal issues, they will never be late to work as I was witnessed of yesterday night – the only one “green” security guy came to work on time, but he had no idea of what he should have been doing! Some of our security guys do bodybuilding, and they eat 4-5 times per shift: let’s make some estimation – 4 times x (at least) 15 minutes = 60 minutes = 1 hour. And these guys are being paid for that “lunch time”! That’s ridiculous! :(
Now imagine that you’ve come through the serious face-control, passed the dress-code check and finally you’re in! Having a big and heavy coat, you’d better leave it at the hatcheck room – that’s where you meet the hatchecking girl. Always smiling, she politely greets you, takes your coat and gives you your card.
And then (ouch, the entrance finally!!!) – you’re at the cash-desk, where you again meets another polite & smiling girl who gives you the card and does all the final calculations when you’re leaving. You handle her money for the entrance fee and get to the club. Cashier is only the person that greets guess, gives cards and take money – she’s not supposed to solve problems and listen to this drunk trash when guests are “not in a mood” – let’s leave this with the administrators (that are never there), managers (who hold all the responsibility) and security (usually comes when everything’s already resolved).
Being thirsty, you head to the bar and order a drink. A professional barman (no matter if it’s a handsome boy or a cute girl) makes you a cocktail or even 2, and if you’re in a mood, even talks to you about the *ucking weather, world crisis and small wages. A waitress replaces your ash-trays once it’s full and brings your orders on time. Oh no, she never argues and wouldn’t say any trash word – the client is always right.
Another story if you wanna order hookah (kalian). Speaking of our club, it is not always possible. 2 shifts ago, none of our guys who are responsible for making hookahs, made them – they all rejected, and the client was left without one!!! Yeah, a great service we provide.
At the end: coming to a night club you expect to have a nice time, relax by dancing ad having a couple of drinks, but instead you fight with the bad quality service and wild personnel. I do not know why people still leave some tip – probably, it’s not that bad after all! Let’s all cross our fingers and hope that the service would be better in all those places that we love to visit, but hate to go due to the attitude.
To me, I have seen a good service in only 2 places in our town – and both really expensive. I tend to believe they trained the personnel not because of the good income. And you know what? – No matter how high the prices are, I will be visiting these places because that’s where I feel like I’m taken care of.
I tend to believe that there are some places where personnel looks not on outfit, but on the look of your debt card – bet if the card if at least Gold, you’ll be allowed to most of the places. I remember one day Mother and I was surfing the town by shopping for some nice dresses. At the end of almost 5-hour run from store to store, we felt starved and decided to have some lunch. Leaving all the packages in a car, we entered the café, and saw an empty hall. An angry waitress headed us to a small table somewhere in the dark corner, and brought a menu. To my question of why we were sitting there and if there was any possibility to move to another table, she replied all the other tables were reserved, but there were no plates on the tables saying so. We left the café immediately – there was no desire to stay there after such a hosting! I tell you, they have lost me as a client forever – but I could leave them a good tip.
I remember my US friend told me a story about the service. Her husband and she were able to visit a really expensive restaurant in NY – it was that kind of restaurants that you have to make reservations long before your visit (at least, a month). I don’t really remember what she said she ordered, but when the food was delivered, she realized it looked different than what she had expected – and she shared this thought with her hubby. The waitress, who was close to them, heard this and the plate with food had immediately disappeared from the table and replaced with another one. Plus, they both got a free dessert and the manager of the restaurant personally came to excuse for such a mistake!
Being an optimist, I still naively believe that Russia isn’t such a bad place and we are all not so silly and can learn to be better.
Everyone – have a great week! Keep in touch!
-Annie
P.S. Speaking of professionals: here is the video of our barmen making cocktails:
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