Great Quality Service is NO Accident

I chose to return to Romania over a year ago (for positive family reasons) after spending 8 years working in luxury hospitality in two wonderful cities, Venice and Dubai.

Aware that my perception of the customer experience is deeply influenced by my professional and cultural exposure, I promised to set aside subjectivity, exigence, and probably exaggeration, and to take things as they are when it comes to service quality.

However, inevitably and unfortunately very quickly, I found myself in situations where I felt disrespected, ignored, frustrated, indignant, scolded, deceived, or anything else but served. And the few positive experiences (efficient and simple transactions, nothing personalized or beyond expectations) couldn't keep up with my revolt, they couldn't compensate for the rest.

😒 "You're exaggerating, you still think you're in Dubai!" my friends would say. But I've already processed that, I know I'm not there, and I've adjusted my expectations enough, I think.

😟 "Well, it's not like that everywhere, you just had bad luck!" yes, I agree, let's explore more then, but let's not forget that I go to the mall more often than to the 5-star hotel downtown.

😨 "You'll get used to it, it won't seem like a tragedy anymore in a few months!" that shocked me even more, this invitation to mediocrity and the normalization of low living standards.

Cultural shock or not, I chose to come to this country, I wanted this change so I accepted everything that came with it. But accepting that it can't be better doesn't seem fair to me or to those who are still trying to change that.

So why does the service lack quality?

🤔 MAYBE many employees in these roles simply don't know how to do better. They haven't received training or instructions, no one has set expectations for their behavior. Whoever recruited and selected them for the job didn't consider their serving abilities, nor did they mention quality service as a priority in that job.

😞 MAYBE the employees are just unhappy and demotivated by low salaries, poor leadership, lack of feedback and appreciation, and lack of career prospects.

🥴 MAYBE the owners have invested in training and have clarified expectations, but the employees don't care, they're not motivated enough to pay attention to tone and smile, especially when no one sees them. But it's not their fault, a business owner who values the relationship with customers won't just stop at setting standards through training, they'll make sure they're respected (audits, online reputation, spot-checks, mystery shopper), and that employees understand the importance and are rewarded for the extra effort.

🙄 MAYBE it's a cultural aspect, we're not the most smiley, customer-centered, or aware of the difference between personal and professional behavior. Or, to return to the tragic attitude that a friend "accuses" me of, I can quote what an employee in a service role told me: "The customer needs our service and product, we're not going to chase after the customer now. They're free to go elsewhere if they don't like it here."

🤨 Then MAYBE there's no need for quality service, businesses have enough customers to be profitable and don't want to complicate things with immaterial aspects like personalization, anticipating needs, and polite smiles.

One thing is for sure, service quality needs improvement, and in some places, a drastic one.

I'm not referring to luxury hotels, international chains, and renowned restaurants (although we can be subjective there too) – they have resources, and access to know-how, they've attracted people with exceptional abilities, and they are permanently anchored in reality and online reputation.

I'm talking about entrepreneurs and small businesses in the hospitality and service industry (from retail to beauty salons, private clinics, and HORECA), who put the relationship with the customer the last place as a priority because, in reality, there are too many other things to do.

What have I chosen to do about this (independently and for now, at least)?

😤 To continue to revolt, respectfully;

💬 To provide constructive, specific, and polite feedback (online reviews, direct expression of dissatisfaction or satisfaction);

🎓 To approach hospitality schools in Romania, proposing free collaboration, just to be able to convey the importance of quality to new industry employees;

🔔To provide personalized services and consultancy to small companies that understand the value of a quality relationship with customers but don't have the time and resources to change independently;

📢 To contribute to the normalization of quality service through training, education, and reinforcement;

There are many other ways to contribute, what would you add to the list?