I graduated from college in 1971, and began my career as a manager in the hospitality business. One thing I learned quickly was that to enjoy my work in the hotel business, my team and I needed strong interpersonal skills. If we believe that 1% of the population is not friendly or likeable, that means we would encounter two such people each day if we had 200 guests.
My first test with a carmudgeon involved Mr. Kramer. He would check in very demanding and was quick to complain if he didn’t get fast enough service or special treatment. Before long, my entire staff was upset because of having to deal with Mr. Kramer. He wasn’t cruel or insulting…just a pain in the neck,
.Since Mr. Kramer came often, I knew I needed to find a way to get Mr. Kramer’s behavior to a palatable level. I thought of an idea: Since Mr. Kramer is not friendly, he is probably used to not getting the best service. Why not turn that around?
To begin this effort, I began impersonating Mr. Kramer. (I was pretty good at it!). When a staff member made a mistake or needed re-direction, I would talk to them in Mr. Kramer’s voice. We began to have so much fun with the routine that we all began to truly look forward to Mr Kramer’s next visit. We were excited to talk to the real Mr. Kramer. He wasn’t used to this kind of treatment. He changed his tune, and before long we discovered his sense of humor, and it was a good one.
In addition to making our work environment more enjoyable, Mr. Kramer gave us numerous referrals. He told his friends, “This is the place you want to stay”.
The next time you have to work with someone like Mr. Kramer, remember, like you and I, that person wants to feel important. If make them feel important, you will greatly increase your odds of making things better.
