I called Babbo last night to make a reservation for dinner in July (you have to book a month ahead). As I was waiting to be connected to the “reservationist” (is that a word? Perhaps a newfangled contraction of “reservations specialist”?) I started thinking about what a lousy job that must be–spending hours every day going from one call to the next taking down names and numbers, giving out confirmation numbers, dealing with pissed-off New Yorkers (or their secretaries).But then the reservationist picked up, interrupting my speculation. She had the nicest voice and sounded like the most content, positive person in this city. Talking to her for less than five minutes put me in the best mood I’d been in all day.
Which made me wonder: Does she actually like her job that much? Is she just an inherently happy person? Or is she just being a real professional and doing her customer service job in a way so very few operators and “reservationists” seem to these days?
Upon hanging up, I vowed to try to work a little of her attitude into my own daily routine, whether dealing with clients, partners or just the average person on the street. It would be nice to make someone’s day, for a change!
