The Service Industry: Your Best Stories Here

[Apocalipstic]

Or driving through and they ask "will this be for here or to go?"

Well, I was planning on sitting right here at the drive through munching on my fries.

[Mitmo01]

omg this i have so many of these stories but something that always sticks out in my mind is this:

I worked for MCIWorldcom for 6 years in customer service and when 9/11 happened there was a skeleton crew at the center that i worked at because most everyone went home---so there is like 20 of us on the phone when usually there would be like 300 or more

so 9/11 has just happened and we literally had people calling in wanting to know why they could not reach new york and they were seriously mad like irate

we were all like well just turn on the television youll know why
it was freakin sad

[Medusa]

Oh yeah, 911 was BAD.

I was working 2 overlapping jobs at that point. One was as a Project Manager in the Engineering department of a major telephone company and the other was my part-time at the airport for a major airline.

I got slammed on both ends.

During the day, I would get a plethora of complaints both internal and external about the lack of phone service in and around NYC and at night it would be irate people demanding to fly to NYC even though all planes were grounded.

I remember one dude at the airport threatening to "whip my ass" if I did'nt get him to Islip, NY THAT EVENING. I was so tired and overwhelmed with the news that one of our relief pilots had been killed in the United Airlines flight that I just looked at the guy and took off my name badge and threw my hands in the air and said, "Well come the fuck on then. You wanna whip my ass? Just come ON! Just come right over this counter and start whipping because I just need an excuse at this point to bust you upside your damn head."

There was a line of people behind him who heard me go off on him and several people who stepped up and told that guy to get out of my face and to get his shit together. One lady even took a bottle of water out of her bag and gave it to me.

There were only 2 of us at the airport on the evening of 9/11. 450 passengers to accomodate in hotels or rebook on other forms of transportation. 450 people to provide with phone cards, toiletry kits, meals, etc. We ran out of everything.

It was 4am before we got everything handled and the next wave of people started coming in for the 6am flight to Charlotte, NC.
I had to be at my engineering job at 8am.

Nightmarish, needless to say, but I wouldn't have done it any different. There were so many people there who were terrified and upset. People who couldn't get ahold of their families in NY. People trying to figure out if their meetings had been affected. People just in shock.

It was just crazy.

[Waldo]

9/11 really changed my attitude about travel (well, duh) and how I deal with the challenges.

This isn't my story, but I'm sharing it because it's a good one and Medusa's story reminded me of it.

I happened to have changed my flight from that Tuesday morning to Monday night and was safely sleeping in my hotel room in Tempe when the first plane hit. I woke up just in time to tune in for the second plane to hit.

In 2001 I had a friend who worked in marketing and communications for one of the major airlines involved in the event. Suffice it to say that she did not have day to day interaction with consumers at this point in her career.

While I was stuck in Tempe for the week without the ability to get home, my partner was in very intermittent text communication with said friend to make sure she was ok, offering support, etc.

She would relay information here and there about what was going on. She'd had been on site at HQ 24/7 for days. They had but one "grief team" and two downed flights so people that would not ordinarily be called on to drop their regular airline duties and rush to the scene to coordinate, counsel and provide support were being sent out into the field to do just that.

If you can imagine that someone who is regularly tasked with making reservations or taking inquiries about upgrades is suddenly called on to take calls from frightened, angry, grief-stricken family members when a flight goes down. Now imagine it when they, themselves had friends and family on board those planes - as was the case with many this time.

When I was finally allowed to fly home that Friday I thanked every last airline employee who had a hand in getting me on that flight and getting me home. Even the poor woman who took my "deadly" nail clippers from me. And now when my temper starts to rise and my patience is running out with delays and cancellations I roll with it as much as possible. Although I do admit that last year around this time I was inconsolable when the weather caused an unexpected overnight stay in Houston on route to my birthday holiday in Mexico but even then I didn't take it out on the staff. I was just firm that she needed to help me salvage my holiday and get us there as quick as possible.

Weather, illness, delays, cancellations and unfortunately, worse - happen. This is when being nice, though firm, will help infinitely more than throwing a hissy fit. It also helps if you're prepared. Take medication? Keep it in your carry on. Have electronics? Keep the chargers in your carry on.

So for all of those who have worked tirelessly to get me where I need to go safely and with a minimum of fuss, I thank you.

[Apocalipstic]

When 9/11 happened, we had a ship about to dock in Boston which had just been built in France.

Only empoyees were on the ship, including our employees who had been building the sets and rehearsing in the on board theatre.

The ship was not allowed to dock on US soil and had to be diverted to the Bahamas for 2 weeks.

The girlfriend of one of our employees (who also happens to be gay and a former roomate of mine) called me over and over screaming at me that her G/F was being held "hostage" by the Cruise Line and that I did not understand that they were as much a couple as a straight couple and that I should give her the FBI's phone number.

SIGH.

[Apocalipstic]

Someone called me a few months ago and asked for a tumbleweed.

"Wrong state" I said, we have hay bales here in Tennessee.

This week, everyone has suddenly realized it is Easter and wants an Easter Throne????? WTH?

One year the hotel I worked for made the mistake of serving hossenfeffer on the Easter Buffet. I suggested a 12 stations of the cross theme, but was shot down.

[Kenna]

Originally Posted by apocalipstic

Someone called me a few months ago and asked for a tumbleweed.

"Wrong state" I said, we have hay bales here in Tennessee.

This week, everyone has suddenly realized it is Easter and wants an Easter Throne????? WTH?

One year the hotel I worked for made the mistake of serving hossenfeffer on the Easter Buffet. I suggested a 12 stations of the cross theme, but was shot down.

Awwwww poor Easter Bunny!!