The Art of Service

[HostDave]

There are many things in this world that are solid and beyond debate. For example, the final score of a college basketball game denotes a winner and a loser. In the beloved NCAA Tournament, more commonly known as March Madness, each victory advances a team to the next tier of competition. Win, and you’re in. Lose, and you’re out. It’s as simple as that. There is no gray area. It’s all black and white.

A plane is either on time or it’s not. Your internet connection is either fast or slow. Your car gets a certain mileage in the city or highway; each time you fill up the tank, the numbers don’t lie. As children, it’s even easier to see things as black and white. Things and people are good or bad. Getting a new stuffed animal is a good thing. Getting grounded for not taking out the trash is a bad thing. And each emotion for a child is all or nothing. We either loved something or hated it. If we didn’t remember that from our own childhood, raising kids ourselves reminded us that children don’t have any gray areas.

In our grown-up world, we don’t see too many issues that are purely black and white. The experience that comes with age brings the understanding that we all see things in a slightly different light, and with that understanding we start to blur the lines. When it comes to anything that is subjective, such as categorizing a movie, a vacation, a restaurant or an experience as good or bad, there are 50 shades of gray.

One of the most intangible definitions to nail down is whether or not service is good, bad or falls somewhere in the middle of a muted scale of grays. If we are at a fast food restaurant and the person behind the counter doesn’t greet us with a cheery smile and ebullient attitude yet is nominally polite and takes our order efficiently, we would likely consider that as fairly good service, given the context. If we’re in a nice restaurant, the kind where you celebrate anniversaries and other life events, and our waiter or waitress had that same attitude, we might feel slightly cheated of the complete experience. In that context, the service wasn’t good. We expected more.

Good service is both dependent upon the expectations of the guest and the circumstances of the experience. At the American Queen Steamboat Company, we see a wide range of expectations when people join us for a river voyage. Some have taken cruises on very large vessels and expect to feel almost forgotten at times. Others have only experienced service that is almost invasive in its tenacity. Still others expect the distant, objectified approach that leaves you feeling like the extra pillow you requested was a chore rather than a service.

We love to exceed all these expectations when our guests travel with us and discover what elegant river cruising is all about. What they find is service that is prompt, attentive and respectful, but most importantly, it is personal. They see busboys, stateroom attendants and Pursers going about their business with warm, genuine smiles because they truly enjoy bringing happiness to others. Guests discover that those serving them aboard the American Queen might be from their hometown, or attended the same college as their children or grandchildren.

Our guests and our staff form bonds during the course of a voyage that are hard to categorize. The bonds are ones of friendship that are exemplified in real enthusiasm to please yet tempered with a strong undercurrent of talent and professionalism that allow our staff to anticipate a guest’s preferences. For example, by the second or third time you head to the Front Porch Café, our staff will know you’re on the prowl for the fresh-baked cookies and might have even set aside a few for you. Even during a casual open-seating brunch in the dining room, your waiter from last night will remember that you like sweet tea and whisper to the waiter currently serving your table of your preference. Magically, a glass of sweet tea is provided by a waiter you’ve never met before.

Good service is an art and one that is universally understood. What is good service to you? We guarantee that shortly after you step aboard, our staff will learn the little details that make a voyage special for you based on your likes and dislikes.

So what is the essence behind the art of service? Excellent training is part of it of course. But you can’t make a pecan pie out of rocks; you have to start with the right ingredients. For the American Queen Steamboat Company, that’s the people. We look for staff who are intelligent problem-solvers with a great attitude and a desire to please. They are excited to be aboard the American Queen, and they feel genuine pride in going above and beyond to ensure each and every guest has an exceptional experience.

Numerous books have been written about the art of service. Entire websites are devoted to the science of service. But we’ve discovered the secret that seems to be overlooked in the spreadsheets and flow chart. Anyone can learn to carry a tray the right way, or make a bed just so. That doesn’t make memorable service. The art of service is simple.

All you have to do is hire people who care.