#8 Service workers

Being a waitress or a waiter is definitely not an easy job. It's very fast paced and needs careful attention to detail. The ability to multitask is a must.

I've never had a restaurant job and I would honestly like to keep it that way. I'm not trying to disrespect anyone or look down on restaurant staff, I just don't think I would be able to handle it. It's just not for everyone, especially waiting tables.

Good waiters and waitresses have to be very well prepared. There are so many things they have to know and remember. Knowing the menu from top to bottom is a must. Also, knowing the basics on how the food is cooked is a plus. My dad is that special costumer who always has a million questions before making his decision on what he will order. He's always impressed when the waiter knows what he's doing.

It's also pretty interesting how waiters and waitresses have to constantly change the way they talk and how they communicate. they have to be warm and patient with costumers. They need to use "normal" conversation skills to present their product. When they write out the order or go tell a chef what he or she will need to cook this changes. They're part of the same discourse community within the restaurant so they use their own slang and abbreviations.

Peter Drucker claims that workers in service jobs such as waiters can't be considered "knowledge workers." I find this a bit insulting and condescending. Maybe one doesn't go to college to be able to wait tables, but that doesn't mean the job doesn't require a vast amount of knowledge.

My current job is basically all costumer service. It may seem like anyone can do it, after all, the main part of the job is to keep the costumer happy and answer questions. It's not easy. Not everyone can do it. I've seen co-workers come and go because they can't get the hang of it. The truth is you have to be trained properly to be successful. Costumers expect us to answer any question they have so we have to be ready and know as much about our company as possible. In fact, we constantly have to go to trainings ranging from information about special events to how to communicate more efficiently with our costumers.