Coffee waitresses know smiles are their cup of tea

Dubai: A group of teens were chatting and laughing at a popular coffee shop when suddenly after biting into a sandwich they become angry and nasty to the waitress who served them.

The waitress handled the situation calmly and politely and within minutes the teens were back to laughing and having fun.

Wondering how she totally turned around such aggressive behaviour, Gulf News asked her the secret.

"It's hard to please everyone but we are trained to put ourselves in the customer's shoes. The customer may have had a rough day and came to the coffee shop for comfort and relaxation. So, no matter what the customer says, we don't make a big deal out of it," said Mary Ann, a Filipina, who is a supervisor at the coffee shop.

She said working in the hospitality sector has taught her how to deal with a customer, absorb his anger and always remain calm with a smile on your face.

Mousse Munywoki, a Kenyan, said he likes to meet people from various walks of life. "Interacting daily with diverse nationalities is fun," he said. "What more can I ask for?"

He said the moment he takes an order from a customer, he can gauge his personality; whether he is outgoing or a conservative.

Munywoki said a man recently walked an ordered a cup. "The moment he sipped it, he started yelling at me, saying the coffee is cold. I ran to him and told him that he will get another cup of coffee. ... He then began to talk to me in a friendly way."

Munywoki was satisfied with what he was doing. "I can't think of myself doing anything else."

Asked whether he had time for himself, he said he has flexible working hours. "I am on morning shift now, but next week I'll be on the evening shift. I get time for myself to practise playing football."

Charlemagne Ballesteros, a Filipina at the same coffee shop, said: "I studied finance and worked for a while in a bank in my hometown. Then I realised that I'm wasting my time in a boring job. I ... felt I was imprisoned in a room with five people doing the same work, day in and day out."

"I meet so many people, and some of them think of me as a friend. ... As long as I'm happy and satisfied I don't care what people might say. ... I like to be with different nationalities, so that I can acquire new knowledge and learn more of how people live."

Farook Noushad Khan, an Indian, is a supervisor at a coffee shop. He has been working for more than nine years. "When I look back, I don't believe I spent so many years working as a waiter. ... But I have received extensive training over the years."