A Brief Lesson in Hospitality

And a Scheduling Note

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A friend of mine—an expert in hospitality—once told me that the service industry is about more than just holidays or fun. When people travel to a destination for vacation, they seek more than just collecting some photos, imbibing food or drinks, or swimming in luxurious pools. They wish to enjoy an experience, one whose memories will outlive any of the trinkets or media they bring back from it. A stay at a five-star resort may come with some embedded warm recollections, but the interactions with the people is what will lock those experiences into lifelong memories.

To bring home the point, my friend compared it to how people choose local places they frequent such as restaurants, grocers, or taverns. As customers, we find joy in familiarity, whether it involves the physical space or the products offered. But more important than that is the familiarity with the associated people. As an American, this conversation immediately brought to mind the character Norm from the television comedy series Cheers. Set in a small pub in Boston, the show exhibited the antics of its regular patrons. Norm was something like the staple of the place—a daily visitor with his own reserved seat whose entry always evinced a loud shout of “Norm!” from anyone present upon his arrival. Even if the beer at Cheers was a bit more expensive or slightly warmer than neighboring joints, the patrons returned night after night for the communal experience. The television show’s popularity played off of exactly this dynamic. Indeed, the opening song well articulated the principle:

Sometimes you want to go…

Where everybody knows your name
And they're always glad you came
You wanna be where you can see
Our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows your name

Every business that provides a service to its customers face-to-face is in some ways a hospitality business. Whether a person patronizes a business for 30 minutes or 3 days, the necessary elements of hospitality come into play. The way the staff treats a customer strolling the aisles of a small novelty store for the first time may decide whether that person, their friends, or family ever return in the future. From a business perspective, that may make the difference between one customer who spends little to no money then leaves forever, or an entire cadre of future spenders who hear of and visit your place from the Indra’s Net effect of that first customer visit. The customer’s personal experience colors the perception of not just the business but any contextual features as well.

Recently, I endeavored on a trip that involved passage through John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. So many of my non-American friends tend to think of New York City as the crown jewel of the United States, the shining city on the hill, if you will. JFK Airport, then, provides the entryway to what many believe is one of the highlights of the country. As the steward to new visitors to this prestigious place, a place that serves as the ambassador to our foreign friends, its impression is as critical as that of the city itself. When people land at this airport, what happens in the moments following may very well influence the remainder of their trip, their views on the United States generally, and more critically, their opinions of the American people.

JFK Airport at sunrise

JFK Airport fails on every level. As a busy airport, its administration can be forgiven from time to time on some things. For example, aviation is a dynamic industry affected by numerous unpredictable factors—weather, mechanical items, delays elsewhere, etc. Perfectly accommodating all these factors all the time is simply impossible, but the approach to doing so matters greatly. In my case, my connection in JFK required a 10-hour layover. Where the airport administration failed was that because of the length of the layover, I could not check into my final flight for some hours. This required hanging out overnight in the lobby part of the airport before the security check. Both of these are understandable to some extent. However, the lobby section had no place for anyone to sit, no amenities such as coffee, beverages, or snacks, and most importantly, very few staff to help with any questions or problems. Of the staff present, the attitude was indescribably bad. With one exception, every other person in an airport uniform carried the temperament of someone who hated their job. They were rude or dismissive, choosing to wave you away rather than admit to not having an answer (the latter of which is far more desirable and forgivable). Asking what time the coffee counter opens, for example, requires a simple short answer—not a hand gesture indicating to ‘go away’.

I have traveled through this airport dozens, if not hundreds, of times. So none of this shocked or surprised me. But after my recent conversation with my aforementioned friend, it struck me how this jaundiced attitude will for so many first-time visitors to the United States become the imprinted impression. Something so simple as exhibiting compassion and concern for your own customers should not be the hard part of administering a busy airport. The United States already makes it especially challenging for people to get visas just to make a tourist visit. The process is tedious and littered with bureaucratic senselessness. Yet, hundreds of thousands endure those obstacles to realize their dream of coming to this country to experience what has been so glamorized through Hollywood and news media. Do we really want their landing point into the country, the first step in forever memorializing their cherished experience, to be met by a bunch of cranky, discourteous, or incompetent staff?

Of note, I wrote the majority of this piece while sitting (uncomfortably) in that disgraceful airport. I have a larger piece in the works, but my travels were delayed somewhat and I have not had chance to finish it. I should have it complete and posted within the next few days.

On one more note, my deepest condolences go to those affected by the earthquake that struck Nepal yesterday, epicentered in Jajarkot district. May all those affected, their family and friends, and the rescue and relief workers find the help and support they need.

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I am a Certified Forensic Computer Examiner, Certified Crime Analyst, Certified Fraud Examiner, and Certified Financial Crimes Investigator with a Juris Doctor and a Master’s degree in history. I spent 10 years working in the New York State Division of Criminal Justice as Senior Analyst and Investigator. Today, I teach Cybersecurity, Ethical Hacking, and Digital Forensics at Softwarica College of IT and E-Commerce in Nepal. In addition, I offer training on Financial Crime Prevention and Investigation. I am also Vice President of Digi Technology in Nepal, for which I have also created its sister company in the USA, Digi Technology America, LLC. We provide technology solutions for businesses or individuals, including cybersecurity, all across the globe. I was a firefighter before I joined law enforcement and now I currently run a non-profit that uses mobile applications and other technologies to create Early Alert Systems for natural disasters for people living in remote or poor areas.

Find more about me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Mastodon. Or visit my EALS Global Foundation’s webpage page here.