Let me start with an obvious vent, I have been meaning to write this since a Very.Long.Time and yes, another obvious is that I'm pretty frustrated.
Why! Just why do some people think that by belittling someone / some place and trying to prove a (invalid) point, they are geniuses? That by bashing someone and their service, whatever kind that might be, it makes them somehow 'cool' ?
I have been helping manage a restaurant and a BnB for sometime now and have also, in the past worked for an organization that markets some of the best boutique properties in the country, individually run by respected and acclaimed personalities. It appals me to see the kind of ludicrous verbal diarrhoea that sadly creeps and grips some people's immune system, or in this regard, their brains, as they go about writing all sorts of nonsense while claiming to be critics.
Let me elaborate on my point here. I am not, on any account, trying to dismiss those who share their inconvenient experiences on social media platforms, and other review based platforms as it is their right to do so. My problem is, when some people just blindly start saying things that are not even true, only because somehow their ego was hurt, or because simply, that makes them feel like they are 'critics'. Why do these people think that they know everything? How can someone walk into a place and then start using fancy jargon's against that place, meanings of which they obviously don't know as those jargon's don't even fit the place / service. What proved this point to me was this - while going through a few ridiculous reviews of our restaurant and our BnB (at different times and on different platforms), I was infuriated yet inquisitive at the same time. Inquisitive because I wanted to see if we are the only ones getting all the love or if there are others who experience this as well. To satiate my curiousness, I went on to read reviews of other restaurants and properties and bang on, this was a real epidemic. I have come across such nasty, baseless reviews of so many different places that provide one service or another as some of us tend to think that just because one has paid for the service, one is almost entitled to say whatever, whenever and wherever. I came across some of the most respected and well established places bearing the brunt of having hosted a few crazy heads. What bothers me is, that this number is not 'few' any more. I strongly believe that 1 experience cannot define the credibility of a place that runs on a constant basis.
I mostly write about what I have experienced first hand and would like to go one step ahead, to try and understand (if possible) as to why the number of self proclaimed critics is increasing, and in such large volumes. And this is not just for the hospitality sector. One can witness this in almost every sector that provides some kind of service. In fact, it has almost become a competition, of who can ridicule someone the most. Yes, it is a known fact that the service industry in general is treated like trash in India, but isn't there anything that can be done to combat this? The only reasons that come to my mind are lack of perspective, patience, sensitivity and a basic sense of awareness. Where on one hand social media and the internet at large has brought us perks galore, it has also taken away a basic sense of gratitude, or that's what I feel.
If I were to have a bad experience somewhere, which I obviously have had at various times in my life, I would try and ask the management why things went wrong. I would genuinely cut them some slack and find out the reason before loosing my already lost patience and going berserk on social media / other platforms. Wait, breath, ask, 'KNOW' and then react. Just because we have paid for a service doesn't mean we ridicule without even giving someone the benefit of doubt. Now, if the place/service has always been receiving negative reviews, one would still understand, but if it has had people appreciating it, then what's the harm in finding out what went wrong and why. For instance, If I happened to travel on a well regarded airline and incur a bad experience, I would reason and if after my reasoning I would not be given my due, even then, I would be critical of 'that experience', I would not go around shouting that XYZ Airline is the Worst and that No One Should ever travel with them or avail their services... why such hate?
Every member in the service industry puts everything of themselves in their jobs. They don't get Sunday's off, they don't get holidays on festivals.. they work round the clock. We are all sadly living a life that thrives on negative criticism because its fun to read. It's fun to make fun of others... it's a convenient way out.
Cut that poor cab driver some slack.. Just because he does not know a certain route does not make him a bad cab driver... He could be new to the place, this could be his first time driving a cab, who knows!! "My dish lacks XYZ ingredients", call the chef and ask him why instead of trying to make it National News! If the lift man seemed ignorant / rude, try doing what he does for a living for just 2 days and you'll probably know the reason for his behaviour. I mean really, how many of us even say 'thank you' to the lift man, to the office boy who does your odd jobs, and several others like them? How many of us even notice and acknowledge their existence?
I don't mean to prove a point to anyone by writing this, nor am I out to change anything. I just really feel that more people should start talking about this, spreading not just awareness but also sensitizing everyone against a mindless practice that just creates more and more ill will.
Let me elaborate on my point here. I am not, on any account, trying to dismiss those who share their inconvenient experiences on social media platforms, and other review based platforms as it is their right to do so. My problem is, when some people just blindly start saying things that are not even true, only because somehow their ego was hurt, or because simply, that makes them feel like they are 'critics'. Why do these people think that they know everything? How can someone walk into a place and then start using fancy jargon's against that place, meanings of which they obviously don't know as those jargon's don't even fit the place / service. What proved this point to me was this - while going through a few ridiculous reviews of our restaurant and our BnB (at different times and on different platforms), I was infuriated yet inquisitive at the same time. Inquisitive because I wanted to see if we are the only ones getting all the love or if there are others who experience this as well. To satiate my curiousness, I went on to read reviews of other restaurants and properties and bang on, this was a real epidemic. I have come across such nasty, baseless reviews of so many different places that provide one service or another as some of us tend to think that just because one has paid for the service, one is almost entitled to say whatever, whenever and wherever. I came across some of the most respected and well established places bearing the brunt of having hosted a few crazy heads. What bothers me is, that this number is not 'few' any more. I strongly believe that 1 experience cannot define the credibility of a place that runs on a constant basis.
I mostly write about what I have experienced first hand and would like to go one step ahead, to try and understand (if possible) as to why the number of self proclaimed critics is increasing, and in such large volumes. And this is not just for the hospitality sector. One can witness this in almost every sector that provides some kind of service. In fact, it has almost become a competition, of who can ridicule someone the most. Yes, it is a known fact that the service industry in general is treated like trash in India, but isn't there anything that can be done to combat this? The only reasons that come to my mind are lack of perspective, patience, sensitivity and a basic sense of awareness. Where on one hand social media and the internet at large has brought us perks galore, it has also taken away a basic sense of gratitude, or that's what I feel.
If I were to have a bad experience somewhere, which I obviously have had at various times in my life, I would try and ask the management why things went wrong. I would genuinely cut them some slack and find out the reason before loosing my already lost patience and going berserk on social media / other platforms. Wait, breath, ask, 'KNOW' and then react. Just because we have paid for a service doesn't mean we ridicule without even giving someone the benefit of doubt. Now, if the place/service has always been receiving negative reviews, one would still understand, but if it has had people appreciating it, then what's the harm in finding out what went wrong and why. For instance, If I happened to travel on a well regarded airline and incur a bad experience, I would reason and if after my reasoning I would not be given my due, even then, I would be critical of 'that experience', I would not go around shouting that XYZ Airline is the Worst and that No One Should ever travel with them or avail their services... why such hate?
Every member in the service industry puts everything of themselves in their jobs. They don't get Sunday's off, they don't get holidays on festivals.. they work round the clock. We are all sadly living a life that thrives on negative criticism because its fun to read. It's fun to make fun of others... it's a convenient way out.
Cut that poor cab driver some slack.. Just because he does not know a certain route does not make him a bad cab driver... He could be new to the place, this could be his first time driving a cab, who knows!! "My dish lacks XYZ ingredients", call the chef and ask him why instead of trying to make it National News! If the lift man seemed ignorant / rude, try doing what he does for a living for just 2 days and you'll probably know the reason for his behaviour. I mean really, how many of us even say 'thank you' to the lift man, to the office boy who does your odd jobs, and several others like them? How many of us even notice and acknowledge their existence?
I don't mean to prove a point to anyone by writing this, nor am I out to change anything. I just really feel that more people should start talking about this, spreading not just awareness but also sensitizing everyone against a mindless practice that just creates more and more ill will.
It's high time we calmed ourselves down and appreciate what we take for granted!
...and I quote...
ReplyDelete'In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the *new*. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends.'
Anton Ego