It’s no secret that we live in a very fast-paced, impatient, and sometimes, an all-about-me society. It’s important to remember to approach situations with kindness and patience especially when dealing with someone in customer service.

On a recent weekend trip I ended up at a hotel that was less than satisfactory. First off they lost my reservation, which might make some travelers instantly mad. While I was disappointed, the newly minted manager of the hotel explained what happened and I quickly felt bad for the situation she was in. Turns out, the staff had walked out the night before, which meant this manager was sent in from another hotel and was learning the booking system.

She was very apologetic about the situation and was visibly sad about what happened. She explained she hadn’t worked at the hotel before and it was clearly frustrating for her. I could tell she took pride in her job. After two more unfortunate incidents involving rooms, I decided to leave the hotel.

At this point I could’ve really let her have it, but decided against it because I could tell she was legitimately trying hard. Besides, yelling and belittling someone is pointless and not in any way a classy thing to do, especially when it’s not the worker’s fault. Thanks to her connections and sunny disposition, she helped me find another room in a different hotel. The mini-vacation turned out to be fantastic. Kindness won again.

We must remember to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. How would we liked to be treated? Wouldn’t we want someone to be forgiving and patient? Kindness and and understanding goes a long way. It not only places you in a positive light, but it speaks volumes about your upbringing, your community, your province, and maybe, even the country you come from.

Frustrating situations never last long, but kindness will be remembered for years to come.