Service With a Smile

A couple of days ago I wrote about tipping in the service industry, which sparked a few conversations with friends and co-workers that got me thinking. How do you handle those really bad days when you get to work?

Part of the discussion focused on my chosen profession, broadcasting and voiceover. Sure, we have bad days like everyone else, but in a lot of ways we can be considered actors. If I just got into an argument with my landlord, my dog threw up on the bed, and I got a flat tire on the way to work, I still have to go on the air and act like I'm in a great mood. After all, it's not the fault of you, the listener, that I may be in a crummy mood.

I would think that the same could be said for all of us on the front lines of dealing with the public; servers, customer service agents, etc. So how do you handle work when you're having a bad day?