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Working in customer service over the past few weeks has taught me one thing and one thing only… I do not care much for most people and their problems which is not exactly the best thing when your job is to help people and deal with all of their petty issues, whinges and complaints. Ok so maybe I have learned one other thing as well. I am apparently quite an actress. The role that I have come to play on a daily basis is that of Suzy Sunshine, smiling away like a patronizing little fool and almost all of the customers eat it up. I have learned to try to connect with each customer on some sort of personal basis whether it is where they are from (“Oh really? I’ve been there and it is fantastic!) or what they are going to do in Queenstown (“Bungee jump, huh? Have you thought about the canyon swing? Its so much more fun!”), anything just to get them talking about something other than their rental.
Although I have a real disdain for almost every customer that comes to my desk whining that they thought that they were booking a Mercedes and received a fiat instead (you cant actually book the Mercedes you moron you just book the size camper you want and you take what I give you and you like it!) or that they cannot believe that they were given a purple car when there are grey cars in the parking lot (come on now its just funny to watch the big Australian guy driving a little purple hatchback), somehow I manage to keep this ridiculous smile on my face and nod sympathetically and tell them how “I understand how that must be frustrating for you.” But I dont understand. I dont understand why you come on holiday and then look for every teeny tiny way you can make yourself unhappy, though admittedly the Mercedes campers are way nicer than the Fiats but they are still nice campers. You are on holiday, people. Sit back, take a few deep cleansing breaths and relax. Look out of the window here at the airport and stare off at the remarks for a bit with their jagged peaks or out toward lake Wakitipu and its strangely colored blue waters. Nothing is that bad when you are looking at a view like that.
Note to all vacationers: dont approach your trip like something to get through with a giant checklist of things that you want to see and accomplish. You will enjoy yourself so much more if you will just go with the flow and see where the trip takes you. Inevitable you will still get to see and do all of the important things but without the stress and probably without all of the horrible tourist trap things that you put on your list that if you talk to a local you will realize are a complete waste of time and money.