Bartenders

Working at the YMCA is a lot like being a bartender. Don’t roll your eyes at that premise because I came to that conclusion while doing some very thorough research. Recently I sat at the bar at a very prestigious hotel and I struck up a conversation with Sam the bar tender. And yes that was his name and no I did not see Cliff, Norm or Carla.

I watched Sam in amazement as he completely and totally overwhelmed the dozen or so patrons in this very upscale hotel bar. I stopped him after observing him for a while and told him I was in the customer service business and I asked him what his secret was. He humbly professed, “I just do what every bar tender does, I try and remember a little bit about every person.” That comment made me smile but his follow up gave me goose bumps. “I just come to work every day and hope everyone that I meet leaves this place going, ‘wow, this is a great place.’ “

Our best staff have that in their DNA. They easily learn the stories of the members that walk through our doors and they connect in a way that makes those members feel like the Y is more than just another gym, they make it feel like home.

Sam commented that a few of the regular patrons often have to be run out of the bar at closing time. “We treat everyone like family by just knowing everyone. This place has become part of their identity,” added Sam. I could tell that Sam has spent decades connecting people; introducing one traveling business man to the next. Often times he says, helping broker a high powered deal.

Sam shared that he regularly interacts with very rich businessmen, influential politicians, athletes and entertainers. “I try and treat everyone the same regardless of who they are. A job well done is making them feel like they are ALL part of my family.”

He is like the stereo typical bar tender in that people share with them their hard luck stories. Even while serving people he can over hear some very private information. He shared one story about serving a couple that was in town because a close family member had died, Sam’s eyes watered as he shared their story. His interest was not just hawking tips. Sam’s secret was he was genuinely investing himself in their lives and in their stories.

I asked Sam, what was the best day on the job. He quickly added that he has had too many to pick a BEST. “This job allows me to do so many favors for people and seeing the joy on their faces is incredible.” He quickly discussed arranging theater tickets for a father and daughter, introducing a patron to a famed college basketball coach for an autograph for his son and also connecting a recently unemployed patron with a business owner who quickly offered a job. “If you keep your eyes and ears open, it becomes fairly easy to connect dots. Life is like a puzzle and I get unbelievable joy in getting the pieces to fit together.”

“The number one thing for a bartender is listening,” Sam laughed. I felt like he could spend all day sharing stories. I wanted to hear the stories of the famous people but the truly heartwarming stories were the interactions with just the every-day traveler. I think being a story teller has to be a trait that bartenders and Y Directors must have!

Watching Sam that night was like watching a conductor handle an orchestra. He easily moves from the group of four businessmen, to the couple having the romantic getaway and back across to the few of us sitting randomly at the bar. Sam is not just a bartender, he’s an ambassador. He and this hotel are linked in mutual service. The affection so many have for this place is due much to the ambassador behind the bar. The man that welcomed me into his family, left me going, “wow, this is an awesome place.”