I’ve been doing a fair amount of traveling lately, and I had a somewhat below-average experience while checking out of one hotel. The desk clerk wasn’t rude or anything like that; in fact, she was friendly, and we even chatted for a while. But she was clearly not happy with her job, and her distinct lack of enthusiasm rubbed off on me, leaving me with a ho-hum feeling about my stay and the hotel in general.
As I was riding to the airport, I realized that prior to checking out, I’d enjoyed my stay and had been feeling pretty good about that hotel. Instead of leaving me with positive feelings toward the hotel, which might entice me to go back the next time I’m in the area, my interaction with her unfortunately had the exact opposite effect.