Service with a Smile Not Natural for Russians, but They’re Learning for Sochi

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It’s one of the more unusual subjects you might expect to be emphasized during the run-up to the 2014 winter olympics in Sochi, but hospitality personnel in and around the town are being given lessons in smiling.

A Poor Tourist Image

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia has not fared well in terms of tourism. The country has a poor reputation, with complicated visa processes, relatively expensive accommodations, crumbling infrastructure, and poor hospitality.

In particular, service workers in Russia often don’t smile. Sometimes they don’t even look at the people they’re serving. They can be brusque, indifferent, and sometimes even rude. Russians are actually a surprisingly warm, generous, and giving people, but they hide it well under a dour exterior as bleak as their winters. This has contributed to the poor revenue from tourism dollars.

Turning It Around

Russia is hoping to make a big impression with the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, to tell the world that it is a great place for tourists. They have made changes that were both large and small. Construction and infrastructure improvements for the Olympics were made to impress visitors. The national airline, Aeroflot, modernized its fleet, and its service with newly-designed stewardess uniforms, voted the most stylish in Europe (though they had not yet received the smile training by June 2013, according to personal experience).

Are You Comfortable with Your Service Smile?

If you’re a service worker in this country, of course, a smile is an essential asset to your skills. Whether smiling comes naturally for you or not, if you don’t feel comfortable showing your smile to customers, you may experience a similarly cool reception when tip time comes.

If you are unhappy with your smile, we can help. Whether you need teeth whitening for discolored teeth or a porcelain veneer for a chipped tooth, it’s likely you can have a smile that will give you full confidence to share it every day.

Please contact Dental Excellence of Blue Bell in Philadelphia today for an appointment.

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