People expect good service, and that's reasonable. But some are quick to complain, often for legit reasons, often for stupid trivial reasons.
There's a hotel I often stay at in Brussels, and a lot of Americans come through there (Asians and Brazilians, too). The employees there REALLY go the extra mile, from the manager down to two guys who make the omelets at the breakfast bar (one from Congo, one from Algeria). I often hear businessmen checking in trying to put the make on the women at the reception desk, and I marvel at the women's patience. I know the hotel gets nasty complaints every time the shower water doesn't heat up fast enough for a guest's liking, so I wrote a letter to the hotel's central office telling them how much I appreciated their service, and mentioned specifically about 15 different people who work there. It must have been passed on quickly, too, because the next time I stayed there, I got smiles and personal greeting from every worker at the hotel (got upgraded to a suite for free, too!).
If a hotel worker, or a doctor or a bus driver, or whoever goes a little out of their way to be friendly or helpful, please consider writing to them (if self-employed) or to their employer (if not) and tell them you appreciated it. In this world where so many are quick to complain if their every whim (often unrealistic) is not fulfilled, it makes their jobs just that little bit easier.
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