Pierced, tattooed hotel workers? Readers overwhelmingly say 'no, no, no'Comments 49
By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY
Would it offend you if you saw a hotel worker wearing this piercing? Reader Greg Marquez - who models his piercing - says he'd be fine with it. He thinks it's OK for hotel staffers to wear small piercings - such as a stud in the nose. He does not believe that it's an indication that he'll get poor service.
CAPTION
By Greg MarquezDo you think it's OK when a hotel worker greets you with a pierced eyebrow, pierced tongue or tattooed arm? What about a simple nose ring; is that, perhaps, more acceptable?
The answer - across the board - is "no," according to the overwhelming majority of the surprising 177 comments written on Hotel Check-In. Most readers say they don't want to see any of it.
And most readers don't seem to care about the specific type of piercing in question. They also don't seem to care about the hotel type - whether an edgy boutique hotel, where you might expect a bit more leniency on personal appearance, vs. a Marriott, Hilton or Hyatt, which most of us would expect to take a more conservative stance.
Typical of the majority view is this reply from flight attendant ToniSuzanne, which another 35 readers endorsed:
"No, no, no," she writes. "I do not want to see this stuff on hotel employees" and other people who deal with the public.
The No. 1 most recommended comment with 46 recommendations comes from Hotel Check-In reader OtisCampbell, who writes:
"If the employees interface with customers, then yes the company has the right to limit piercings, tattoos and general appearance while at work."
It's interesting to note how much readers took the time to ensure that their voice is heard.
Besides the 177 comments, hundreds more readers voted on individual comments that they personally endorsed. The top 10 most-recommended comments including ToniSuzanne's, for instance, received an additional 246 votes (as of last night).
File photo shows an eye piercing worn by high school student Ashley Forgacs, 16, of Fort Collins, Colo., taken on Oct. 3, 1999.
CAPTION
By Rich AbrahamsonFurthermore, USA TODAY's Facebook friends wrote an additional 54 comments on USA TODAY's Facebook page. Here, it was a little easier to find people who looked beyond the form of self expression.
'Best service' was at Nordstrom's from a tattooed, pierced person
Mike Kunkle, for instance, had this to say on Facebook:
"True story from about 10 years ago... The best service I ever got at Nordstrom's was from a young man with multiple tattoos and piercings. He was personable, clean, well-dressed, and had absolutely awesome interpersonal, communication, and service skills. By contrast, at many other businesses, I have encountered rude, lackluster and downright horrible service experiences from employee who looked liked they stepped out of "Dressed for Success" book."
The majority of readers, however, echo ToniSuzanne's strict view on body art.
Do you want piercings - or a career?
Many readers say that people who wear visible body decoration do so at risk to their professional lives.
"If the pierced, inked lifestyle is the one they chose, they should also accept the lack of opportunities it may represent," writes reader sidehack, in the second-most recommended comment with 35 votes. As for hotels: "If a four-star resort wants to hire 'lizard girl,' they must also tolerate the loss of business if the clients don't come back."
Reader Hippodude writes that people should feel free to get as many piercings or tattoos as they want, "but that does not mean than an employer need put you out at their as the image of their firm."
Some piercings make me gag
Even reader Texas Stoltz, who writes that his own wife has a belly ring, says he'd prefer not to see it. The other day at a store, he requested a manager and a young woman came up to help him.
"There was a chrome (piercing) hanging out her nose and when she spoke there was a ring in her tongue," he writes. "I was going to gag."
Reader RoofingPrincess writes that the "huge plugs (that) some people put in their earlobe creep me out" - and she doesn't want to see them.
Piercings can be OK in certain hotels - and in nightclubs, restaurants
In a rare example, reader magnum67 differentiated between the type of hotel in question - and the pierced or tattooed worker's gender.
"Motel 6??? I would not care," reader magnum67 writes. At hotels such as Marriotts and Hiltons, he would let women wear earrings - perhaps limiting it to three per ear. Men? No piercings. Tattooes? Nothing visible.
But ultimately, magnum67 writes that "these hotels need to portray a professional appearance and too many piercings makes the hotel look like a no-tel."
Andrew Briscoe on Facebook writes that he doesn't have a problem with "people who are tattooed and pierced all over but I think of hotel employee, I expect them to be professional looking. If I were to go to a night club, a tattooed and pierced employee would be awesome there."
Reader CarynGates says that piercings and tattoos in a trendy coffee shop or restaurant "are perfectly fine" and in fact might even "add to the overall feel of the place." But hotels? No way. "Your desk person is one of the guest's first impressions. This is a case where less is more!" She'd limit piercings to two per ear and ban facial piercings.
Tattooes, piercings poor measure of customer service
Reflecting Mike Kunkle's comments above regarding the tattooed, pierced Nordstrom's clerk, reader Mashley278 gives us some interesting insight from the standpoint of someone who's been in the hotel industry for nearly a dozen years (though we don't know in what capacity).
"Quite honestly, you couldn't find an industry more resistant to change," Mashley278 writes. "In 1998, I had a manager that refused to use email and faxes. Today, the dress policies and dress codes are out of date and quite often look ridiculous. I've had great employees that were tat and piercing free and I've had horrible ones and vice versa. The focus needs to be on the service provided - not what the person providing the service looks like."
I wish more pierced and/or tattooed hotel staffers would've written in about their experiences with hotel dress codes. We did, however, hear from Kitty Besiktasli, who on Facebook writes about her experiencing working on a Hilton hotel's front desk about two years ago. "My boss made me wear something to cover the tattoo on my wrist," she writes.
Readers: Have any of the above comments made you reconsider your original opinion? Staffers: What has your experience been with piercings or tattooes?
By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY
Would it offend you if you saw a hotel worker wearing this piercing? Reader Greg Marquez - who models his piercing - says he'd be fine with it. He thinks it's OK for hotel staffers to wear small piercings - such as a stud in the nose. He does not believe that it's an indication that he'll get poor service.
CAPTION
By Greg MarquezDo you think it's OK when a hotel worker greets you with a pierced eyebrow, pierced tongue or tattooed arm? What about a simple nose ring; is that, perhaps, more acceptable?
The answer - across the board - is "no," according to the overwhelming majority of the surprising 177 comments written on Hotel Check-In. Most readers say they don't want to see any of it.
And most readers don't seem to care about the specific type of piercing in question. They also don't seem to care about the hotel type - whether an edgy boutique hotel, where you might expect a bit more leniency on personal appearance, vs. a Marriott, Hilton or Hyatt, which most of us would expect to take a more conservative stance.
Typical of the majority view is this reply from flight attendant ToniSuzanne, which another 35 readers endorsed:
"No, no, no," she writes. "I do not want to see this stuff on hotel employees" and other people who deal with the public.
The No. 1 most recommended comment with 46 recommendations comes from Hotel Check-In reader OtisCampbell, who writes:
"If the employees interface with customers, then yes the company has the right to limit piercings, tattoos and general appearance while at work."
It's interesting to note how much readers took the time to ensure that their voice is heard.
Besides the 177 comments, hundreds more readers voted on individual comments that they personally endorsed. The top 10 most-recommended comments including ToniSuzanne's, for instance, received an additional 246 votes (as of last night).
File photo shows an eye piercing worn by high school student Ashley Forgacs, 16, of Fort Collins, Colo., taken on Oct. 3, 1999.
CAPTION
By Rich AbrahamsonFurthermore, USA TODAY's Facebook friends wrote an additional 54 comments on USA TODAY's Facebook page. Here, it was a little easier to find people who looked beyond the form of self expression.
'Best service' was at Nordstrom's from a tattooed, pierced person
Mike Kunkle, for instance, had this to say on Facebook:
"True story from about 10 years ago... The best service I ever got at Nordstrom's was from a young man with multiple tattoos and piercings. He was personable, clean, well-dressed, and had absolutely awesome interpersonal, communication, and service skills. By contrast, at many other businesses, I have encountered rude, lackluster and downright horrible service experiences from employee who looked liked they stepped out of "Dressed for Success" book."
The majority of readers, however, echo ToniSuzanne's strict view on body art.
Do you want piercings - or a career?
Many readers say that people who wear visible body decoration do so at risk to their professional lives.
"If the pierced, inked lifestyle is the one they chose, they should also accept the lack of opportunities it may represent," writes reader sidehack, in the second-most recommended comment with 35 votes. As for hotels: "If a four-star resort wants to hire 'lizard girl,' they must also tolerate the loss of business if the clients don't come back."
Reader Hippodude writes that people should feel free to get as many piercings or tattoos as they want, "but that does not mean than an employer need put you out at their as the image of their firm."
Some piercings make me gag
Even reader Texas Stoltz, who writes that his own wife has a belly ring, says he'd prefer not to see it. The other day at a store, he requested a manager and a young woman came up to help him.
"There was a chrome (piercing) hanging out her nose and when she spoke there was a ring in her tongue," he writes. "I was going to gag."
Reader RoofingPrincess writes that the "huge plugs (that) some people put in their earlobe creep me out" - and she doesn't want to see them.
Piercings can be OK in certain hotels - and in nightclubs, restaurants
In a rare example, reader magnum67 differentiated between the type of hotel in question - and the pierced or tattooed worker's gender.
"Motel 6??? I would not care," reader magnum67 writes. At hotels such as Marriotts and Hiltons, he would let women wear earrings - perhaps limiting it to three per ear. Men? No piercings. Tattooes? Nothing visible.
But ultimately, magnum67 writes that "these hotels need to portray a professional appearance and too many piercings makes the hotel look like a no-tel."
Andrew Briscoe on Facebook writes that he doesn't have a problem with "people who are tattooed and pierced all over but I think of hotel employee, I expect them to be professional looking. If I were to go to a night club, a tattooed and pierced employee would be awesome there."
Reader CarynGates says that piercings and tattoos in a trendy coffee shop or restaurant "are perfectly fine" and in fact might even "add to the overall feel of the place." But hotels? No way. "Your desk person is one of the guest's first impressions. This is a case where less is more!" She'd limit piercings to two per ear and ban facial piercings.
Tattooes, piercings poor measure of customer service
Reflecting Mike Kunkle's comments above regarding the tattooed, pierced Nordstrom's clerk, reader Mashley278 gives us some interesting insight from the standpoint of someone who's been in the hotel industry for nearly a dozen years (though we don't know in what capacity).
"Quite honestly, you couldn't find an industry more resistant to change," Mashley278 writes. "In 1998, I had a manager that refused to use email and faxes. Today, the dress policies and dress codes are out of date and quite often look ridiculous. I've had great employees that were tat and piercing free and I've had horrible ones and vice versa. The focus needs to be on the service provided - not what the person providing the service looks like."
I wish more pierced and/or tattooed hotel staffers would've written in about their experiences with hotel dress codes. We did, however, hear from Kitty Besiktasli, who on Facebook writes about her experiencing working on a Hilton hotel's front desk about two years ago. "My boss made me wear something to cover the tattoo on my wrist," she writes.
Readers: Have any of the above comments made you reconsider your original opinion? Staffers: What has your experience been with piercings or tattooes?
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