Best and Worst of Service

When it comes to service design, creating a positive memorable experience is crucial. If this is not one, the service is not successful. For my birthday this past weekend, I went to Bowlmor Lanes in the east village. From the moment I stepped in the elevator, my experience began. The elevator was an old school freight car, which matched the theme of venue. As you enter, a fun, buoyant, and vibrant atmosphere greets you. The colors are bright, the music is upbeat, and the employees are friendly and helpful. The setup is like no other, and there is a very relaxed feeling. We were given the option to eat and bowl simultaneously, or do each individually. The options made it seem like a welcoming place. The ambiance is also wonderful. Overall, Bowlmor lanes created an experience for me that was different and extremely pleasant. Its exclusivity and uniqueness makes it stand out, and the fact that it was a positive experience makes it even better.

This past summer, a group of friends and I had made a reservation at The Cheesecake Factory in New Jersey. Our reservation was for 7PM, and we arrived at 6:55. We were told to wait, and did so patiently until 7:30PM. At this point, I asked how much longer it would be and the stewardess said another 20 minutes. However, it was not till 8:15PM that we were seated, and then had to wait another 50 minutes for our food. This made the “who” and “what” terrible and exasperating. The food, when it arrived, was lukewarm, and seemed to have been sitting in the kitchen for sometime. The silverware that some people received was dirty and was replaced after a 5-minute wait. Not only was the service bad, the food was not satisfying either. The overall experience had been ruined, and we were not compensated in any way after we complained about the service and product. Although this was a memorable service, it was an extremely negative one. 

The Social Life of Palmer Square

         

         From what I observed, Palmer Square in Princeton, New Jersey is used primarily as a place to walk through. It is most definitely aesthetically pleasing, and has a good walk way. Its surrounding buildings are also ones that are quite popular. If Jane Jacobs’ 4 characteristics were used to analyze Palmer Square, it would be done like so; there is not much intricacy, as there is a small variety of uses the park serves. There is a defined center which opens outward, and yet, pulls crowds inward. The sun shines through, which is nice in cool weather, and the trees serve as somewhat of a shade during the summer. The buildings surrounding and enclosing the park are prime ones which attract a variety of people, who use the park as a way to get to these buildings.

         William Whyte brought up some key factors of a successful park or public space; “sittable space”, street, sun, food, water, trees, and triangulation. Whyte says  “People tend to sit where there are places to sit”; he then elaborates on this and says how comfort does play a role. Palmer Square does offer some seating; none of which, however, is comfortable. The benches have no back rest, and the table and benches are made of a marble-like material which gets extremely cold in the winter. Whyte also emphasizes the importance of chairs, as they are portable. Palmer Square offers no chairs at all, which restricts people in terms of where they can sit. The street, though narrow and one way, is one of the park’s advantages, is the park is central, and is thus driven around a lot. There is plenty of sunlight, which people seem to love. There is a popular ice cream shop just steps away from the park, which is a great benefit, and there are several restaurants that are walking distance from the square. There are oodles of trees and greenery around the park, which is aesthetically pleasing to many.

         The park, as stated before, is used mainly to walk through, as it is pleasant, beautiful, and peaceful. There are plenty of families, and students, as Princeton is a college town, but is also close to a suburb. The use of the park seems consistent, but does fluctuate with weather, and thus, probably seasons.  The park is not unsuccessful, but most definitely has room for improvement. More lighting could be used at dark, and better seating is crucial. The town and park’s surroundings are certainly an advantage, and help give the park some of the success it has.

Stuyvesant Square

Outside the doors of the Stuyvesant Park Residence are people, pets, and mediocrity.  Jane Jacobs would not adore 15^th and 1^st, but the famous “ street ballet” she fondly speaks of is present.  People drift up and down the block, rather than scramble as many do around the city. Some walk their dogs, some push children in strollers, and some simply walk- to class, to work, to the store, or anywhere.  There is a certain flow of my block   that is quite unusual, but it works; as Jacobs say “The ballet of the good city sidewalk never repeats itself from place to place, and in any once place is always replete with new improvisations.”

            My block was sold to the City of New York in 1836 by Peter Stuyvesant. Over the years, the city enhanced the park and beautified it, adding fencing and fountains. Stuyvesant Square was considered a swanky location in the 1900’s, as, by then, it had been adorned by the city. The block has always been a space for living; a space that is not quite as fast-paced as the rest of the city, but still has a city a feel to it. This, I believe, is the soul of my block. A place where people can walk, not scurry, with friends, pets, children, or even alone, and be surrounded by foliage and a peaceful atmosphere.

            Last year I lived in a typical suburban neighborhood in Princeton New Jersey. IT is similar to Stuyvesant in that neighbors often meet while walking pets, but, conversely, there was no city feel to it. The silence in the neighborhood often made it feel dull.  

            My block is used for residential purposes, but entertainment is not far. This offers a wonderful balance to those who occupy the block. Seeing as Stuyvesant Square has been, and is currently used for residential purposes, I presume that the future of the block will hold similar, if not identical uses. 

People, Places, and Things

List 1: Boy and girl, young, naïve, innocent, and in love. The boy is extremely in love with the girl, and wants nothing more than to please her. The girl, also loves the boy very much, but enjoys the special treatment she gets from hi.

1.     Girl grasps boys arm

2.     He looks at her and makes a joke

3.      She leans forward and laughs loudly and he smiles

4.     He pulls the girl closer and kisses her forehead

5.     The boy pulls out his phone and answers it

6.     He then passes it to the girl

7.     The girl hangs up the phone quickly

8.     She hands it back to the boy

9.     She tells him her arm hurts

10. The boy takes her purse

11. He jokingly put it on his shoulder

12. She laughs again

13.  He pulls it off and holds it by his side

14. The boy and girl walk stop at the corner of the street

15. They begin to discuss where they want go to eat dinner

16. The argue in a joking manner

17. The boy agrees to let the girl pick

18. She kisses his cheek, the boy drags his feet and the girl lightly hits his leg motioning him to stop

19. The light changes and they continue walking

20. This time, the girl puts her arm around the boy and pulls him closer

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List 2:  A caring mother takes her toddler out for lunch; the boy is extremely connected to the mother. He seemed to be in a bit of a cranky mood but the mother does not get frustrated.

1.     Mother picks up the son and he slowly rests his head on her shoulder

2.     He starts to whine a little bit and she comforts him by caressing his back

3.     The son nuzzles his face into his moms neck

4.     The mom kisses his forehead

5.     She tries to feed him a few bites- he refuses to eat

6.     The boy starts to get cranky and kicks his legs

7.     She shows him a lollipop, puts it down, and then tries to feed him again, this time, he eats

8.     The mom smiles and sweeps the boys hair out of his face

9.     The boy jerks himself forward onto the mother and laughs

10. She smiles, and kisses his cheek

11. The mother asks for a kiss and the boy refuses

12. The mother jokingly pouts and then laughs

13. The mother gets up to throw away the plates and silverware, and tells the boy to stay put

14. The boy jumps of the chair, runs to the trash can and holds down the flap, with great difficulty

15. The mother picks the boy up and yet again, kisses his cheek and thanks him

16. The boy jumps out of the mothers arm and hands her a jacket

17. She smiles, puts it on, and helps him put his jacket on

18. The boy asks the mother for a lollipop and she says to wait

19. The boy gets angry and almost begins to cry

20. The mother gives in and hands him the lollipop

In the first list, I recorded play-by-play information. In the second list, however, I was more selective, and only recorded information that appealed to me. I enjoyed observing the relationship and connection the mother and son had with each other. Though both lists have many physical interactions, the mother and sons interactions were precious. The second list has more meaning to it, while the first list contains purely actions.