Customers, who wants them?

I’ve been looking back over my blogs, and lack of customer service is one of my pet hates.

Come on..we need to get better at it!

https://wordpress.com/post/patc44.wordpress.com/1425

Deja-vu.

A year ago I tried a little tiny tub of sawdust..sorry porridge. And here I am again, same place, different pot!

https://patc44.wordpress.com/2017/03/22/a-bowl-of-warm-sawdust/

It was better, a nicer flavour, as many instructions on the side, but different.

Heston Blumenthal you have lost out on this one I’m pleased to say!

Curry and customer services.

I work at the sharp end of customer services. I spend my days thanking people for something. Often apologising for the lateness of something, whether its the delay for an appointment, a letter being held up, or more often than not a professional who is running late, because of the complexities of the job. I’m used to juggling things, and over the years I’ve honed the skills to avoid dropping those balls I’m furiously keeping in the air!  So I know what you need to be a good customer service provider.

Above all you need to be attentive to the people who are your customers, and you need to keep your eye on all those balls your juggling. You also need to make sure your team are well trained, and you have rigorous Standard Operating Procedures . That way everyone is clear of their expectations and your not let down by someone who doesn’t understand what is expected of them.

Let me tell you what happened last night. I went out for dinner with my husband who insisted that as it was his birthday we go out for a curry. Great I thought, we both love curry, and had been to the restaurant before, so knew what to expect.

We ordered a drink which arrived promptly. And I asked for some poppadum’s to keep us going (which actually never arrived). We ordered our meal. A starter to share. My husband ordering two 1/2 portions of something hot and tasty, while I had a rice dish, and some nan bread between us. She asked if we wanted rice, I said no, my hubby would have some of mine, as he only ever eats a small amount of rice. She went away, and we waited for out meal. The surrounding were calm and quite. The restaurant wasn’t 1/4 filled, and there were ample serving staff. I’m setting the scene, as its often the busy times and staff shortages that cause the most problems, believe me!

It never occurred to me that she didn’t get the order right. It also didn’t occur to me that she hadn’t read the order back to us to confirm she had understood what we had asked for.

The food arrived, and it was wrong. She had completely got my food order wrong. Instead of a biryani – a rice dish, it was a vegetable bhuna – a very different dish altogether. So she took it away. But  after 5 minutes I had to go and ask for them to take my husbands food away too, so it could come back out with mine. I wanted to eat with him, not have his food sitting getting cold on the table!

One of the waiters came and apologised, and offered us a drink as a token. We thanked him, and we would have a coffee or another beer after the meal. 5 min later two more beers arrived.

The main meals came back as ordered, together with a fresh nan bread.  Each person who served us apologies for the error, so it felt like the whole team has been involved in the disaster!  If only she had read the order back to us in the first place, it wouldn’t have happened, they wouldn’t have lost at least  £40 in free beers, replaced foods, loss of tips (sorry I couldn’t bring myself to leave anything) and a cancelled booking for later on in the week!

Is it any wonder the high streets are suffering? Restaurant chains are cutting back and  shutting branches. They now have to be on the top of their game to entice people to spend their hard earned cash in them.  They need to get it right, or loose profit and customers.

 

 

Sleeping on the job

What do you expect! It tiring paddling around looking for food, dodging the boats. I’m up early at the crack of dawn normally, its those birds who sing the dawn chorus that wake us up.

Give it a break! The weeds in the water tickle your webs. Whew! And then the fish, swimming underneath you – is nowhere safe?

I came onto the bank to get away – and people throw bread and seeds at me! I can’t tell you how much I’d love something different. The bread – it makes me feel so bloated. I’ll never get back to my youthful figure again, those brown and yellow fluffy feathers made me look so – youthful!

Me and my bird we just want to sleep.

 

 

 

I’m on holiday.

I’m taking a break with my other half…its his birthday, and what an oportunity to pack a case and jump in the car.

Actually in our case it’s overpack a suitcase, and a holdall, two shopping bags, a shoe bag, and three coats! Seriously, we are only away for 4 nights!

I know the weather is freezing, but that’s not an excuse is it?

Happy Mothers day.

I have to say that for 28 years going into card shop around Mothers Day has been really difficult and long ago very emotional. How can you see all this celebration when your own mother isn’t here to share it with you?

Time is a great healer. Children and grandchildren fill enough of the void to stem the tears.

But I will love my mother for eternity. And this is a reminder and a celebration of her life.

https://patc44.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/in-celebration-of-a-life/

Destination anywhere

Destination….anywhere!

Such a great song, by the Commitment.And just how I’m feeling tonight. Anywhere. I could go anywhere – but I’m tucked up in bed listening to this tune on Spotify.

 

Simplicity

A generous heart reflects a kind soul.

I’m still missing something.

Exile from social media….what have I missed?

People talk in a different language when they use social media don’t they? ‘Oh, did you see those pictures I posted?’, ‘reply to our tweet, tell us what you feel’ , ‘Happy St David’s day from your friends in Australia’ .

But of course I can’t do that can I? Talk about feeling ostracized! I should ask my Facebook friends…oh I forgot, I can’t can I?