I've travelled the world and experienced customer service in more countries than I can count. There's been very good and very bad experiences, and some regular down the middle service also. It's the sub-standard customer service I don't respond well to though, and I don't get it considering that the staff is there to represent a business, and the customers pay the wages.
I've not always spoken the language of whatever country I'm in very well; I learn some before I go but I'm not as good at speaking languages like Italian, German and French for instance, as I am with English - This has resulted in ultra-bad service, and ultra-good, depending on the person providing the service. I sort of understand, it's more difficult for staff to deal with a person that doesn't speak the language well.
But here in Australia language isn't a barrier...however it seems customer service is down the fucken toilet nonetheless.
That's my breakfast from a couple days ago in the photo. Do you see anything wrong with it? That's right, there's no butter on the toast. I know, first-world problems right? Well, I've done my bit for this country and I think deserve buttered fucken toast, especially when that's what I've paid for. It's not too much to ask.
This was at a café I don't normally go to, I was over the other side of the city for an early meeting, so when I saw there was no butter I looked around to see if that was the same for others...Nope, they had butter.
I could see it was in those little individual-serve containers with the tear off lid though, so I thought they'd just forgotten to put mine on the plate. I called a waitress over, she'd brought my breakfast plate in the first place. She looked like a thunder storm took up residence upon her face and refused to budge. The she-storm ambled over with a barely-hidden look of disdain and disinterest upon her thunder-storm face and looked at me with a thundery look of thunderous thunder...I smiled slightly in a bid to reduce her thunderish ire somewhat then asked for a couple of those butter things. I said all the right words, please and thank you, of course. Without a word she turned and walked off. Hmm...ok, I was not filled with confidence.
I figured (hoped) she'd be a minute or so I waited.
Three minutes later...nothing.
Five minutes later...nothing.
Almost ten minutes later...no butter.
In the meantime she'd served a couple other tables had a couple conversations with another waitress and did some standing around. What the bloody fuck? #WTBF
I started to wonder if she didn't like brownish people. Ok, I'm just kidding, I didn't think that, I never default to that old chestnut, I just think she was an asshole.
By then, my breakfast wasn't in good shape meaning it had cooled off and the toast was somewhat hard...I ate it though (butterless), I don't like to waste food, besides, I figured I'd need my sustenance for when I shanked her in the neck with the butter knife I never got to use with the butter walked out never to return.
I'll not be going back there, ever. I'd paid $24 Australian dollars for a small coffee and the food on the plate and didn't get any butter. I'd gotten a bit of attitude from the waitress though, however could have done without that. Fuckers.
I don't know what it's like in your country, but here in Australia customer service used to mean something. People cared about their jobs, wanted to do it well, respected that they were paid to do so, and certainly respected the customer. Sure, there were exceptions of course, but it was rare to come across terrible service. These days it's flipped on it's head; terrible service is about all there is. I wonder if that's because the rise of online shopping where customer service is an algorithm or some such computer fuckassery.
We don't tip in Australia, it's not an expectation. The thing is though, that a casual employee at a café earns $30/hour. That's $20.30USD, £16.50GBP or €19.20EU per hour. I'm writing this in a café owned by a friend and that's what she pays.
These people are typically given a minimum of 25 hours a week equating to $750/week (AUD), less tax. That's a lot of money to carry plates, wipe tables and bring coffee right? My point is, they are paid very well, need no real skills and, due to the hours, have the ability to study or even hold a second job. I guess maybe the high hourly rate means they don't feel they need to provide good service, as they don't rely on tips to augment their income. Who knows. My friend is often tearing her hair out over this issue and staffing-issues is of great concern.
I blame the individual, although the manager or owner has to take some responsibility for it also. I guess though, with so few people wanting to work these days (since the pandemic thing and all the government money that got handed out) it's so difficult to find staff that they take what they can get. I don't know if that's it, but I know for sure that customer service here is utterly disgusting, and not just in cafés, but everywhere.
How do things stand with customer service in your area? I know there is some really great operators out there, but there's a lot of bad ones too; do you have a customer service story to share, good or bad?
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Any images in this post are my own
All of that looks dry. The eggs are overdone, the bacon's overdone; the toast isn't, but toast is always dry without butter.
Most mornings when I have time I do a home cooked breaky that really hits the spot.
I slice 3 x 1/2 inch discs from a tube of fritz/devon/luncheon meat (different names for the same smashed up, lightly spiced offcuts)
I fry up one side, then when I flip them I add 3 eggs into the pan and 3 slices of bread into the toaster. I only go another minute or so, then flip the eggs and turn off the hotplate. Just let the residual heat in the pan very lightly fry the other side of the eggs, leaving the yolks nice and runny.
I butter the toast (#toosoon), then add a fritz and an egg to each slice, give them a squirt of bbq sauce and eat them like nobody's watching.
I'm not proud of this, or recommending it; but its on the blockchain now, so we'll call it a confession.
It wasn't the best breakfast I've ever had.
I do the home cooked thing every Sunday and sometimes during the week, it all depends on time and commitments I guess. I'll be honest and say mine isn't quote as involved as yours.
Rye toast, spread with humus with slices of avocado on top...sometimes I add scrambled eggs or a couple of poached ones. It's pretty good.
Poached is great, but I never got the knack.
My youngest is looking at getting into hospitality (unfortunately he couldn't get into TAFE next year like we thought he could and has to wait til the year after) and we heard that a lot of people just view it as an in-between job (as in the job you do to earn money while studying or otherwise trying to get a better job) so a lot of them probably don't care in the slightest as long as they are getting paid and can move on as soon as possible.
Also possible she was just having a godawful day and wasn't professional enough to try to put it aside til end of shift.
The only "issue" I've had with customer service was more amusing than anything else, I had someone at a cafe assume I couldn't speak English (in fairness to them it was a place frequented by uni students and not all of them were fluent in English) based on appearance and me not hearing them the first time they asked me what I wanted to order (I was exhausted and distracted in that moment).
Otherwise I think generally wherever I've gone has been prettyu but that could also be a combination of apparently I'm really patient (or so I've been told, I always thought I had a very short fuse) and don't go out much.
Yeah, the lack of care shows...and the funny thing is, that someday they'll be subjected to the same lack of care in some way, it's inevitable. They can blame themselves for it.
There's some good service out there, some accidental bad service also, but there's a whole lot of bad. It's not just in cafe's either. It's on call centres, (government and corporate), the banks, health care system, petrol station...literally anywhere someone has to deal with someone else. There's no denying it and no getting away from it.
Not to toot my own horn here, but my little library branch gets a lot of compliments from our patrons about how friendly our staff is. Probably just because Ms. A, Ms. R, and Ms. M are cute, right? But seriously, we tend to be fairly friendly here in the west, so abrasive behavior tends to lose people business fast. Other libraries have had.... issues.... and not just v=because of COVID paranoia. It's a shame we don't earn our library budget by going above and beyond the call of duty to please our patrons instead of extorting everyone regardless of service quality.
We so often hear about the bad and the good gets lost, or never spoken of, but there's certainly good customer service out there. It's good to hear your place is delivering, and I don't think it's rooting your horn at all, just stating facts.
I'm one who will simply not go back to a place after bad service, although I'll tell th m occasionally, it's situational. I don't know why, Bulut people here tend to just accept it and keep going back which confounds me.
This has happened to me several times. Now, I ask for a side of jam with the toast so that if they screw up on the butter, I have a fallback.
This is a great idea indeed, although with storm cloud thunder face at the cafe mentioned here I'm not sure if it would have done much good. She wouldn't have brought me the jam and sooner than the butter I think. I'll remember it for next time though.
That's a load of shit man. I don't normally go out to eat but if someone forgot my damn butter on toast, #WTBF indeed! I don't know what heathen eats perfectly toasted toast like that without some damn butter on it! Animals, truly.
I know that people have certainly gotten into their minds that they are above the jobs that they've got and I think that's certainly sad. There is nothing wrong with doing those types of jobs and if anything we need more of them not less! It's not the most glamorous work but it brings money in and it provides a service that one could hope that they would like to equally receive one day at another point. I just don't get the mindset of the people who don't work a job and do it as best they can, even if it's not the best job in the world. Perhaps the social media effect is to blame for that? I don't know but it sucks!
Dafuq is wrong with people, am I right? No butter on toast? Heathens!
I know tradies, electricians, carpenters and plumbers working for less per hour, and that's after completing their apprenticeship over four years! #WTBF
So, these cafe workers are well paid, especially since there's little skill involved. Being back the stick, ainsay. A good thrashing now and then works wonders for motivation. It's good to boost morale also.
I'm old enough to remember when please, thank you and excuse me were used appropriately. These days, people don't even use eye contact when they speak, referring to shop workers here. It's disgusting, those people are disgusting and society is disgusting. Maybe the younger generation won't understand my last sentence, but for me, at 52, thinking back to how it generally used to be...it makes a lot of sense.
There's really only one thing to say, what the bloody fuck. #WTBF
Bad service is very bad for business. I would fire her if she would be one of my employees/workers.
Anyways, from the way you described it, it seems that she has some kind of personal "feelings" for you. 😁
I had experienced a number of bad service too but not to the point where it was personal.
I agree, I'm not one to tolerate assfuckery much at all.
So, you think she harboured some feelings for me and she thought that treating me with contempt and playing hard to get with the butter would entice me?
Hmm, that would be an interesting strategy indeed. I guess it's possible, but had you seen the thunder-face on the woman...well, I know looks don't always reveal the true person but, she was thundery for sure. Not my type at all. Had she asked for a kiss in exchange for the butter though, maybe I'd have considered it. 🤣
LOL. I think her strategy works as I am sure you will not easily forget her. 😅
Maybe you should visit the shop again with a bouquet of flowers on hand. 😊
Hmm, maybe a serenade or something also...a song I wrote about her?
Nah. That would be too much.
But maybe you can add in a butter. 😀
Well, to be honest, she had a head like a robbers dog, and that was before the thunder storm took up residence on her face, and besides, she was an asshole so I think it's best I never run into her again.
Yeah. I also think that's the best way to avoid possible trouble. 🙂
Sooo, you had breakfast again, without me 😳
Hmm, well yeah I guess I did, but this one has no butter so it doesn't count.
So let's say that the situation is very different between your country and mine; certainly tipping here in Italy is not customary and nobody really expects it; in general the service is important but it is good or bad depending on how lucky you are because if you meet the person who loves to do his job well you will have an excellent service otherwise you must be equipped with a lot of patience and endurance. I certainly don't think attitudes are ever justified, however, it must be said that the hourly wages of a restaurant in Australia correspond to the daily wages of Italian waiters, so you know a certain point of view, I can pity the pissed-off and unwilling worker because at the end month will not even earn the money to pay expenses. Of course I believe that regardless the customer is not to blame so you shouldn't let off steam with him, it's unfair. When situations similar to yours happen to me that club will simply never see me again, and I mean never again without exception heh heh! As always, you give me ideas to reflect and share my thoughts, thanks!
It's probably the same the world over, people are generally entitled idiots who don't care about anything but themselves. It's typical human behaviour and that attitude is on the rise.
Unfortunately it is like this, to think then that the real successful people are altruistic and always dedicate a part of their time and of themselves to others. The human race unfortunately goes further and further down, who knows if there will ever be a turnaround.
Yeah, that's the case I think. I don't think there will be a turnaround, society has gone too far and continue down that same path unabated. We'll see I guess, although I think there's further the fall and it won't happen in our life times, the full fall or any turnaround. Humans have been around for thousands of years and whilst things may have gotten better in certain respects, generally, humans make the very same mistakes they've made before, over and over. (I'm talking generally, not humans as individuals.)
Yes, I fully understood and agree with your speech, unfortunately history never leads to learning; not that it's history's fault it's just that the human race loves to repeat itself and sometimes has the stupidity of thinking that it will be able to obtain different results by doing the same things.
True indeed, it's bonkers, (crazy), but that's how it is.
I live researching history, it's a hobby of mine,and it's amazing bomw many times I look at a situation or behaviours (from hundreds of years ago) and think, yep, nothing has changed to this day.
Ever been to Denmark? Most service people here do "high" service as a standard, we also don't get tips :D
I like the sound of Denmarklandia!
Good service goes hand in hand with manners, courtesy and respect; the problem is, those three things are fast disappearing from society. It's not a good thing.
Its not all though, but many! I have seen a worrying trend from supermarket cashiers not provide some service, like the small gestures like "Want the receipt?" Or "Have a good day". Stuff like that is disppearing :/
I work in service, if you are nice or just normal, I will give you a good service with a small and a "have a good day" sentence :D
Its sooo easy xD
Worst consumer experience for me? Ireland. A Burger King in Ireland, 3 people standing behind the line not doing anything just talking. A 4th person comes from the back and take me order, like wtf xD
Yes, checkout operators are getting worse. Sure, the job is full and boring, but they could be a little nicer.
Having said that, I have seen customers be very rude to them too. I wrote a post about one a little while back. The guy was rude and I called him out on it. He thought he might like to have a go at me too, but he changed his mind once he'd turned around and saw that I meant business.
Neither scenario is acceptable; people should be nice to each other. We know that doesn't happen much though, right?
Fucken Burger King. (It's called Hungry Jack's here, seriously.) I was at KFC a few days ago, rare for me, and had a similar thing. Wankers.
The job might be boring, but you are still getting paid!
Also, ye fuck rude customers! I will be rude back no doubt or even just cheeky which pisses people off aswell xD
People are just stressed the fucked out in every job in the name of profits right? Thats properly adding to the not being nice attitude x)
I agree with you, clearly.
I'm never rude, but I always call rude people out on it, politely. That often has more impact. I rarely get people (my clients) being rude to me but in the past I'd say things like, I appreciate you're the customer, and I'm here to assist you on behalf of the company, but before I'm a company worker I'm a human being, as are you, and I don't deserve to be treated in the manner in which you have. You have the choice to apologise, or our transaction ends here and now. Your choice. Words to that effect.
If someone is very rude or gets racial with me (I'm brown) then they get none of that. A simple, you're done, and me walking away is about all. It doesn't happen at work though.
I agree with your stressed out comment, but I think people also add to that stress themselves by doing things like worrying about how many fucken likes they get on their corn flakes post on Facebook. You know? People add stress to their lives by concerning themselves with things that have no bearing or value.
I like the idea of rude people being called out. But the majority of people wont do that.
I was talking as a worker, none one is allowed to be rude to me or my employees or we just wont serve you, simple as that :D
True, people care about meaningless things or the lack of likes as you said x)
vote with your feet, I can't be arsed with trip advisor. If I get poor service food etc. I never return. I must be honest I never complain, I have this big old fluffy heart beating inside me. In todays savage world I do not want to be responsible for costing an employee their job, the resulting 'butterfly effect" .
That bacon looks awesome!
I understand what you're saying, and in this case I didn't say anything, but I have in the past and will in the future.
It's about ownership, responsibility and accountability...I have it, but it seems those things are fast becoming rare attributes. I guess my thought is that if it's not pointed out, the poor service and behaviours, then it can't be addressed and is more likely to become even more prevalent.
It seems society is on a race to the bottom, what is the minimum one can do and get away with, and the minimum becomes less and less each year it seems. I mean generally here of course. I'm not just talking about cafes here, it's the case almost everywhere, at least here in Australia.
good points well made, the world is becoming to woke, too many bed wetting hand wringers. and Millenial snowflakes and gen z creatures who make it their goal in life to be offended by everything and anything. AND do not get me started on social media "influencers" get a proper fucking job!
You said it perfectly and perfectly well!
I wanted to go full rant but must be getting more tolerant in my old age. (And if you believe that, you're bonkers.) 🤣
"grumpy old men!"
If the shoe fits...
👞👍
We were out Friday to grab a bite for my @pooky-jax birthday ($10 off B-day bonus 😉) at a local bistro.
We only ordered finger foods I guess as the waitress never brought utensils to eat with. I laughed out loud and showed my best friend your...
No Butter Bitch Post
I have been chuckling and making silly butter bitch comments since reading it.
Weird how some things stick in your noggin. Juss funny to me. And sadly too common here also.
Without butter on my toast, life just isn't worth living. Lol.
In truth, it's a small issue, but part of the broader issue I mentioned in this post. Society is changing for the worse before our eyes and we are sitting around accepting it. Humans are dumb fucks.
Happy belated birthday to pooks!
Sent your birthday wishes to my birthday girl. ❤️
Thank You Bro.!
You're welcome. I hope you have a nice weekend.
Best wishes to you and yours as always. Enjoy your time off also. 💯❤️💯
My current situation. Rained out. Another good fire.
Relaxation. After several days of deck building.
Well, let's balance things out a little bit, shall we? Here's the smile you should have received. 😊
I hope you and everyone reading this has a fantastic day.
Handing out smiles...what a nice thing to do. Thanks, I appreciate it.
I'll continue to do so as long as I'm here. It's the reason I came here. 😊
Have a great day!
Now what the actual hell! Why would you let such a thing slide. You were supposed to walk up and ask for the manager. Maybe the manager would be an ass too tho but you paid for that meal and deserved to be treated right!
What's actually happening around the globe. Here I was thinking that such things only happened in Nigeria where you go into a restaurant to eat and you're served cold and bland food. If you're a calm person and you try to complain, the restaurant owner would start throwing unnecessary tantrums...for your own money...
I pick my battles I guess, and that one wasn't worth fighting - I'll just not go back.
It's a global issue, and one that will get worse. It's not in all cases of course, but it's on the rise and that's not a good thing. I shudder to think what society will be like in fifty years. I'll be dead fortunately, because I think it's going to be a fucken terrible world.
That was so rude of her, I don't understand why some people derive joy in passing their anger or hate to others who know nothing about it. I can't be sure why the waitress acted in such manner but then, what is wrong is wrong.
Customer service is depreciating a lot, not just in Australia, here in my country there are sometimes when you as a customer you will be treated like a begger, I once had an experience like that once because I tried negotiating the price and I was really hurt, I tried telling the service man what he did was wrong but then, I received another insult and in the end I just had to accept I was the wrong one just to make peace.
Making a complaint is something that is needed to be done at this point and if they still claim to be the right ones then it's simple, let them be so it won't be as if you are imposing on them.
I'm visiting your blog today as a Dreemer from #dreemport, I hope you had a great day 🥰.
Many don't make a complaint and I think that's one of the problems. A lot of the time management don't know what's actually happening and a complaint, when done properly and in the right manner can help the understand what adjustments need to be made.
Exactly! That's what I just tried passing across in a detailed way, you got my point ☺️.
But seriously that's the problem, I do know of so many people that don't like making complaints, but yet they seek for change, well of course they won't get that's change they seek because they refuse to even create the room for it.
It's very wrong to assume a person should know about something, that's also one of the problems, some people myself included sometimes assume that people should be aware of what is going on but we just might be wrong.
Galen you are one of mine for my toast with butter or jam and that makes me happy even when I hardly go out to eat out, I love good service, polite and attentive to my wishes at the time and that brings a good % of the tip, when the service is poor I am very patient, rarely lose the glamour hahaha.
What if I never return to the place and before leaving I tell the manager in a low voice, "I will take care to tell my people to never come here because of the bad service".
Bad service should be rewarded with a lack of business which, eventually, will mean closure of the business. I'm not one to accept poor service and come back; I'd prefer to go out of my to avoid going back.
That's right Galen a bad service in a place like this where you went, and I have also had to live, that experience is closed only because people never come back. And when it snowballs, the bad reputation is the end of the business.
Yeah you are absolutely right service with smile is best to give great impression to the customers. People's like to revisit this type of humble staff restaurant. I love to eat this type of breakfast. Light breakfast gives many positive effects on your health. Thanks for sharing.
Oh yeah, the breakfast was good, if a little cold by the time I ate it, and with butter would have been even better!
It's vice versa here in my country. Some places you will be treated with respect and other places you are no body. It's really a painful situation and that could make them lose customers. Just like you said you won't return back there again. Sorry for not enjoying your food with butter
One must have butter on one's toast. I'm still not over it although at some stage I'll build a bridge and get across. Lol.
I'd say that customer service around the world is declining, it's not localised. A shame really.
Seriously the rate in which customers services is declining is quite alarming. Well, maybe they are not paid well. Because if the receive a good payment, I didn't think they will joke with their work
There is a day I want to the bank to deposit money when it was my turn to deposit, so the cashier there left me and being to attend to another person. After spending much time there I felt so unhappy that I couldn't control myself. The way I shouted at him, he was so shook, I mean he could not believe that I will behave that way. Every body that were there was like telling me to carm down. My dear do you know that that day, when i go there now he respects me more than any other person that is there. He never tries it again.
As a business person that I I'm, I do treat my customers well Cause I know without them I not sell.
Treating ones customers well will bring them back, treating them poorly will generally not. It's a simple formula but one people seem unable to grasp these days. Their loss I suppose.
Exactly @galenkp. Some times when I see some people talking or treating his or her customer bad I do feels for that person. In my mind I do ask myself. Does this person really know what he or she is doing?.
Enjoy your meal..
The rewards earned on this comment will go directly to the people( @p1k4ppa10 ) sharing the post on Twitter as long as they are registered with @poshtoken. Sign up at https://hiveposh.com.