It was just 10ml.

A teaspoon of fizz.

A moment to shine!

Made dull by a poor customer service experience.

 

Our small town has a beautifully refurbished hotel. Like many businesses, they didn’t think anything about spending £100k on the bar and yet 10p on training the staff who are working in it.

This week we were out (I know and it was a school night). Two people at our party asked for Prosecco.

 

A bottle was pulled from the fridge.

No ‘pop’ on opening just the last (almost) of the bottle shared between two glasses.

I say ‘almost’ as there was a tiny amount left in the bottle. I thought they would pop the empty in the glass bin. But no:

It went back into the fridge.

 

The bartender had a choice:

Put the bottle back in the fridge

Put the bottle into recycling

Share the last few drops between the two glasses

 

Later when we talked about the lack of service one of our friends receiving a glass of fizz (sorry ‘slightly’ sparkling over sweet wine) said, ‘She’ll have been told not to give anything away’.

Interesting.

What would you do if you were:

The customer?

The bar staff?

The owner?

The solution is here.

And, as always, I would love to know your thoughts. Please leave them below.

Be Brilliant!

Michael

comments

  1. March 9th 2023 by Jane Parsons

    Open a new bottle for a tenner. What’s the cost to that business of bad talk right at the start? Such atrocious PR. Plus I would have complained my head off, guest or not.

  2. March 9th 2023 by joanna

    The bar tender should have known by the pfft, that it was time to open a new bottle. The customer should have said-this procecco is flat- the owner should have said-teribly sorry-have a glass on the house.

  3. March 9th 2023 by Avril Owton

    I’ve just returned from 16 days in Vietnam and they certainly know how to give customers exceptional service. They take pride in their work and nothing is too much trouble. Always done with a smile. They put our country to shame.

  4. March 9th 2023 by Gemalyne Martyn

    If I were the customer:
    I would suggest to pour the remaining ml drops on our glasses, with politeness and sheer elegance. 🙂
    If I were the bar staff:
    Having had a stint in a waitressing job in my 20’s, in a 5-star hotel, we have been trained to serve “gracefully” without compromising the revenues! ( not really that I know the precise figures, but do the mathematical ethos).
    If I were the owner:
    Being the very apex of the establishment, my first priority would be keeping customers happy so that they come back, with friends, with friends who bring other friends to the establishment. And then watch the profit flow in almost automatically. Easier said than done. But I think if you own a business that offers services, you have to prioritise the satisfaction of the people who is going to acquire that service and pay for it.
    Gemalyne Martyn

  5. March 9th 2023 by Gemalyne Martyn

    If I were the customer:
    I would suggest to pour the remaining ml drops in our glasses, with politeness and sheer elegance. 🙂
    If I were the bar staff:
    Having had a stint in a waitressing job in my 20’s, in a 5-star hotel, we have been trained to serve “gracefully” without compromising the revenues! ( not really that I know the precise figures, but do the mathematical ethos).
    If I were the owner:
    Being the very apex of the establishment, my first priority would be keeping customers happy so that they come back, with friends, with friends who bring other friends to the establishment. And then watch the profit flow in almost automatically. Easier said than done. But I think if you own a business that offers services, you have to prioritise the satisfaction of the people who is going to acquire that service and pay for it.
    Gem Martyn

  6. March 10th 2023 by William

    What’s the date and time of the seminar?

  7. March 10th 2023 by William

    Ignore my last – my screen wasn’t displaying properly and I had to restart the PC… 🙁

  8. March 10th 2023 by Chris Brown

    how to do it. i was at Ginos, in the Toon yesterday, premeal for Peter Kay, I know and brilliant, a mates 60th do, and the waiter to one of our wine loving party, discussed the wine list and made a few suggestions, adding she could try all and he would still let her have the Grillo (i thought it was BBQ talk) he did, the wine taste and she went with the his suggestion, brilliant service and lots of staff to help, even if they were wearing tight clothing!!
    its my age.
    Gino must of read the 5 Star service manual, but i could see Christine and your photo with him on the wall.
    cheers Chris
    happy sledging

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