On customer service and cooling off
There’s been an e-mail sweeping through Springfield inboxes the past couple of weeks, and Wednesday was my day to receive it.
The e-mail’s originator apparently was dissatisfied with the food and service she’d received from a local eatery and decided document her concerns to the owner (or manager; I’m not sure). While it was incredibly detailed, the e-mail plainly informed the owner/manager of the shortcomings of the food and service without malice.
The reply, on the other hand… Let me relay a few snippets:
I’m sure you yourself are not perfect in your occupation either.
[…]
You are the only one with a negative comment.
[…]
We try to predict and prepare for what business we receive, but it is impossible as we cannot read minds.
But wait, it gets better. The owner/manager, perhaps worked up into full raging lather, closes the e-mail thusly:
By the way, what is it that you do for a living? Perhaps I’ll use your services someday and send you a critique of how you did on one of your worst days of the year and see how much you appreciate my feedback.
Now obviously, this was the wrong way for the owner/manager to handle this. In the service industry, you never want to burn bridges with a customer, but the owner/manager here used an MX Missile topped with multiple, independently targeted re-entry vehicles on this particular bridge. Certainly it would have been better for the owner/manager to sit on the response overnight, cool off a little bit and then maybe consider a different, more measured response. It is my understanding that the owner/manager is something like 22 years old, and therefore lacks the experience and, well, the maturity to properly handle the situation.
But (and there’s always a “but”)… in the response, the owner/manager brings up a very valid point:
If you do not point out the problem at the time of service (i.e. the tuna burger) we cannot correct it.
This is 100 percent correct. To quietly stew about bad food and then complain after the fact smacks of passive-aggressiveness. The owner/manager’s snotty reply and the subsequent e-mail frenzy (and this shitty blog post) all could have been avoided had the customer brought to the attention of the staff while at the restaurant.
While the owner/manager never should have sent such a snotty reply, the customer also bears some responsibility for letting things get to that point.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:13 am
My first thought when reading that email last week was that is was all a ruse to sully the name of the restaurant. The owner’s/manager’s reply was so blantantly petty and vindictive that I thought it had to be the work of a disgruntled patron or employee. From what I’ve been told, however, apparently it’s real.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:15 am
I received this email last week. I see your point about issuing a complaint while still there, but it seemed by the owner’s response that the restaurant was packed on that particular day. I wonder if a customer would have had timely access to the floor manager. The owner should have just sent that nasty little response to drafts. Checked herself before she wrecked herself. I have often wished I’d done the same when responding to blog posts.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:18 am
Checked herself before she wrecked herself.
Because e-mailed shotgun bullets are bad for your eatery’s health.
I wonder if the customer even told the waitress how crappy everything was.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:25 am
Wait…why was I left out of this furious ring of e-fire? I thought I had my finger on the pulse of this town, and yet this is the first I’ve heard of this hubbub. Somebody forward this to me ASAP…I’m feeling hungry for a tuna burger.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:29 am
The problem is that people (customers) have too insanely high expectations, thereby setting themselves up for disappointment.
Don’t get me wrong; when you go to a restaurant, you expect good food, and you should. But holy crap, sometimes the kitchen is simply off their game. It happens. Yeah, it sucks if it happens when you are there, but it happens. However, if your tuna soft taco was that horrible that you needed to alert the manager over it, you should have {calmly} dealt with it then and there. That or better yet, get the hell over it and hope it’s better next time.
Worse yet are the pus-filled anal lesions- I mean, people- that throw screaming meemie fits in fast food restaurants. True, at least they are doing it then and there, belittling the pimply-faced 17-year-old behind the counter because their McCrapburger doesn’t have enough mustard on it (or mayonnaise, if you will…?). But folks, it’s frickin’ McDonalds. Complaining about your food at McDonalds or anywhere like it is just phucking stupid. Again, get the hell over it, sit down, and shut up.
I’m not saying one shouldn’t stand up for one’s self, especially if they’ve somehow been “wronged”, but for the love of Chrysler, pick your damn battles. Make it a fight that is worth fighting. And even then, screaming and yelling and otherwise causing a giant scene does nothing but make you look like a fuggin’ idiot. As AnonCom alluded to, the way you handle yourself, and the way the business handles themselves in return, speaks volumes. A passive-aggressive (read: chicken shit) smear campaign by email after the fact followed by a pissy little (albeit right on the money) response from the manager just shows what idiots both combatants are.
How anyone works in retail is beyond me. I have respect for anyone that works a retail job. I’ve always said that working retail wouldn’t be bad if you didn’t have to deal with people.
Most people suck.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:44 am
Johann: It wasn’t a smear campaign in the beginning, though you might call it one now. The first email, which I thought was fairly constructive, went only to the owner/manager (?). It was after the response that all of Springfield except for Russ was cc’d.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:49 am
Sorry if this posted already. Johann, this wasn’t a smear campaign at first, although it might be one now. The first email, which I thought was fairly constructive and included some nice things about the restaurant, was sent only to the manager/owner (?). It was only after the hostile reply (which was soooo much more passive-aggressive than the original), that everyone in Spfld except Russ was cc’d.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:54 am
Everyone in Spfld except Russ (and myself), so I guess I shouldn’t comment after not having seen it. But I already have commented, so I guess tough noogies. Just going by how AC reported it; to me, it SOUNDS like a smear campaign.
“You’re going to get pissy? I’ll show you pissy!” is what it sounds like to me.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:08 am
I din’t get the e-mail either. But then I don’t get many e-mail blasts because I will call bullshit and ‘Reply to All’ when I get e-mails containing false information (and that would be most of them). However, that tactic seems to only result in me being taken off everyone’s mass email list.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:47 am
Ha…Dave - that must be what happened to me too. I always make sure to include the Snopes link in my reply-to-all, just to add an extra level of “don’t believe everything you read.”
May 1st, 2008 at 10:49 am
So you’re telling me that Bill Gates won’t give me money if I forward this e-mail?
Man, I’m so disillusioned.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:13 am
I didn’t get the e-mail either. I’m dying to know what restaurant this is.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:55 am
Ha! “No soup for you!!” Tuna burger? That doesn’t even make any sense.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Steve: Exactly. Why ruin a good piece of tuna by turning it into a burger?
May 1st, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I know…even a salmon knows damn well it will never trump patty status. What nerve…
May 1st, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Dude, don’t front on my salmon patties. They’re high in calcium and essential breadcrumbs.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I love ‘em…But I think I preferred my mom’s over your’s, which were still good, but tended to be on the greasier side.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Ok, after reading the infamous email, I feel qualified to comment.
Apparently this chef/owner is 22. This is a swank joint. I’m guessing that said joint was not financed by her paper route, but a coddling parent or two who have always told chef/owner that she is their perfect princess. Her email reads like someone who has never heard that she and her food might not be the bee’s knees.
If there isn’t a substantial backlash caused by her snippiness, she will hopefully learn from this and become a better business person. If not, she should make it a rule to never personally respond to emails.
Kids these days.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Dont forget your Omega-3s..
May 1st, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Russ: That’s the inclination I got when I learned her age, that Daddy gave her her own restaurant for graduation or something like that. Man, today’s kids aren’t satisfied with just a BMW. They have to have their own eatery, too.
I’d like to try the place to see what the hubbub’s about. Hey, Princess… how about hooking a brother up with some gift certs? I’m not ready to pay for it yet because the food, service and attitude is so shitty.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I had a run-in with this particular chef, too. I needed to address some food allergy/medical issues with her regarding her menu before we made a visit. She seemed not only like she could care less about the particular issue, but that she was aggravated that I would trouble her with it.
I’ve eaten at many, many other restaurants and chefs are always happy to help with these types of issues. I was surprised and sorely disappointed in the chef in question. Count me out as a potential diner.
May 1st, 2008 at 3:42 pm
So what IS the restaurant in question?!
May 1st, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Can’t miss it…The one with the empty lot; maybe a BMW, but always parked in the handicap spot. Could be a Kitchen Nightmares candidate…love that show. That’s how I learned to try the crab cakes first before taking a chance on the seafood.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I didn’t get the email either. This wouldn’t happen to be the place where a certain person, whose name rhymes with Jim Javelin, went with his zipper down, would it?
And, Nancy, as someone who tries never to miss your comments around the Springfield blogosphere, I can say unequivocally, and I doubt any would disagree, your comments serve as a model for us all.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Marie-
I agree. Nancy should have her own blog. I love her comments.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I third the sentiments re: Nancy’s comments. They classy up the joint.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:16 am
In regards to the owner’s source of money, I have it on good authority that she got a bank loan.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:39 am
From where, her daddy’s bank? ZING!
Er, uh…coming from you, U-Huff, I can trust your good authority. I stand duly chagrined.
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Wow, I missed this comment fun and email.
Count me out for not being CC’d. I guess I only get emails from crazy homeless women trying to sue the city and the mayor.
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Thank you.
May 6th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Wow guys … I not only got the e-mail … but I know the people involved. Crazy, eh?
A large-ish group of people at my work went down there one evening (not the lunch in question, mind you) … because a co-worker of ours works there part time. Gosh … could that be more befuddling? In any case …
I wasn’t able to go … however they showed me the menu afterwards. It’s high-end … a little pricey … their thing is comfort food … “gourmet’ed up” … if I may redneck that up a little. haha
Everyone who went … and I mean everyone … raved about the food. Said the atmosphere was very cool. No complaints … perhaps other than the price. Even then, really … no genuine complaints.
So then this e-mail begins circulating … about this lunch incident. In the ongoing mele, I received a separate e-mail forwarded from this part time worker that would curl your hair. Leave it to say that they are livid that the e-mail is being forwarded around Springfield … and, supposidly, considering legal action against the original customer for forwarding this e-mail.
The original e-mail is real … and the attitude you see coming from the original e-mail exchange is not only that of the owner or chef … but the other employee as well. The vitriol coming from this part timer (regarding the e-mail situation) … is enough to make me never want to bother going.
There were several things on the menu that sounded delicious (not the tuna burger … ) … but common … there are more than enough restaurants in Springfield for me to avoid her, and her employees, nasty attitude.