What’s Happened to Customer Service (Part 2)?
About a week ago I ranted about the lack of customer service out there in the business today. I’d like to share another story with you today about a restaurant I visited a couple of years ago in Massachusetts.
I was down in Southern Massachusetts picking up a washer and dryer that I found on Craigslist. I arrived slightly earlier than I was supposed to and decided to try out a local BBQ joint that I’d heard some decent reviews of from some friends in the area. After a few rounds of chips and salsa and a few cold beers, I ordered the pulled pork.
To make this story slightly shorter than my last, when my food arrived there were two very long unmistakable strands of dark hair going straight across my plate.
I was completely disgusted.
The waiter didn’t make it more than fifteen feet away before I called him back to point out the obvious problem. He picked up my plate, made the same disgusted look I’m sure I had originally made, and took the plate away. I think I heard him murmur something like “eww”. Not “Sorry”, or “Let me get a manager”, just “Eww”.
He returned a few moments later to let me know that my meal was being remade. With what I’m sure was a confused look on my face, I explained that I didn’t want another meal and that I wanted to leave immediately. He handed me the check from his pocket, which I’m sure you could guess had the pulled pork right there on it.
I asked immediately to speak with a manager (which I should had done long before this point). When the manager arrived I explained the situation: the hair, the check, my loss of appetite. She took the check and said she’d “see what she could do”. Huh?
She returned almost five minutes later with a corrected check and explained that all she could do was remove the pulled pork and that I would have to pay for the drinks and the rounds of chips. While today I think I should have just walked out, I payed the bill and made the mental note never to return again.
I’m sure it’s obvious to every reader is that what should have happened was that an apology was offered (neither the waiter nor the manager ever apologized) and my check was properly disposed of (hopefully with that pulled pork).
If this had happened today, or even in the last few weeks, I’d probably be writing this with a more irate tone and would name the restaurant I had visited, but I’ve let it go. I take satisfaction in the fact that I’m pretty sure none of those friends who previously recommended the place have returned since since hearing my story.