Note: I am not slamming this business mentioned in this post, just using it as a recent example.
We recently went up to Monterey because I had some work to take care of and we decided to go back to the Cannery Row Brewing Company. In December of 2011 we had gone to Monterey simply to get away for a few days prior to Christmas and ended up going to the Cannery Row Brewing Company two nights in a row because we had such an awesome time there.
The service was awesome up at the bar, where we normally sit when we go anywhere, and the vibe of the place was right up our alley. Those two nights we were there it was pretty crowded but we still received awesome service. On this most recent trip we went in there around late afternoon and the place was pretty empty. We had little dude (otherwise known as Sammy) with us so rather than sit at the bar we sat at one of the pub tables. I saw at least four employees there and there were about 10 customers in the place.
The waitress that seemed to be covering the pub table area didn’t acknowledge us for some time but was walking past us delivering beer and food to the other tables. She finally looked up and saw us and acted somewhat surprised. She said hello and brought us menus but never seemed completely there. I understand that being a waitress or waiting on people in general may not be your life long goal but my attitude is that no matter what you do you should be doing it the best you can.
We only stayed for one drink before walking back to the hotel but we would have stayed for a couple (or more) if we had felt welcomed like our previous trips in there. It just felt that we were a nuisance rather than paying customers. Again, I completely understand that we’re human and we will have off days…I really don’t expect perfection, but then again, I do.
I believe this pertains to ALL businesses in the entire world but as you know I tend to speak directly about the hospitality industry (hotels, B & B’s, restaurants, bars, wineries, etc.), we need to wake up to the new reality. That new reality is that we are all connected now via Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, Yelp, Foursquare, Instagram, Pinterest, Trip Advisor, and blogs. It was bad enough in the old days when it was just local word of mouth but now…now the stakes are even higher.
There are no excuses anymore. I don’t know if the answer is more staff trainings or vetting your new hires better, but you cannot risk the bad reviews anymore. And when bad reviews are made the business needs to step in and engage in an attempt to repair the situation. I will absolutely give Cannery Row Brewing another chance, heck, probably ten more chances…but if I get enough of these situations there again not only will I not go back but I will not recommend it to anyone else.
I really don’t mean to be picking on Cannery Row Brewing because there are plenty of other good examples of this but I threw a dart and here we are. As I said, we will absolutely go back. However, businesses need to understand that the game is different. I firmly believe we are in a relationship economy now in which the way we treat somebody today will affect our bottom line down the road. We’ve all seen this and we all know it. The internet makes those ripples in the pond go out even further and cover even more territory.
If this visit had been our first time in there I can almost guarantee we would not go back in again, we would find somewhere else to spend our money. First impressions (along with second, third, and fourth impressions) are really important. Let’s not take our eyes off the prize. Let’s not forget why we’re in business.
You are so spot on. Customer service is what keeps customers coming back. Great observation, great article.
Thanks Dahlynn! How the heck are ya?!??!?! Sad thing is that everyone knows customer service is important, yet it is not practiced enough. Not sure what the deal is. 🙂
Right on! I think the same needs to apply to Congress, the ruling .2% and big business.
Cheers to that Karen!! 🙂
Next time your in Monterey come in Lallapalooza! I manage and serve there and if you have enjoyed the atmosphere at CRBC you’d surely enjoy it. Bummer when service is sucky when food and drinks are so delicious. Give us a shot
Karen, you are on our list now. Thanks for the message. I’m hoping it was just a fluke over at CRBC!! 🙂
Couldn’t have said it better myself. My work in 2 different fields is taking care of customers/clients. There’s nothing I hate more than going out, and getting crappy CS. It’s uncalled for. You actually make a pretty decent living working in a nice restaurant. You hussle and move your ass but that’s the deal and you get paid well for the short amount of time you’re there. I feel every manager should have their eyes peeled watching for such lack of acknowledgement to their customers. If not their business will fall down the tubes.
I agree Karen. I know it’s tough…it’s hard to be perfect all the time but if there’s an open dialogue from the business to its customers about how they are always striving to be better and they truly want their feedback, I think it can work in favor of the business.
One of the most frustrating things about my business is customer service, and how to please everyone who comes through our front door. Last year we hosted 53000+/- visitors. We try to make sure everyone is treated as you would like to be treated. It’s not possible. On weekends we have 10 people working the tasting room and Marcy and myself either BBQing or trying to help. But what do we do when we have 20 people at the bar(not unusual) and a bus or limo shows up. Do I say they can’t come in? What do I do when there are 40 people in the tasting room with out any large group. Say half must leave. I don’t charge to taste at my house, and I still believe it is important to educate the public by doing full winery tours at my expence. I believed in it in the 70s and still do. It costs money for another employee and the insurance is very high which is why most wineries no longer do it. However I really believe in hospitality, but I think it’s a two way street. You cannot believe how some customers treat my people. And I say customers in the kindest way. Few both to do anything but drink and leave without ever touching their wallet. Then post on some blog how rude we are, and how the service was so slow when we have a house full. Yes there are times when an employee may be less than gracious particularly at the end of the day, but please remember hospitality is a two way street. We get a lot of people through our winery because we are popular and have produced fine wine for a long time. Been winery of the year and have won so many sweepstakes and gold medals that we’ve lost count. We are not a large corporate winery as we have been described in many blogs, but the oldest family winery in Paso Robles under the same ownership. I really feel badly when someone leaves my house and has not had a good experience and would encourage them to get to me. I will bend over backward to correct a problem.
I should just delete this and shut up, but will send it. Please remember that the person behind the bar is a human too, and may have a good reason for not being Mary Poppins 24/7.
Gary, I absolutely agree with you. I think it is a two way street for sure. the business should always be willing to have open dialogue with its customers and promote feedback. There are customers that will simply never be happy…and so long as the business attempts to meet that customer halfway I think that scenario is the fault of the customer. We’ve been to many wineries and restaurants where they act as though it’s inconvenient for them to deal with us…and it’s frustrating. I can see it from both sides. My issue is with the more obvious stuff that we see in the hospitality industry. Like not being acknowledged in an establishment when it’s not crowded or mildly crowded. If an employee is having a bad day I’d say it’s up to other employees or management to remedy that situation. Unfortunately for businesses today the customer is holding a lot of power…good or bad…that’s how it is. I don’t think any business can be perfect all the time but every business should have your attitude of always making the effort. Don’t ever delete anything by the way…I appreciate your opinion!!
Customer service good or bad does make a difference, especially on a first impression. On one of our recent trips to PR we visited a small winery on the east side (I don’t remember the name). I just remember that it is one of the wineries that opens to the public only 2-3 times per year. We stood there about 10 feet away from the small tasting bar and we were never acknowledged! The bar was full so we waited for a spot to open up but never did. The person pouring never said a word to us and just kept on chatting with the people at the bar. It felt like we were intruding on a click of friends. We waited about 10 minutes and then walked out.
Pat, I completely understand. That incident sounds like bad training (if it was indeed an employee and not one of the owners). I’m not sure what the answer is and I understand these businesses can often be over worked and under staffed but it’s amazing how far communication will go. If you acknowledge people and just be transparent, the situation typically does not escalate. Cheers!
Boy Gary I hear ya. I have had the pleasure of working at one of the smallest yet busiest tasting rooms in Paso. We were all about having a fun and somewhat irreverent style about us, yet it was of the utmost importance to be customer driven and knowledgeable about the wines. We did not really have titles per se, but for lack of a better term I was the tasting room supervisor. It was my job to insure customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction. It was also my job to play good cop, bad cop with the inebriated, control large groups, fix toilets, clean up barf (yes, you heard right. My staff is busy selling, I’m not going to pull one of them!).
So watching the tasting room on a busy Saturday, I may notice an interaction about to go south. I would ask another employee to step in and finish while I find out what the deal is with the original employee. I also encourage ANY employee to abandon ship if things are getting weird with a customer or if they don’t feel comfortable making that famous call of “i can’t serve you anymore”…
In a nutshell, the customer expects you to be Mary Poppins all the time, no matter what. The selected few will understand when your not. Most won’t. How come I don’t work in a tasting room right now? I needed a break…;)
Jon, I totally understand. There are a small percentage of consumers out there that always expect perfection but for the most part, if the “business” communicates and informs customers of what is happening there is less likely to be a problem. I think transparency, honesty, hard work, and communication would solve a very large majority of issues that pop up.
Great “customers point of view” post, Matt.
While I have told business owners everything you’ve said, because most of it is an irrevocable truth at this point, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I am growing tired of the disadvantage social media has given to some “customers”. I feel strange saying that, because I am certainly a stickler for quality customer service… The benefits it reaps are unquestionable, it is the best way to grow a business, period.
However, I have seen social media service — Yelp comes to mind — turn into “power trips” for many people. As Gary said above, customer service is a two way street, and employees are human beings. For example, in your story above you mention your first impression of the brewery could have been ruined, and you might never have returned (hypothetically). I think that is totally fair. I even think it’s totally fair that you might never recommend them, and tell your circle of friends not to bother. I don’t know, though, if one customer’s bad impression is worth souring literally thousands of potential customers on a business, as social media has now made possible.
Of course, it’s really a moot point, which is what business-owners need to understand. The power is firmly in the hands of the consumer… You never know if someone with 50,000 rapt Twitter followers is at your front door.
Lindsay, I agree with you completely. Whether businesses like it or not we are in a time where customers really do run the show. That being said, I really think there are ways businesses can handle those customers that are out of control on Yelp and other sites. I really think businesses should engage with those folks and have the conversation publicly. Often times, loyal customers of the business will come to their aid as well others online will see that business attempting to resolve an issue and see that “angry, unruly customer” for what they are. I have seen that play out several times but not enough…businesses are usually afraid to engage that kind of person. It’s a tricky place to be but there really are other possibilities and in fact, I think those difficult times can be wonderful opportunities for the business. Cheers and thank you again for the comment and your thoughts.
Yes, it’s always worth engaging. I think most people running businesses would engage a person complaining in “real life,” so they shouldn’t hesitate to do so (politely, thoughtfully) online. And I too can think of at least one incident locally where fans came to a business’ aid (Sunset Drive-In a few months back)… That was very interesting to watch!
I think what I’m bemoaning is the general lack of empathy and manners in day-to-day goings on for many people. I suppose I bring it up only in the vague hope that someone will read this someday and reconsider their position as a customer and “reviewer”. If only we all considered the “other guy” a little more often.
Lindsay, not only would I be interested in writing about your point (already started an article about the angry reviewer just haven’t finished), but if you’re interested in doing a guest post on something like that I am all ears. Maybe we can chat away from here about that if you’d like.