Reflections: Unpleasant encounters at coffee chain outlets
Extracted from ST Forums 16 July:
Reading through the ST Forums every morning, I realized that there is a surge of articles on complaints and unhappiness over the service qualities and attitudes of many companies and service staff, ranging from major hypermart Carrefour, SIA, budget airlines to coffee chains such as Starbucks and Cofffee Bean. Such an article above is an example.
This makes me ponder what values and attitudes of Singaporean customers have as well as that of the service staff. Being in the service line and maintaining a friendly and happy attitude is a challenge. After a hard days work and maintaining a friendly and happy attitude is also a challenge. However, I don't believe being difficult and venting frustrations at the service staff will do any good. It goes in vicious cycles and creating an environment of hostilities.
I really wonder, is it such a big issue to wait for 5 minutes in a queue when there are so many customers. Is there a need to make a big fuss over a minor stain that can be easily removed and is not posing any health or cleanliness issues?
It puts me to think: Why can't we make life easier for each other and strive to create a more friendly and happy environment/society?
Unpleasant encounters at coffee chain outlets
ON JULY 7, I went to Raffles Hospital Coffee Bean for breakfast.
In front of me at the counter was a woman complaining to the staff that she had been waiting for more than five minutes to make an order.
After her order was taken, the staff disappeared and I waited for some time till my wife suggested we go to Ah Kun Kaya Toast for breakfast.
There, we were immediately served.
The same afternoon, while waiting for my friends at Bugis Junction, I ordered a cup of tea at Starbucks and noticed that there was a stain in my cup.
To my surprise, initially they refused to change my cup. Finally, after demonstrating to the waiter that the stain can be easily removed, he got a replacement for me.
I had also encountered lipstick on the cups at Starbucks. Now I always check the cup before drinking.
Reading through the ST Forums every morning, I realized that there is a surge of articles on complaints and unhappiness over the service qualities and attitudes of many companies and service staff, ranging from major hypermart Carrefour, SIA, budget airlines to coffee chains such as Starbucks and Cofffee Bean. Such an article above is an example.
This makes me ponder what values and attitudes of Singaporean customers have as well as that of the service staff. Being in the service line and maintaining a friendly and happy attitude is a challenge. After a hard days work and maintaining a friendly and happy attitude is also a challenge. However, I don't believe being difficult and venting frustrations at the service staff will do any good. It goes in vicious cycles and creating an environment of hostilities.
I really wonder, is it such a big issue to wait for 5 minutes in a queue when there are so many customers. Is there a need to make a big fuss over a minor stain that can be easily removed and is not posing any health or cleanliness issues?
It puts me to think: Why can't we make life easier for each other and strive to create a more friendly and happy environment/society?
1 comment:
I'm all for making things easier for may fellow humans and animals. If they are happy, their smiles make me happy.
Nice blog CalisYoda!
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