Customer Relations – The Name of the Game
I fail to understand just how it is that some consumer-driven businesses don’t take into consideration the “human” factor when they’re devising their business set-ups. It’s perfectly fine to have workable, comprehensible systems, but also consider that there are humans that those systems are affecting, and without those humans, no profitable business would exist.
What am I talking about? Well, my latest experience with a consumer business left me at a loss for words. Let me explain…
I went to lunch with a friend last week and we were both excited about being able to catch up with each other after having not seen one another for quite some time. Of course we had the usual back-and-forth convo about where to go, what to eat, what’s good, what’s not, etc., etc. Being the thrifty mom that I am, I ALWAYS have a handy-dandy coupon ready for any situation, and this one was no different. So, along I tote my coupon book with me to a well-deserve lunchtime with my friend.
Now with my coupons in hand, I know that the correct thing to do is to present the coupon to the waitress BEFORE ordering so that they’re aware that there is a discount situation to consider before the end of the meal. I learned that the hard way (:different post, different day). Anyway, I presented my coupon with a big smile across my face…and the server looked like they had never before in all of their “waiter” life seen a BOGO coupon. Now, this restaurant was/is a very good one, popular, great menu and a family-oriented establishment that receives a lot of local business. Plus, they advertise heavily in the local advertising venues. So what’s with the deer-in-headlights-look?
Why Make Things So Hard?
First, she told us that we had to pay in cash, which I very seldom carry, if any. When I mentioned this, she told me that there were several ATM machines in the general neighborhood area where I could go to get cash. Was she really suggesting that I leave the restaurant and go get cash for my meal?? OK, my experience or thoughts on that are if I leave, I’m not…you get me.
After I insisted that all I had was credit/debit cards, she then informed my friend and I that she still could not take that form of payment either. What?? Seems that their credit card processing services are typically down during rush hour (lunchtime) and it’s usually hard to process them. That of course was the craziest thing to hear because most consumer-based establishments need to keep their POS systems up and running. Also, it’s not a bad idea to have backups to accompany that, in case of emergencies. This is especially important if they’re servicing the public, like, say, RESTAURANTS!!
Well, in the end, the restaurant required that we pay with a check. That only applied though if were were going to be dining in at their typical lunch hour rush (between 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.). Okay, so between those hours, they can’t take credit cards or process debit cards. But, if you come OUTSIDE of those stated hours, then you can use those various forms of payment. What??
Needless to say, that’s one place where we won’t be dining at again, and I took the opportunity to make that clear to the manager. I wasn’t so much frustrated as I was baffled as to how inconvenient that their customer policy is to the customer. Did they “get it?” Probably, probably not. I just know that I won’t be around to see if they did or didn’t. I think next time my friend and I have lunch, we’ll just grab a quick hamburger at the Golden Arches. At least there I KNOW they’ll take my plastic!
About Bridget Wright