Cracker by Damian Christie

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Cracker: Stoopid

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  • Jeremy Andrew,

    what makes good service great: connecting with people as individuals.

    And there's the essence of it.
    Treat people like real people and, oddly enough, they respond positively. The hard part is inspiring that in your staff. Its easy to say "treat people nice, smile, say have-a-nice-day", but if the staff aren't feeling it, or really good actors, it just comes across as fake plastic McDs service (which is still preferable to crap service).

    The best service I ever had was from an optometrist, it was 12 years ago and I still tell this story, which tells you something.
    For our wedding we had a stack of rellies in from overseas, the US & Bermuda mostly, and one of the aunties lost a screw from her glasses. No biggy, we were in town and passing a new optometrist that had opened recently. We popped in and asked how much for a replacement screw, the chap said no charge, and took her specs out back. While we waited, he also took the glasses from everyone else on our group of about 8, and ran them through the cleaner, tightened any loose bits and replaced the nose pieces on a couple of them.
    He not only didn't charge for the service, he flat out refused a tip from any of us, and when the auntie tried to buy some lens cleaner as a way to give him money, he wouldn't sell it to her - said she's just as well off with soap & water. In the end they stuffed some money in the guide dog collection box on the counter.
    Needless to say my wife and I have been to them for all our optical needs ever since, even after the place changed hands and the service went down to just averagely good.
    I have no idea how much they made from word-of-mouth out of that, but it would have been well worth the 15 minutes and five bucks (if that) of parts.

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    if the staff aren't feeling it, or really good actors, it just comes across as fake plastic McDs service

    A cafe down at my local shops recently changed hands. One of the new people working there is a lady who likes to ask "And how's your day been? Busy?".

    It's OK to be asked that once per visit, but on more than one occasion she's asked me that twice. It seems creepy and robotic. (Or perhaps my insistance that my lazy Sunday morning hadn't been particularly busy wasn't an acceptable answer.)

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna,

    But my real favourites are the chaps at the St Paul's cafe, behind the State Services Commission and the Freyberg building.

    They are indeed lovely lovely people behind the counter. It's a shame about the ordinary blandness of their food. But that's probably a good post for the Wellingtonista, not here.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • Bob Munro,

    "And how's your day been? Busy?".

    This seems to be catching on everywhere. I always feel a little guilty if I'm having a lazy day, like I haven't been pulling my weight for a few hours.

    Still it's is all in the intent though. I find the 'Have a nice day' from the school kids in their first jobs at the supermarket rather charming as you can see how hard they're trying.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report Reply

  • stephen clover,

    It’s a CAA regulation that prohibits sending unaccompanied cellphones, unless they’re processed as freight.

    Not to be contrary or anything, but I don't actually have a problem with what Air NZ did/said. Rules are rules and they're there for a reason. Your phone could be an explosive device. Bad luck.

    Please. If you gave the cellphone to a flight attendant, it wouldn’t be unattended now, would it?

    No, but if the explosive device was automated, how would that stop it from doing its intended work?

    In fact, what they probably should have done is called the Bomb Squad and got them to dispose of your phone somewhere out in the middle of the tarmac.

    </devil's advocate>

    ...

    Since when has the standard of Air NZ food/drinks not been wretched? (Unless you're a practicing Jew.)

    wgtn • Since Sep 2007 • 355 posts Report Reply

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