Hervey Bay Businesses Need to Improve Their Service
Martin Fraser from Fraser Coast Business Brokers thinks that some local Hervey Bay businesses need to improve their customer service.
Like many other businesses we spend a lot of money encouraging people to move to Hervey Bay, we meet and greet them and want to show off the best of our city. I fear we are going back to the days of old Hervey Bay “where the coffee will kill a brown dog, and if you dont like it P off!”
Wife went to a well known Esplanade Thai restaurant with a small group of school mums a couple of nights ago. Service was very slow, to the point of total indifference. The wine was corked (why serve a 2006 Chardonnay in a warm climate anyway?). After the term “corked” was explained, waitress took it to the kitchen where they tasted it and agreed. Another bottle was ordered an delivered with the blunt statement: “If no good, bad luck!”Next night I went as well, I think it was to punish me. The service was again slow, with the waitress just wandering and when a request was made, continuing for quite a while until she had finished her routine tasks . Only two tables were occupied, the place used to be packed out. Plates on the table setting were removed after we ordered and set on the sideboard for reuse, not washing: we had been sitting before those plates for half an hour or more. A common soft drink was not stocked. The mandolin music was just too loud. Plates were removed from two diners while the third was still eating.
As wife had to wait for the bill the previous night, we asked for the bill early and were told “Go to the counter” This was not a takeaway, it was a licensed restaurant!
So we queued while takeaway customers ordered. No smiles, no thankyou, no courtesy. We weren’t difficult customers, perhaps we should have been.
We eat out a lot and get great service from a really friendly little Asian restaurant in Bideford St. Even though we know the menu backwards, guess where we are going back!
Sadly we’ve encountered similar poor levels of service from some local eateries and from comments made to us from time to time we’re not the only ones who are disappointed in the level of service that some Hervey Bay businesses seem to think is adequate.
November 5th, 2009 at 11:14 am
I agree in total with the comments made. I dine out on a regular basis, the group, who under duress, allow me to sit with them, all agree there are seven GOOD places to dine.
The rest would not know what service was, a GOOD eatery needs three things, good food, good service and a desire to please.
Without these, their days are numbered and many eateries have faild in this town.
November 6th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
I agree with Jonangel about customer service. Not only in the restaurant area, I was purchasing a new car almost three years ago and three motor dealers took my name and address and said they would be in touch with me. I’m still waiting ! A engraver will call me when the engraving was finished. A week later I called the business to be told it was ready the day after I left it with them. Wine glasses ordered, never received a call from the shop. Left name and phone numberwith a supermarket manager who will call me back. Still waiting. Phoned for an appointment with a solicitor around six months ago. Still waiting. I have NOT been anywhere near the above businesses to this day. There is a great opportunity for a progressive organisation who can teach employees and employers the importance of customer service. All I required was at least a ‘phone call, I would have been happy and the above businesses would still have my patronage.
November 7th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I have never understood why plates are cleared when other people at the table are still eating. Also worth mentioning is that food should be delivered to everybody at the table around the same time not 15 minutes apart as we continually experience in the Bay. I had a breakfast the other day and ordered sausage, egg, bacon and toast, the sausage turned up after I had finished the rest of my meal despite asking twice. It seems most of the restaurants / cafes in the Bay are the same in our experience. We’ve been lucky enough to have visited about 3/4 of the world and Hervey Bay is certainly up there in NOT knowing etiquette.
November 14th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
I just want to put a comment about bad service. I have recently dine in THE DELI in main street and I must say the service there is very good they greet you friendly the food is nice and the music is good taste not loud or over powered you can have a nice conversation while you dine. And the best part is there is always a friendly farewell. I always go back there they listen to you and try to help where ever they can. I can honestly say this is really a good coffee shop I can advice any one to go there.
November 30th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Martin,
I know exactly which restaurant you are talking about (Thai Diamond) on the esplanade). I have been there on several occasions. If not for their close proximity to where I live, there is no way I would ever go there. We were actually there last night and I couldn’t figure out why they were blaring Chinese music!
The owner of the restaurant, an older woman totally ignored me when I asked her how she was (while we were paying at the counter!). One night, my partner and I arrived there at 8.30pm for dinner. At 9.30pm, while we were still only halfway through our mains, they said to us to hurry up and finish our dinner because they were closing! They started to shut their doors on us while we were still sitting outside! Unbelievable. We obviously weren’t happy. We now only visit Thai Diamond if we’re too lazy to travel further for Thai food.
I think a lack of good competition in Hervey Bay has made businesses here unmotivated to do better. I guess for many, there’s no reason to provide great service when there’s no need to. I’ve always said though, that it’s easier to be nice than not. I have real doubts as to whether the quality of service will change anytime soon in Hervey Bay.
Pam Kaur.
January 14th, 2010 at 11:42 am
Thai Diamond…… well I love Thai food. But I can tell you that I would never again eat at the Thai Diamond. I would rather be whipped with razor blades and dipped in vinegar than eat at that place. There is a lot to be said about how people treat those they come in contact with on a day to day basis. And their track record speaks for itself. The Thai Diamond was prosecuted for under paying staff last year, yet still believe that they should be allowed to do this. They rent the section of the complex they are in and own the section where the medical centre is located. Last year they insisted the ceiling on their side of the complex be fixed (which they rent); yet refused to fix the other side of the complex, which is in total disrepair (this is the section they own). The Council even told them that it was unsafe as pieces of metal had reportedly struck people walking past. But as long as their section looks good, that is all that matters. Then you have the Oriental Palace great food and better service. A family run business, were the family come out to chat and, if time permits, will sit down with you. No wonder they have so many regulars. They will just have to watch for falling pieces of metal when they go there.