service
The smurf is back back again time to sing
lol anyway have recently being holidaying interstate checking out the scene in the hotspots of melbourne, sydney, and Perth and the one thing ive noticed is that of service standards now i know tassies small doesnt have the scene that everyone else has, BUT for gods sake how hard is it to get a smile or someone to be polite or for venues ( not to be named this time) to take some time and train there staff, for me service is the make or break of a venue this was hit home to me on the big island yes they have more competition but the staff know the menu's know there products and can sell it to the customer
Is it because here we have the mentality of lets make the most cash we can or is it laziness on owner/Managers that they dont want to spend the time or resources developing the talent? anyway thats my rant if anybody cares!
posted by smurf @ 1:10 AM
27 Comments:
Smurf - we DO care. We're glad you're back & have missed you.
I thought your laptop had been repossessed!
Aren't you in the service side of hospitality? I think I got that impression from your blogs. If so, surely you would have a pretty good idea of what we can do to improve, if you've just seen generally better service on thre mainland?
Hi Smurf - where did you eat; what did you do??
rita yes i am in the service side of hospitality i know exactly what we need to start doing but heres the point where i work we spend time and effort so that all service providers have an idea about whats happening both in the kitchen and on the wine menu's i wrote the article hoping to get people like yourself and kitty to talk about what makes a good restaurant/ bistro bar tick i could have said this what is wrong is there are far to many "boys clubs" in this state, we dont make good use of our natural resources and then wonder why they take off i could rant on and on actually i will do a blog on this asap im checking out a supposed top notch restaurant in the coming days.
We always said it was Tasmanians themselves that were the problem.
Too much English influence, they are colder than mainlanders in the personality stakes.
When you are basically uncaring, it flows through. Most staff in Tassie just don't care if the customer is being looked after.
So they wouldn't notice if the bread was missing, or cutlery, or drinks, or whether you were greeted upon entering cheerily and thanked and farewelled at the end.
It's ingrained and I just don't think it can be changed. The human material just isn't there.
Sorry, but most of the nice people we meet around the state are usually from interstate or overseas.
Sad but true.
Which restaurant are you going to? I have just come tonight from 373 -one of late, lamented Kittys good places. It was my first time there. I loved it.
I'm sorry but I have to agree with Anon 2.11 regarding the staff, as a generalisation. I have had fantastic service, like at Apple Factory last Monday, but more often, unfortunately, it's as described by Anon.
I think you can attribute it to a range of things - peoples upbringing, levels of awareness of other humans in the world, perceptions, society, employers attitude, fellow staff, customers attitude etc.
I think any or all those things can combine to deliver crap service to the end user - the customer.
I remember years ago going to eat at Tidal Waters in St Helens (which later moved to Launceston to become Still Waters) & being mega impressed with the whole package they offered there - the food, the service, the atmosphere etc. It was all so outstanding.
I asked the owner how she achieved this phenomenon of, particularly, such great service.
She explained that for every new staff member that started, they would all sit down together, her husband (the chef) would cook a meal comprising most of the food on the menu, which they would all eat together, and talk about it while they ate. Her husband would explain where each particular ingredient came from & why he had used it. They did the same with the wine.
So you had all staff being totally at home and familiar and comfortable with the whole menu, and being able to speak and answer questions knowledgeably and factually (and not wankily) about each dish.
They then automatically took ownership of the place, the food, the customers needs etc.
Does that make sense?
Yes, Rita, it makes much sense.
Smurf - where the bloody hell are you?
Talk to me!
marque IV rita
Smart arse smurf!
smurf smart ass never just saying where i went for dinner
Shit, sorry Smurf. I was obviously feeling defensive there. Thought you were having a go at me and the fact that I make no bones about Marque IV being my fave restaurant.
So you went/are going to Marque IV?
Hope you blog about it.
Pear Ridge, Margate - NEVER AGAIN.
there with 3 other people for dinner.
waitress describes side order of vegetables to be in a white sauce - we received ratattouille.
Mains came out with live escardot happily suckling on the garnishes. yum!
management or chef didn't want to know us when we sent the plates back explaining about the snails.
Obviously a place where staff training, customer service & proper health and safety procedures are of a high priority.
Ouch. I was planning a visit to Pear Ridge very soon.
Has anyone else been who would share their experience?
I heard it was fine.
Sir Grumpy
Mind you anon, it shows the salads at Pear Ridge are probably from their own patch and fresh.
I've just noticed you've also sent this little report to another blog.
You're not a competitor throwing a spoiler are you?
I smell a foul deed, which makes me decide I bloody well will go to Pear Ridge and spend up bigger than I had planned before your piece.
The people at Pear took a nothing block and have transformed it. I am not a fan of the buiding's look, as such.
But the gardens around it soften things and I should have been in long before now.
Let's support our restaurants.
A bristling Sir Grumpy.
I've been told both Brookfield and Pear Ridge are worth a visit so will pop down to Margate for a drive and some nibbles soon, and looking forward to it very much.
I have eaten at Pear Ridge when they first opened but I know they've gone through a number of chefs since then, so obviously things have much changed.
I also noticed Anon's identical (cut & paste) comment amongst hrb's comments on her latest post, and wondered the same as you Sir Grumpy.
Thanks Rita,
Me and the missus ate at Brookfield a few weeks ago and had a lovely lunch outside.
I had a home-made pie of sorts and the herbed potatoes were magnificent (pinkeyes).
And friendly service too.
Sir Grumpy
Smurf - thought you had a new post happening? Where?
Thanks for explaining about Marque IV.
No I'm no competitor. I was just very annoyed at the service and the way the whole situation was handled.
I think we all know that salads should be washed no matter where they come from.
And yes. I also made a post on HRB & sent a letter to the Environmental Health officer at the Kingborough Council.
Why dont you just make some cheese that we can eat instead of threatening to write letters.
Hey smurf - we've been singing about your return, and talking amongst ourselves for a few weeks now.
It's time you popped in to add your comments.
bloody hell ive written a new blog 3 times now and three times its vanished when ive hit the send button so u will all have to wait till i have time to re write it sorry fans
Silly smurf - That's where you're going wrong - you have to hit the PUBLISH button, not the SEND button!
smurf - I ate at Marque IV last night (Fri 6/4) and talked about it on my blog. Check it out & see if your thoughts are similar.
Or are you still having probs with your posts?
2/5 - hey smurf - if you're not using your blog, you should close it down!
I pop over every day to check if you've visited but it's been so long now!
Where are you?
14 May. Hello Smurf.
Where are some good places to eat in Sydney please - preferable central; comfortable and not too Sydney trendy - any recommendations? Not Chinatown, we'll go there anyway and play the usual Chinese Roulette - the thrill of the chase and random selection based on what the people sitting in the place look like and what the food on their plates looks like
"The smurf is back time to sing" - well smurf, here's my song for you.....
"Oh where, oh where
Has our little smurf gone?
Oh where, oh where
Has he been?"
(to the tune of "Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?)
Come on smurf - as Lara Bingle would say to you - WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?
It's nearly June! (28/5/07)
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