I enjoyed one of the most wonderful shopping and dining experience today. Is it due to the effect of "Four million smiles welcome the world" - the S2006 starts next week.
My girlfriend and I had dinner at Ngee Ann City Coffee Club, outside Kinokunya. The captain promptly led us to our seats with her brilliant smile. Our food also arrived promptly after we ordered. We had Prawn Garlic Pasta, Chicken Baked Macaroni, and the famous Muddy Mud Pie!
The following picture of the mudpie is courtesy of Shernyl's "Pieces of Me". I don't have camera phone with me lah, due to my job lorh. =(
Comparing with the shrimp linguini and baked pasta from Swenson, NYDC, Delifrance, Pastamania (in decreasing order of tastiness), Coffee Club offers the best. Mmm yum yum, my girlfriend said she'll go back for more of the linguini (there is a picture of it here from a post in June last year), we are probably going to try the Lobster Linguini the next time. Going back to their service, the waiter offered to refill our ice water promptly several times (and of course with his wonderful smile) without us asking. I remember being given a jug of ice water at Jurong Point Pizza Hut after asking repeatedly for ice water refill. After we had finished our main course, the waiter came over and asked whether we would like any desserts (again with his million-dollar smile). We asked for our Muddy Mud Pie to be served! My JC mates introduced it to me during our last outing. Let me tell you, its one of the best mud pie around. The coffee and chocolate ice cream, coco powder, chocolate fudge, and serving big enough two to three people. Mmm yum yum! And when we finished our dessert, the waiter asked if we enjoyed our food (yes, with THE Smile). Our glasses continued to be filled even when our table was empty. In summary, good food, good service.
The staffs at Kinokunya and Isetan also greeted and served us with the trademark S2006 Smile.
Perhaps their services were good before the S2006 thingy. However, even if the improve in service is due to S2006, I think this is a good trend. Staffs will get used to providing this kind of good service, and continue to do so, as they'll realise providing good service also make them feel good. I certainly enjoy this improved shopping/dining experience. What I enjoy most is not the prompt service or quality food, but feeling that they are happy to serve us - their S2006 Smile. As they shower us with their smiles, we repay them with our "Thank You". I think it is this appreciation of quality service that will motivate them to continue to provide high quality service.
Having said that, I think it is not easy to keep on smiling when not every customer is appreciative and some take things for granted. My colleague shared with me her dining experience with her relative. Her young niece ran around the restaurant and knocked into a waitress and broke the plates she was carrying. My colleague's uncle immediately reprimanded the waitress. He said that it was lucky that his daughter was not hurt and the waitress should be more careful when there are kids running around and should avoid them. It is not easy to work in the service industry when you have customers with such mentality. "Customers are always right" is a good vision service providers should have. But it is definitely not one that customers should have.
Remember, no matter if its having mee siam, tow geh or dur kwua, or even hum, never take quality service for granted.
My girlfriend and I had dinner at Ngee Ann City Coffee Club, outside Kinokunya. The captain promptly led us to our seats with her brilliant smile. Our food also arrived promptly after we ordered. We had Prawn Garlic Pasta, Chicken Baked Macaroni, and the famous Muddy Mud Pie!
The following picture of the mudpie is courtesy of Shernyl's "Pieces of Me". I don't have camera phone with me lah, due to my job lorh. =(
The staffs at Kinokunya and Isetan also greeted and served us with the trademark S2006 Smile.
Perhaps their services were good before the S2006 thingy. However, even if the improve in service is due to S2006, I think this is a good trend. Staffs will get used to providing this kind of good service, and continue to do so, as they'll realise providing good service also make them feel good. I certainly enjoy this improved shopping/dining experience. What I enjoy most is not the prompt service or quality food, but feeling that they are happy to serve us - their S2006 Smile. As they shower us with their smiles, we repay them with our "Thank You". I think it is this appreciation of quality service that will motivate them to continue to provide high quality service.
Having said that, I think it is not easy to keep on smiling when not every customer is appreciative and some take things for granted. My colleague shared with me her dining experience with her relative. Her young niece ran around the restaurant and knocked into a waitress and broke the plates she was carrying. My colleague's uncle immediately reprimanded the waitress. He said that it was lucky that his daughter was not hurt and the waitress should be more careful when there are kids running around and should avoid them. It is not easy to work in the service industry when you have customers with such mentality. "Customers are always right" is a good vision service providers should have. But it is definitely not one that customers should have.
Remember, no matter if its having mee siam, tow geh or dur kwua, or even hum, never take quality service for granted.
Comments
the tomato sauce with the linguini is superb...but sometimes have to depend on which outlet u eat at...i've tried a few outlets and the best is the one at raffles place mrt...the one near caltex house...
go try it!
Yah, thats an example of a typical Singaporean parent these days, over protective, self-centered and no respect for fellow human being.