I Don’t Have Any More Glasses of That Size!

  I was with a neighbor the other nite enjoying an adult beverage at a local watering hole.  The weather was nice, we sat on the patio enjoying the sun.  As I was about to take a sip of the beverage, my neighbor pointed out that there was something in/on my glass.  Interestingly, it appeared that the debris was on the inside of the glass and was not properly cleaned.  I called the wait staff over, identified the problem.  I was told, “No problem, we’ll get you a new beverage.”  A few minutes later, a second beverage appeared.  Again, as I was about to enjoy the beverage, my neighbor pointed out that, once again, the glass had some debris attached to it.
   Now, two glasses not cleaned?  Ummmm, what is going on.  I took the beverage into the bar, pointed out to the bartender that the glass was stained.  His comment was, “Well, that was a fresh glass– I don’t have any more of that size.”  Now, was that my problem?  He seemed to intimate that it was.  The bartender found another glass, albeit larger, and made the beverage once again.  Interestingly, I think that there was more ice cubes and water in the 3rd beverage than either of the previous two!!
     OK, here is what is interesting— was it MY fault that the glasses were not clean?  Was it MY fault that the bar was out of the proper size glasses?  Of course, you know the answer.  No, on both regards did I, the customer have anything to do with the supply chain challenges that I identified.  Are we going back anytime soon?  No, I don’t think that will happen!
     Customer service is the key in the hospitality business.  The proper way that I would have handled this matter was to “comp” the first drink, maybe even the second one and make sure that the guest had a positive experience.  The hospitality literature is full of articles that always address the “guest experience” and how that experience can be enhanced.  Sadly, this particular establishment forgot to read the memo.

   Don’t forget to read the memo.  Insure that customer service is first class in everything that your business does.  Sadly, the wait staff and the bartender did not seem to care what I felt or what experience that I had.  There is nothing hard or complicated here.  However, this time, this establishment failed on all accords.