- Foreigner friend went in there about a week ago to have a look see. He said it reminds very much of a place of the same name in Long Beach, Calif. There are only two tables in there and an employee was sitting at one of them. As my friend sat down, they told him his table was "reserved' but he could sit at the counter!! The employee wasn't asked to get up; but instead they opted to just inconvenience one of the very few customers they seem to get! He said he set the menu down and he won't be back. Congrats eh? My friend is a professional and a pilot fwiw. Seems to be the same lack of business accumen going on next door..
Don't wish to appear negative. but there is nothing in Dumaguete that proves to me that customer service is improving. When you have a system that allow employers to discard their employees to save money when they have to pay GSIS and SSS, nothing will change. Many of these establishments are owned by families whom are well known and have political influence. They don't want anything to change, as it will cut into their profit margins.
There have on In my years here, there have been two dining establishments that have consistently impressed me with their service---Cafe 21 in Bacolod and Gerrys at the Beach here in Dauin. Training, constant, consistent training is the key to repeat business, as any business person knows. A smile, and acknowledgement and a menu when the customer takes their seat is the least one can do to make the customer feel valued. While a few other restaurants in the area can occasionally meet this standard, it is usually dependent on whether the owner is on-site---again, training and accountable management are the keys. Simple, but rare.
