I buy bread at my local Spar every morning and my patriotism was tested in one of the mornings.
I went in as usual, took a basket and went to the Spar baked bread section where I found a lot of Customers waiting, I knew the bread was late, I asked one of the gentleman at the bakery and he said after 25min the bread will be ready and I waited. this Spar make the nicest bread and my customers love it, after 25min a different person came out and said the bread will be ready in the next 30min. It was then that I decided that I will go try Shoprite checkers in the same centre.
When I approach the door the security personal at the door signal me to lift up my hands so he can search me, I then asked him what was the matter and he said he need to search me. I lost my cool because I don't understand how I get in as a Customer and walkout as a suspect, so I refused point-blank to be embarrassed right at the entrance of such a big shop, I requested to see a manager and the lady security went to get him, on seeing that I am a black young man, he then came and said to me ya baba(what's your problem) I asked him if is that how he treat his clients. the poor manager had no clue of customer service, no customer service resolution process in place and no manners.
1. you can not resolve a challenge of such magnitude in front of your staff members and your customers, he want to stress the point that I have to be searched and I am not about to give up my freedom and liberty, now its a scene and the poor manager still can not take this matter to his office instead he is shouting all the more and I am standing there and saying I wonder who employed this guy to deal with people (working with people is more of a calling than a pay cheque thing.QB).
To cut the story shot, I left without being searched and the following day till now I still buy my bread there.
The is no customer service charter in place, which is their promise to the customer and what is expected from me as a customer.
No customer service matrix to help the staff deal with difficult customers.
I feel that people were just thrown to the deep end without proper tools to do their work.
Customer service training is critical for every business and people who work with people.
In conclusion, black people are still the worse when it come to giving fellow blacks good service, you just need to have a white person in front or behind you, you will hear a greeting and see a smile that was not there when you were paying, nor wonder very few progress beyond cashers in their life.......
