Triple Shaft

What's up with customer service in this place? I am usually very tolerant with service-industry cock-ups... but this week has been a record breaker.

Shaft #1
Earlier this week, I invited a couple of customers over for a lunch meeting. We went to Carter's at Wafi City. It was a very good meeting and service was attentive. I asked for the bill and took care of it without checking.

Since it was a business lunch, it was "a reimbursable business expense". While doing the expense report 2 days later, I went thru the receipt and noticed an item that never made it to our table. It was a cream of pumpkin something with whatchamacallit sauce.

I know we never ordered it because we had a long argument whether to have desert or not. And we didn't. So, calling the restaurant 2 days later about this mistake doesn't make my case very solid.

So,Ii let it go.

Shaft #2
Three days ago, I went to wire some money home. After the agony of spelling my name, the recipients name, my address, recipient's saddresss, phone numbers, checking the info, correcting the details and redoing the entire process cause the system has an entry field saveing issue. 15 minutes later, transfer was done, got my reciept and walked away.

I reached home and there it was, somehow the numbers on the recipet didn't add up. It was like a mathmatical riddle: One dirham keeps on disappearing and no matter how I add up the numbers, I can't figuire our where is that missing dirham. Its only one dirham.. no major damage.

So, I let it go.

Yesterday, I walked into Starbucks and ordered a Tea and one skimmed Cappuccino. The lady labeled the paper cups the way they do in Starbucks, asked for Dhs 25 and give me the receipt: "You are number 89, sir".

The guy behind the counter was yelling #85. "4 more to go, lets kill time", I thought… looking around the place, the people and I took a quick glance at the slip in my hand and it said:

Tazo Tea Dhs 10
Latte Dhs 15
Total Dhs 25

Latte?... I don't care, as long as I get the skimmed cappuccino I asked for... which I did. One my way out, I glanced at the Menu board over the counter’s desk and it said:

Cappuccino ……… Dhs 14.

THAT’S IT. i am not getting shafted for the 3rd time.

I asked to see the manager and a guy with an apron on walked up. “…err….I’d like to see the guy with the white t-shirt if you don't mind".

Few minutes went by and Mr white t-shirt manager came. I explained to him the glitch and that it was not about the dirham (Yes it was). The manager was nice and accommodating. He did beg me to fill a customer feedback form, which I did.

On the way out, the manager was very apologetic, warm and promised he’d look into the matter so that it doesn’t happen again. But never offered to give me the 1 dirham back.

And that was, ladies and gents, Shaft No. 3

Have a nice weekend