Feb 25 2008
How absolutely NOT, to respond to customer complaints…
A Brisbane, Australia, (almost my home town) restaurant has earned international notoriety after insulting a customer who had the temerity to let them know she was dissatisfied with their food and service.
After posting a complaint via The Casa Flamenco’s website outlining problems encountered during a $261 dinner party, diner Lorraine Pacey was shocked at the reply:
“Dear Lorraine, Your are an idiot we don’t want your feedback.”
Both communications have now circulated around the world - including featuring on a US website, which has had more than 20,000 hits.
Ms Pacey, a marketing manager who once worked in restaurant marketing, was more than a little shocked by the response, and passed it on to friends.
But even she has been surprised by the speed at which the tale spread across the globe.
“In marketing we usually say if a customer has a good experience they will tell between three and four people about it.
“If it’s bad, it’s usually eight to 10. This bad experience has gone to over 20,000 that we know of.” And is now being featured in prime time television shows and the printed media.
In her email, she reported that while the waiter was “a sweet, friendly guy”, he wasn’t properly trained and did not regularly check back on the table.
“The food was good, we enjoyed it, but it was not enough and it took far too long to arrive,” she noted.
She also said she felt that some of the dishes were overpriced, noting that while she was dining on an advertised offer of 50 per cent off the bill, she would have been disappointed had she had to pay full price.
“I am not seeking any recompense here - I think you have a good concept in the restaurant and your website shows you are passionate about what you do,” she wrote.
Ms Pacey said she had hoped the email would have helped Casa Flamenco staff to improve their performance and help the restaurant get repeat business.
Casa Flamenco co-owner John Jimenez said the response to Ms Pacey had been sent in error.
“We explained it was a misunderstanding. We’ve got a relative on Russell Island and thought it had been sent to him,” Mr Jimenez said.
“Her husband called and we explained the misunderstanding.”
But Ms Pacey says she is unmarried and has made no attempt to contact Casa Flamenco .
An acquaintance of Ms Pacey’s who emailed Casa Flamenco expressing displeasure at the way Ms Pacey had been treated received the following response: “Like we care.”
Tonight on television, they are claiming the restaurant had to be closed for several days due to the volume of abusive telephone calls and emails.
The bottom line is… well surely no reader to this blog needs me to state the obvious.
Bloody hell, I can’t believe this sort of stuff still happens!!!.
