Customer Service

I always find it extremely hard to find good service in South Africa.

People are either rude or just unaccommodating - during these many public holidays the family and I had lunch at the Waterfront in Cape Town.



We decided to make a picnic of it - buying food and sitting somewhere we could see the boats and feel the buzz of Cape Town life.
We saw a great potential eatery – they had the proteins we like as well as veggies; key in our new eating plan, thanks to Dr Tim Noakes.

Well – we enquired from the attendant, behind the counter, how their menu works. Do we choose the portions and incorporate any of the veggies? Or, do we get a meal that comes with the veggies?
Seemingly, this was just too much to take – the gent just looked at us and moved over to the next customer. Feeling perplexed I decided to look out for any poster with information at the eatery. I found nothing that could help me.
We then decided to ask another attendant, this time a lady. Posed the same questions, and oh boy, they gent was far more polite in comparison. We left…

We could not fathom the disproportionate correlation between being polite and accommodating to a customer and one’s ability to ensure an income. If enough people walk away, the business will die. The attendants will no longer have that job, and be worse off than before.

One the other hand I marvel at Mr Ohlsson, my barber, elderly gentleman, with 13 grandchildren. He knows majority of the people who come to his shop, has built up a mental database of their likes, dislikes, names of children and parents, etc. He has the uncanny ability to make each person feel that they have an intimate relationship with him. I can get my hair cut anywhere, by better or worse barbers, but none can compare to the way Mr Ohlsson makes you feel while cutting your hair.

Patrons have been going to Ohlsson’s Unisex Hair Salon and Barber for decades, fathers and sons and even grandfathers. The owner ensures that each customer is treated with respect and feels appreciated. And the service product is great, getting value for my money.
All the good things that make a sustainable business with loyal customers keep on coming.

Just in closing, the shop has moved from where it used to be, and we all still go in our droves to the new location. We just love the service.

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