What’s a good brand without excellent service?
If you ask me; a good brand or a great one for that matter really is worth nothing without excellent service to back it up. We are in the time and age where customer service is the ruling and the most important preference factor with your clients. With all the slogans of “The Customer is Always Right” and “We seek customer delight” and “We aim for perfection” and blah blah blah … In Jordan; I say: bleh!!!
I am sure you all know Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuits; you all have tried them at one point or another, but let me tell you what happened today when we attempted to order a meal for our lunch.
We made sure that we contact them at 12:15 because we already know that they take an hour to deliver the order regardless of its size, so we agreed what we wanted to order and called their delivery center. The call was answered by a girl who obviously was absent minded or not trained to take customers orders, because my colleague had to repeat the order at least three times to make sure that we get the things that we order.
An hour later; no sign of delivery yet, so we decide to contact them again and spoke to a guy there; the conversation went as follows:
Us: we have ordered a delivery at 12:15, why haven’t we received it yet?
Them: because we were trying to call you and there was no answer
Us: what number are you calling?
Them: the one that appeared on the caller ID when you called
Us: why didn’t you call the number that was given to you? We have given you a mobile number to call us because this one is an operator and no one will answer it
Them: we assumed that this was your number and when you did not answer, we gave up
Us: why didn’t you call the mobile number that we provided?
Them: we tried calling the other number
Us: why do you take the mobile number if you are not going to use it?
Them: we take it just in case, but we always call the number you call from
Us: why didn’t you say so from the beginning? We could have given you a number you can contact, but you just assumed and acted?
Them: we always call the number you call from
Us: so what happened to the order?
Them: we will send it to you as soon as it is ready
Us: we need to talk to your manager
Them: why? You will only hurt the girl who took the order
Us: what do you usually do when something like this happens?
Them: we do nothing, we deliver the order
Us: what about the mistake that you did? Who will compensate for the inconvenience?
Them: we do not have such things
Us: fine then, transfer us to someone who knows how t o answer our questions
Them: I will ask our operations manager (OM) to call you, but you will hurt the girl.
Us: we don’t want to hurt anyone, but we have a right to talk to someone in charge so please transfer the call
Them: I will ask the OM to call you
10 minutes later, they call the mobile that was given to them earlier and did not think to use it the first time 
OM: I understand that you have a problem with our staff and you threatened to do things and shouted at them
Us: sorry; but obviously you were not told the whole truth here
And we go through the whole story again
OM: I will call them and arrange something for you, and I will fire that girl
Us: we are not asking you to fire her; we just want to deliver our complaint
OM: this is her last mistake today and I am firing her any way
Us: some of us would like to cancel their order because they are not interested any more
OM: ok, I will have someone call you to do that
10 minutes later they call, and again on the mobile phone (oh why oh why they did not use it from the beginning???)
Them: can you give me your location?
Us: we want to cancel some items
Them: ok …
Us: such and such
Them: ok done
Us: can you repeat the order?
Them: so and so
Us: ok, we are located so and so
Half an hour later; nothing yet
Another half an hour and the food arrives …
I have already canceled my order but my colleagues were still waiting and were debating whether to take the order or send it back, so they flipped a coin 
It was agreed to take the food and they started eating, but get this; the order was missing a whole meal for one of the guys 
He contacted that OM again who was really annoyed and said that he has given us 10% discount and said that he will talk to them and see!! 
We don’t really need a discount for something we pay for but never receive; it would really be great to get what you paid for!
45 minutes later, my colleague gets his meal 
Now; going over the whole story:
One: we did not get our food on time; we got it two and a half hours later and not even the right one!
Two: not even once did any of them say sorry … in fact they were annoyed that we were complaining
Three: they think that it is about the food or the discount when it is all about the attitude and accountability; they did not think that someone would actually stand up and tell them how they suck!!
Four: it does not really matter how good the brand is, how yummy or how well done; what really matters is the attitude with which you are served because that’s what counts.
Five: they have lost some customers after this ridiculous experience and I think that who ever reads this post will think twice before dialing their number
Posted on Thursday, March 8th, 2007
Under: Amman, Arabs, Community, Craziness, Experiences, Food, Jordan, Middle East, Rants | 7 Comments »
