89 Eateries

Earlier on the year, I mentioned that I would be giving my former favorite hang-out joint another go, right? 

Well I went in today and weee! I don’t know if they are giving up on the business altogether or the staff are content with having one customer per day so when they hit 10, they have surpassed the target and the surplus can serve themselves.

 I decided to choose a day a time when it is not peak. Today. evening-ish (some minutes past 1600hrs). As expected, there are less than 20 other guys and I settle down to my favorite spot.

I fire up Greyson and carry on with work. (10mins in – No one has bothered to wait on me)

Since my taste buds haven’t decide what they want, I am fine with using their space and doing my work.

 

(20 mins in) No one.

30 mins later a waiter walks by, says hey and walks away…

40 mins later some gentlemen walk in and the same waiter almost breaks her leg as she rushes to get the menu to give to the newbies.

An hour later – a familiar face walks in, it is the ‘No smile waitress’ who gets your order very fast. I wonder where she has been. 

She walks up to me.

Waitress : ‘umesaidiwa’

Ice : (smiles) nope, not yet.

Waitress : ( grabs a menu, hands it over and walks away)

This got me thinking about brands (promises given by individuals / companies / business). Do you have one? Are you keeping the promise? I would like to imagine that 89 Eateries did not open doors for people to walk in, sit for hours then leaving without consuming their services (food).

‘You should have called one of the waiters to get your order’ – you might say, but the service industry doesn’t quite run, like that. I would easily have walked out after 30 minutes (and this is on a good day), they in-turn would be a few shillings less in their sales today. To some extent, it feels like arrogance.

Now let’s bring this closer home, you are a brand, your business is a brand and so is your company. Are you keeping your promise? Am I? Am I giving 100% to my clients? Are you giving 100% to your employer? Are you diligently working towards enhancing your skills so as to be a better brand / company / business? 

ION, Their coffee is okay, it is better than a cup I once had at Java, but that is a story for another day.