Last weekend we made our way to the Birmingham Farmers' Market. What a delight to buy produce grown locally. Over time I hope to recognize the growers and sellers and perhaps develop relationships! Coffee and breakfast items were available so one could make a morning of it. Live music and running little kids made the scene festive and alive. In the future I must remember our reusable grocery bags and my coffee mug so less waste will be generated by my purchases.
After a while at the market and a bit of wandering we visited the Cosi in Birmingham for a quick lunch. It was my first time dining at Cosi. Kristin and I both ordered sandwiches. Tasty sandwiches, freshly prepared on thin, salted bread. I was quite pleased that carrots were available as a side in place of the standard potato chips. Healthy options can help folks make healthier food decisions! Thank you, Cosi!
For the negative--the place was a mess. When we first arrived it was fairly busy. By the end of our meal the dining room had cleared out and we saw it was wrecked! Paper waste on the floor, chairs situated haphazardly, empty plates and dirty silverware on several tables, YUCK! We inquired about comment cards and were directed to their website. After sharing our feedback with the woman behind the counter we were told something about tight staffing and having a rush. I understand, really.
Update (7/17/07)
Here's the response from Cosi.
Thank you for your Talk To Us email about your recent visit to Cosi in Birmingham, I am sorry to hear that you did not have a good experience. I can assure you that the dirty dining room you experienced is not how we strive to run our business and we know that our success will only be achieved through meticulously clean restaurants. I will follow up with the restaurant team in Birmingham about your experience to reinforce our standards with the managers and partners.
Please accept my apologies and if you care to forward me an address I can send coupons to enjoy your next meal at this or any of our Cosi locations on us. I hope that you will return soon and I look forward to continuing to serve you.
Thank you for your time and concern - guests such as you who give us honest feedback help us continue to improve Cosi operations.
Sincerely,
[name not published]
District Manager
Team Michigan
Thanks, Cosi! We'll be back!
Showing posts with label customer service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label customer service. Show all posts
Monday, July 16, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Don't ask Sprint too many questions
On Saturday the Wall Street Journal shared some surprising news about Sprint. Sprint sent letters to about 1,000 paying customers to let them know they would need to find a new cell phone service provider by the end of the month. The customers receiving this letters were being dumped because of excessive calls to customer service. I guess having a customer call about 25 times a month bothers Sprint. Fielding the the flood of calls from these customers was making it hard for Sprint to earn money on their accounts since they had to put so much forth in customer service hours. Boo-hoo for Sprint. It's a good thing they're not charging customers for the early termination fee.
What can you learn from this? If you want to terminate your contract with Sprint prematurely, call their customer support line daily (at least) and ask really complex questions.
Read the Wall Street Journal article here.
What can you learn from this? If you want to terminate your contract with Sprint prematurely, call their customer support line daily (at least) and ask really complex questions.
Read the Wall Street Journal article here.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Thank you, WAB
We dined at Woodward Avenue Brewers last weekend and ordered the chicken and avocado quesadillas along with a salad. The avocado slices were crunchy, not yet ripe, and certainly no good. We brought this to our waitress' attention and she happily put in a rush order for a different type of quesadilla. Thank you! Super response and just the type of service I would expect. Fine job, WAB--see you soon!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Microwaved for your consumption
Here's the thing, it's usually an enjoyable dining experience. A fine Midtown location, hip staff, and a varied menu. I thought Traffic Jam & Snug's meatloaf might be a good choice. Bad idea--especially if I was looking for a fresh meal. And the wait staff was completely certain the mushrooms would not be in the spinach lasagna.
I'll let my message to Traffic Jam & Snug explain...and then her response...and then my response...
from: Matt Church
to: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
date: Jun 9, 2007 9:05 AM
subject: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Good morning,
Last night my fiance and I dined at Traffic Jam. We're both Wayne State graduates, frequent the Midtown area, and are usually pleased with our Traffic Jam experiences. I'm sorry to say that last night was a huge exception to our positive Traffic Jam meals.
Before we placed our order my fiance made in inquiry about the vegetarian spinach lasagna. She greatly dislikes mushrooms and asked the waiter specifically if mushrooms were in the lasagna. He informed us that he too did not like mushrooms and they were most certainly not in the lasagna. Based on his response she ordered this dish. Once she started eating her meal she was completely dismayed to find large chunks of mushrooms in the lasagna! She pushed them to the side of her plate and showed them to the waiter. His response, "Hm, I don't know what those are--they're not mushrooms though." They were clearly mushrooms! When he returned with the check he told us that someone in the kitchen said it was burnt pasta. It is not at all possible that what was on her plate was burnt pasta. It was mushrooms--and it's a good thing that she wasn't allergic to them. We did not at all appreciate feeling that the waiter was trying to cover his mistakes with a clear fib!
I ordered the meatloaf. I was looking forward to sweet potato fries and a delightful meal. What was served to me looked like a tv dinner or a microwave meal on a nice plate. The peas were shriveled--definitely microwaved. The sweet potato fries were rubbery and dull--also clearly microwaved. And the meatloaf--it was okay but microwaved as well. My entire $14 dish had been microwaved! What a surprise from a decent restaurant! I asked the waiter to swap out the peas and sweet potato fries for soup. He suggested that sweet potato fries sometimes look like that and have that texture. The only fries that I've seen with that texture and appearance are microwaved fries! I do appreciate him providing me with soup in place of the microwaved sides, but to even have any such sides be served to customers is unbelievable.
My fiance and I had been considering having our wedding rehearsal dinner at Traffic Jam. After last night's experience we can cross that option off the list without a doubt. We would not at all want Traffic Jam to reflect the dining options of Detroit to our guests. We had been excited about holding the event at your restaurant--considering you've been around for so many years, you're in the heart of Midtown, and you have people from the area working there--but last night's meal experience told us without a doubt that we will take our business elsewhere.
Thanks for your time. I hope that the microwaved plate policy doesn't continue to stand. Provide your customers with the meals they pay for and expect from Traffic Jam!
Matt
I was pleased to see a response in my inbox. The contents of the message didn't really keep me pleased.
from: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
to: Matt Church
date: Jun 12, 2007 3:59 PM
subject: Re: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Dear Matt,
I'm sorry! Yes, late last week we did experiment with the lasagne. It has been a mainstay here for so long, and we wanted to perk it up a bit. We did a trial run with portebello mushrooms, sampled it on the staff, earned positive feed back, and ran with it. My big mistake was not ASSURING that each and every of our 35 wait staff knew about the change. A poor job, now recognized.
As for the meatloaf, that item, along with its peas, has always been microwaved. A majority of our business comes from people in a hurry-short lunch break, quick dinner before the symphony, etc. and we could not meet that demand by baking-to- order. We try to overcome that fact by adding leeks, apples, currants, curry and other flavorful ingredients. The sweet potato fries are deep fried.
Again, I'm sorry that you were unhappy with your meal.
Sincerely,
[name not published]
Right. And I'm supposed to feel better about our meal? I think not.
from: Matt Church
to: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
date: Jun 13, 2007 4:36 PM
subject: Re: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Hi [name not published],
Thank you for your response--albeit a faint apology. You don't seem especially concerned about making sure my business returns to your establishment.
While I completely understand that you can't freshly prepare each slice of meatloaf, microwaving the entire plate seems pretty awful in terms of food taste and presentation. Peas don't microwave well. And while the sweet potato fries were deep fried initially, those on my plate were without a doubt microwaved prior to being served. How about putting a microwave icon next to items that are microwaved so customers know what they're ordering--and the quality they're paying for? It's nice that you cater to those in a hurry, but why offer fast food quality meals at decent dining prices? Perhaps you could come up with a short menu for those in a hurry and save the rest of the menu for those who actually want to come in and enjoy a meal. I'm offended that you so openly offer microwaved meals at $14 per plate. Feels like you all are serving up left-overs to paying customers. Certainly not in line with all the fresh bakery items and the "best, freshest ingredients" you tout on your website.
Thanks for your response though--at least I now know where to go for a quick microwaved meal at a hefty price.
Matt
That's the end of the story for now. Super disappointing considering I've enjoyed many meals there. The Midtown area needs solid restaurants--I hope the lasagna and meatloaf experience was a fluke and not an indication of a downward spiral for such an institution.
I'll let my message to Traffic Jam & Snug explain...and then her response...and then my response...
from: Matt Church
to: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
date: Jun 9, 2007 9:05 AM
subject: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Good morning,
Last night my fiance and I dined at Traffic Jam. We're both Wayne State graduates, frequent the Midtown area, and are usually pleased with our Traffic Jam experiences. I'm sorry to say that last night was a huge exception to our positive Traffic Jam meals.
Before we placed our order my fiance made in inquiry about the vegetarian spinach lasagna. She greatly dislikes mushrooms and asked the waiter specifically if mushrooms were in the lasagna. He informed us that he too did not like mushrooms and they were most certainly not in the lasagna. Based on his response she ordered this dish. Once she started eating her meal she was completely dismayed to find large chunks of mushrooms in the lasagna! She pushed them to the side of her plate and showed them to the waiter. His response, "Hm, I don't know what those are--they're not mushrooms though." They were clearly mushrooms! When he returned with the check he told us that someone in the kitchen said it was burnt pasta. It is not at all possible that what was on her plate was burnt pasta. It was mushrooms--and it's a good thing that she wasn't allergic to them. We did not at all appreciate feeling that the waiter was trying to cover his mistakes with a clear fib!
I ordered the meatloaf. I was looking forward to sweet potato fries and a delightful meal. What was served to me looked like a tv dinner or a microwave meal on a nice plate. The peas were shriveled--definitely microwaved. The sweet potato fries were rubbery and dull--also clearly microwaved. And the meatloaf--it was okay but microwaved as well. My entire $14 dish had been microwaved! What a surprise from a decent restaurant! I asked the waiter to swap out the peas and sweet potato fries for soup. He suggested that sweet potato fries sometimes look like that and have that texture. The only fries that I've seen with that texture and appearance are microwaved fries! I do appreciate him providing me with soup in place of the microwaved sides, but to even have any such sides be served to customers is unbelievable.
My fiance and I had been considering having our wedding rehearsal dinner at Traffic Jam. After last night's experience we can cross that option off the list without a doubt. We would not at all want Traffic Jam to reflect the dining options of Detroit to our guests. We had been excited about holding the event at your restaurant--considering you've been around for so many years, you're in the heart of Midtown, and you have people from the area working there--but last night's meal experience told us without a doubt that we will take our business elsewhere.
Thanks for your time. I hope that the microwaved plate policy doesn't continue to stand. Provide your customers with the meals they pay for and expect from Traffic Jam!
Matt
I was pleased to see a response in my inbox. The contents of the message didn't really keep me pleased.
from: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
to: Matt Church
date: Jun 12, 2007 3:59 PM
subject: Re: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Dear Matt,
I'm sorry! Yes, late last week we did experiment with the lasagne. It has been a mainstay here for so long, and we wanted to perk it up a bit. We did a trial run with portebello mushrooms, sampled it on the staff, earned positive feed back, and ran with it. My big mistake was not ASSURING that each and every of our 35 wait staff knew about the change. A poor job, now recognized.
As for the meatloaf, that item, along with its peas, has always been microwaved. A majority of our business comes from people in a hurry-short lunch break, quick dinner before the symphony, etc. and we could not meet that demand by baking-to- order. We try to overcome that fact by adding leeks, apples, currants, curry and other flavorful ingredients. The sweet potato fries are deep fried.
Again, I'm sorry that you were unhappy with your meal.
Sincerely,
[name not published]
Right. And I'm supposed to feel better about our meal? I think not.
from: Matt Church
to: tjsnug@traffic-jam.com
date: Jun 13, 2007 4:36 PM
subject: Re: Surprise at Traffic Jam
Hi [name not published],
Thank you for your response--albeit a faint apology. You don't seem especially concerned about making sure my business returns to your establishment.
While I completely understand that you can't freshly prepare each slice of meatloaf, microwaving the entire plate seems pretty awful in terms of food taste and presentation. Peas don't microwave well. And while the sweet potato fries were deep fried initially, those on my plate were without a doubt microwaved prior to being served. How about putting a microwave icon next to items that are microwaved so customers know what they're ordering--and the quality they're paying for? It's nice that you cater to those in a hurry, but why offer fast food quality meals at decent dining prices? Perhaps you could come up with a short menu for those in a hurry and save the rest of the menu for those who actually want to come in and enjoy a meal. I'm offended that you so openly offer microwaved meals at $14 per plate. Feels like you all are serving up left-overs to paying customers. Certainly not in line with all the fresh bakery items and the "best, freshest ingredients" you tout on your website.
Thanks for your response though--at least I now know where to go for a quick microwaved meal at a hefty price.
Matt
That's the end of the story for now. Super disappointing considering I've enjoyed many meals there. The Midtown area needs solid restaurants--I hope the lasagna and meatloaf experience was a fluke and not an indication of a downward spiral for such an institution.
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