| Breakfast Greens Resolved |
| Health | ||||||||
| Written by Theresa | ||||||||
| Friday, 29 October 2010 07:54 | ||||||||
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To name or not to name, that is the question. I am a middle child and middle children can’t stand to see anyone hurt or to lose. That’s why, when I wrote my “who the hell wants greens at breakfast” post I was careful not to slag the location. I am well aware that one person’s behaviour can affect another’s negatively or positively but it shouldn’t affect the whole brand. And yet it does. It happens all the time. If one person sells me an airline ticket with a smile and a deal, I go back to that place. If that person is replaced by a crabby, careless person the next time, I stop. It is why winning companies make sure they hire and care for their staff, they know that one person can make or break a sale and a reputation regardless of the product’s excellence. If the human interaction sucks, our perception of the product follows suit. And then comes social media when thousands of people can hear about it in a minute. Once it is out there, it is out of control. My “greens” post landed in the hands of someone who is or works or knows the crabby cook who refused me greens. That person posted vitriol on my blog and send it to others for support. That person missed the point of the post and named the Inn, not me. That brought down the house. I reached out to the owners of said “Spa Country Inn” as I would with any extreme experience, positive or negative. I would want to know, if this were my place, how it was being received and discussed. A small email outlined my experience of the Inn but did not mention my blog. That person took it upon herself to do a little digging. I am glad she did! When the owner heard of my experience she was apologetic. But did she get the point of the post? I will let her tell you in her own words her feeling of that cook’s behaviour: “She let her fellow staff down, publicized her refusal and insulted you in front of other guests. She put our inn in a very bad position which has had a very sad outcome. You left angry, rather than refreshed and well cared for. Your heartbreaking blog was very upsetting to our chef and staff, who really do care about customer service and the reputation of our inn.
However, please take heart about your request: as a health professional, as well as an innkeeper with health problems, I never hesitate to ask for greens or fruit or 'no fried foods' as healthy alternatives. Almost any restaurant I have been in anywhere I have travelled have complied cheerfully, and as more of us make these requests, the easier it gets to have them accomodated and the more likely restaurants are to include them as standard menu choices.
As a result of your request, we have initiated a 'greens' option on our breakfast menu and our chef is rewriting the menu to include some other healthy alternatives, so thank you for the suggestion.”
Now that’s a response. That, from a small operation in Prince Edward County called The Claramount, is the kind of thinking that we hope for from all who wish a part of our hard earned dollars and time. I feel good about naming them now and shall return there knowing that they get me. So my question now is to name or not to name? Should I have done so earlier? Is it gracious and appropriate of me to do so now?
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