Unbelievable service at Hans

[afbug]

How else can service industry excel if customer is not king? God forbid, such attitude, I wish the "Integrated Resort" (itself an oxyrorom name) good luck and god bless. It will need it!

Who in the world gave you the idea that customer is king? Customers are the 1st priority but not aways right and certainly not the king. They do get thrown out at times.

You pay peanuts, you get peanuts. Want good service, pay more and go to a higher class establisment. And in SG, waiters are underpaid even in fine dining restaurants. Ever worked in a service industry before? As a waiter? If no, then do you really understand the dynamics of this industry?

 

[ricohflex]

er... looks like members are being commented on, just for giving their opinions.

something for funsoulava to consider

1. would he have moved the tables on his own in Mortons or Les Amis or say if he was travelling in Paris, in a snooty high end French restaurant.

2. if no, then why do it in Hans and feel entitled to do so.

3. may be good to check with his group who ate there. Did anyone in the group verbally promise on behalf of the group, to the old waiter that yes, they will move the tables back after eating. If yes, then it is not about whether you are king or not king. It is about honouring one's promise. Do it. (move the tables). Next time talk to the manager and not to the waiter about moving their furniture. The manager may agree and direct the waiter to move the tables for you and back afterwards.

4. I agree that most of the time, it would be wrong for the waiter to shout at restaurant patrons.

5. but he does not care. It is not his restaurant. If people avoid Hans as a result, he does not lose as much as the restaurant owner.

6. if you had shouted back and even fiercer, what could have happened? Next time try that just as a psychology test. Will be useful if you are also a 7 Dan Karate expert.

7. it is impossible that a waiter shouts at restaurant patrons and the manager did not notice. A good manager should have intervened immediately. This one was not on the ball.

8. there are rare times when restaurant patrons deserve to be shouted at. (OT a bit) Widely reported case in the news. A lady was in Italian restaurant and a group of ang mohs started throwing bread at her. She complained but the lembeh restaurant manager was so afraid of ang mohs that he froze and did not dare to tell them to stop. ( we still got colonial hangups ). So interesting that it ended only when another ang moh restaurant patron got mad and told them to stop. This only happens in civilised Singapore. The group of ang mohs would not dare to try the same in say, ...Afghanistan, Jakarta or Sicily (home of the Sicilian Mafia?). If they pulled that stunt against the local womenfolk in those places, they may be hacked to death on the spot. So sometimes civilised Singapore gets taken advantage of. (end of OT)

9. my own take on Hans food and service is that it is not the same Hans of 10 years ago, Personal opinion is 2 out of 10 points. Some may disagree and they are entitled to their opinion.

10. but know this clearly. Restaurant business is a numbers game. They do not give a sh*t about you not patronising them in future. They will be plenty of others who still go there to eat. The only time they care is when you write to the Straits Times and it is read by millions. Because it can hurt their business big time. But be careful what you say and write. They can look for ways to sue you if any careless statements made to the press.

11. Hans expanded rapidly and this may be a franchise. You know, just like Katong Laksa all over the island. Can standards still be high?

 

[alechim]

Want to relate an incident that happened last Saturday, 26th November at the Hans outlet, National Library.

There was an outing that my wife and I were attending there. When we reached there, most of the members have already reached there and made themselves at home. As with most outings involving lots of people at eating places, they have joined some tables and were sitting outside.

Everybody was eating and drinking and generally had a good time. All was fine until when we were about the leave the place. An elderly worker there shouted at us to ‘separate the tables and move them back to their original places’. In all my past experiences where we joined tables at eating places, be them the roadside kopithiams or restaurants, we have never been made to move the tables back to their original places. Moreover, he was quite rude to begin with. He claimed that when the other members first joined the tables he told them they that they have to move the tables back to their places when they leave. While I did not verify this with the members, I found it quite unbelievable that a service establishment would demand their customers to reposition joined tables.

Annoyed by his rude behaviour, I asked the members to leave without doing anything. He shouted at us to intimidate us into doing his bidding. I turned around and told him to ‘report to the police’ and he retorted ‘report your head’.

While I don’t think that consumers have the right to demand anything unreasonable but I really don’t think it will hurt the staff at Hans to reposition the tables in this instance. Moreover, the manner in which we were shouted at really does not reflect well on Hans.

Hans will definitely not be on our list when we are looking for a dining place in the future. Do you guys think we should write in the the Straits Times' Forum Page?

I think you can learn from William brother, complain and complain until they give you some voucher or discount for the next meal..or even worst complain until the guy get the sack

 

[huggable]

Actually Hans is not really a restaurant joint, it's a self-serve eating place as far as I'm concerned. The fact that they don't collect service charge says it all. The menu and service (if any) is very SOP. I've seen instances where the staff raised their voice, calling for customers to come and collect their food from the counter. That is acceptable. However, demanding the customer to put back the tables/chairs after eating is very rude.

Was at the Thomson Plaza outlet for lunch with my wife and FIL. I went to collect the coffee after our meal, and my FIL appeared quite flicker on his choice of drink. At first he wanted coffee with milk. While the girl was preparing, he wanted coffee black. She gave a face and made the coffee again. Then my FIL said, no sugar (as he is diabetic). The girl just quietly did the replacement. I was expecting some nagging or displeasure from the girl, but she held it well.

 

[Witness]

hmmm move the tables back...erhm....oh welll... i would have expected sth like this from like teachers in school or sth....

at an eating joint.... hmmm

 

[kiwitan]

if u dont want jeopardise someone's ricebowl, u shouldn't have identified him to the manager. Who knows he might have a family to feed. think about that.

The above very true.

Anyway, have just spoken with the HR Manager of Han's. Have related the whole incident to him and he offered his appologises on behalf. He also mentioned that they will trace who the staff is and 'will probable counsel him or give him a warning'. He sounded quite sincere so I guess we'll not pursue the matter. Don't want to jeopardise anybody's rice bowl over this incident.

 

[Wolfgang]

Fellow CSers,

Thank you all very much in sharing your point of views in this particular thread but looking at how the thread is going, may i please gently remind everyone to keep things civil?

I have no wish to have this thread or any other threads degenerate into any form of personal attacks or have any name callings take place.

While it is ok to have different views and opinions, but it is my sincere belief that one should be able to express them tactfully. Should you think you are not able to do so, may i please advise anyone from joining in the fray and making a mountain out of a mole hill.

This is after all a thread where someone chose to share his unpleasant experience and maybe to vent his frustration over what he may consider sub standard service. Regardless of which side of the fence you are standing, you should still be able to look at this matter objectively. if you disagree with the thread originator, then do not bother reading this thread any further and move on.

This is neither a fight nor a competition where the aim is to ensure that you are right. You must remember that when you share your views, you are as likely to encounter someone who think along the same wave length as you or you might encounter someone who think in a completely opposite direction as to where you are coming from.

Therefore, if you choose to leave a message, then be prepared that someone else might have alternative views that are contrary to yours and might wish to air his or her opinion as well.

Ultimately, the choice is simple. Either you let it go, live and let live or someone will have to come in and close the thread and leave an unpleasant taste in everyone's mouth. I believe the voice of of reason should prevail in this case.

I bid everyone a pleasant evening ahead.

Thank you.

 

[kahheng]

I don't think you can blame it on me. Singaporeans have been whining about it long before I came here. There also has been a discussion about Singaporeans being selfish spoilt brats for the same time.

One point to think about: the service personnel comes from the same populace as the customers, and after work, they're customers too - and restaurant customers may turn into service personnel in their respective jobs. The service attitude just reflects the general attitude of the population.

If you want to improve standards, work on becoming a more "gracious society" (to use a buzzword). It's amazing how much a simple smile or saying "please" and "thank you" plus the ability to overlook others mistakes and accept your own can achieve.

You speak the truth :thumbsup:

 

[Deadpoet]

I don't think you can blame it on me. Singaporeans have been whining about it long before I came here. There also has been a discussion about Singaporeans being selfish spoilt brats for the same time.

One point to think about: the service personnel comes from the same populace as the customers, and after work, they're customers too - and restaurant customers may turn into service personnel in their respective jobs. The service attitude just reflects the general attitude of the population.

If you want to improve standards, work on becoming a more "gracious society" (to use a buzzword). It's amazing how much a simple smile or saying "please" and "thank you" plus the ability to overlook others mistakes and accept your own can achieve.

LW, sorry I really should not have singled you out, but you were handy, and i used you as a proxy. However, that does not make it right for service staff to be rude to the customers.

look at all the best resturant and hotels in the world, they bend backwards, customer to them is the king, and even if the customer is unreasonable and rude, they handle the situation with grace.

Now on to some who cannot read or don't bother to read before commenting, first of all, I worked in all different kinds of restuarant when I was younger, from diners, slop house to 4 star restuarant. They all had one thing in common, they were very successful establishment, and why did I work for them, because the tips were good there. One more thing in common, if I was rude to a customer, let's not even get to chouting etc, I would be kicked out so fast I won't even know what hit me.

 

[Deadpoet]

KING ... ha ... do you have anything else meaningful to say?
but since you are not making any sense, it only shows waht you are made of!

Of course, I always have something meaningful to say. Let's start.

Try to read the entire post before commenting is something meaningful to say. That way, the comment will make sense.

By the way, thank you for trolling me. Is this the third thread you have follow me around? You made my day

 

[itchy]

I agree with some of the members, Hans does not provide service. It's like a high end kopitiam with slightly nicer decor with average food priced at slightly above average fares. I see those elderly workers there, I do pity them, so when our group is big, I usually make it a point to shift the tables back to approx. where they were, whether or not the group wants to do it with me. This usually results in the remark from the group, "Ay brudder u are too nice lah" or "You work here ah". I usually end up saying, "It's only polite my friend". Next time I old or what and have to work here, I dun want it to happen to me either. Pray to God I dun have to work when I old of course.... This of course impresses the chicks within the group but as always, NICE GUYS FINISH LAST......

Like some cs-ers wrote, alot of implications if complain to manager..,like lose ricebowl or what not. No one ended up in hospital, no one paid more, no one had to wait like a fool for their food for one hour, live and let live ba.

I do state my case that if it IS a higher classed RESTAURANT, then I'd forget about moving the tables back. I paid for the service, you do the work. My philosophy, which has resulted in many restaurants being placed into a banlist.

 

[xxxger]

So funny ... since you moved the chair in the 1st place, then move them back ... so difficult meh?

Ai ya .... that uncle also no study too much book, why want to wei nan ren jia? and his monthly pay maybe less than $600 lor

POOR UNCLE! :cry:

 

[xxxger]

oh forget ....

Hope that uncle nexttime better work in kopitiam, cos less HIGH CLASS people there :embrass:

I think that 10% service charge does not included to help clear the **** if customer go toilet right?

 

[Sion]

So funny ... since you moved the chair in the 1st place, then move them back ... so difficult meh?

Ai ya .... that uncle also no study too much book, why want to wei nan ren jia? and his monthly pay maybe less than $600 lor

POOR UNCLE! :cry:

Moving anything is always easy.

Putting it back is always difficult.

It's a science perhaps uncle who no study too much book also knows.

But perhaps uncle has to speak a bit more politely requesting those kings to help him to put the tables and chairs back. One man with two hands can only hold two chairs right?

It would be good for him to learn to speak like those who study books mah. :bsmilie:

Never worry lah. With the universal higher education we enjoy in no time even the uncle who moves tables and chairs in a restaurant can recite a line of William Shake Spear or two let alone speak like someone who studies books. :bsmilie:

 

[idor]

OT a bit...... Skully the old waiter was a retired RSM.... too used to shouting liao..... :bsmilie:

 

[Sion]

OT a bit...... Skully the old waiter was a retired RSM.... too used to shouting liao..... :bsmilie:

When we were young the parents shouted at us.
When we went to schools the teachers shouted at us.
When we played the friends shouted at us.
When we went to work the bosses shouted at us.
When we joined the army the higher ranks shouted at us.
You would have thought we are pretty conditioned at people shouting at us liao?
So when we go to the restaurant if the waiters shout at us
We must also can take the shouting mah.
After all Lion City can also become a vibrant Shout City. :bsmilie:

 

[zaxh81]

The uncle have already say someone promised him to shift back the table mah.
How long does it take to confirm that?
It's just a matter of "asking".

If really someone did promise him,can't blame him for raising his voice lor.
I stand by that uncle.

 

[centuryegg]

Perhaps the whole misunderstanding occur because the elderly staff shouted rudely at the group. According to the post, there is no mention of the person who has supposed to promised to move the chairs back. Where is that person? I will definetely move the chairs back if asked nicely but if the consenses is that being shouted at in a rude manner is alright then I really have nothing to say.

 

[markccm]

When we were young the parents shouted at us.
When we went to schools the teachers shouted at us.
When we played the friends shouted at us.
When we went to work the bosses shouted at us.
When we joined the army the higher ranks shouted at us.
You would have thought we are pretty conditioned at people shouting at us liao?
So when we go to the restaurant if the waiters shout at us
We must also can take the shouting mah.
After all Lion City can also become a vibrant Shout City. :bsmilie:

hear the Lion roar... :bsmilie:

 

[knoxknocks]

You speak the truth :thumbsup:

i second that. :thumbsup: