Unbelievable service at Hans


Status
Not open for further replies.

funksoulava

Senior Member
Oct 21, 2002
803
0
16
Visit site
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 know that u're going to be blasted with a bombing run by some trolls saying that, "How typical for Singaporeans to complain." but here's my take.

Did u have the name of the staff involved? If so, make a complaint to the restaurant manager as well as the Management of Hans (I think they have a head office. Hans is a franchise if I'm not wrong) regarding the rude staff. Talk with the restaurant manager directly and write in simultaneously to both the head office and the restaurant ensuring that u have a column for "cc". This is some very powerful stuff. ;)

Since it happened in the restaurant, I think it'll be best to keep it within their restaurant and give them a chance. For all u noe, that chap might be having a bad hair day (they are human beings as well) and thus his attitude (I'm sure some of u worked part-time in service establishments when u're a student). Its bad enuff to have the guy kena scolding frm his manager. Dun make him lose his ricebowl just like dat.

Give others a chance to repent. Don't kill them on the first blow. :)
 

To begins with, he should not have shouted even any of u have had promised to move back the tables.
Second, I always believe customers are Number 1. No matter what.

Maybe u should made a complain to Hans 1st. If u did not received a satisfactory reply, it is still not too late to write to ST.
 

U treat the restaurant as yr playground? "Come lets move the tables here and there...". Honestly I dont see this type of things happen in other countries except Singapore leh...
 

Since you have mentioned that he's a crappy elderly service worker, I dont think his services extend to moving tables all the time (other then clearing trays and wiping tables). You have mentioned that it's a big group of you, I'd guess you have more than 5 tables joined. Realigning one table is okay for the old man, but moving more than 5 tables and all the chairs... I would be more than crappy that day....

Guess we have to think abt our action first before condemning others, I know that old guy is crappy and tired, but we dont do that a "high krass" restaurants, pulling tables together and chat loudly, they'll probably put you in a private room.

FYI, I will always try to help clear the table at hawker centres first than waiting for others to serve me.
 

Hmm.... Not say I wanna shoot bullets but.... Other countries do wad, Singapore muz follow? :embrass:

We can certainly learn frm some of their good habits (like clearing our own trays after we're done, occupying smaller spaces when we're eating alone instead of occupying a 4-seater, etc), but I dun see anything wrong with shifting tables. :dunno:
 

Not the first time, won't be the last, and this is definately not related to Hans.

A few weeks ago, not going to name the resturant since the matter had since been settled, friend and I sat down at 8:30p, ordered at 8:45p, still waiting for food at 9:45p, and then when the food finally started to arrive, one by one, 10-15 minutes apart. Complained to the waiter, no use, he was totally clueless, so I asked to talk to the manager. My friend happenned to kept an eye on him and for the next 10 minutes, he did not approach the manager about my request to talk to her. Finally, I got the manager's attention, that's when all hell broke loose.

To cut to the chase, I talk to the management of the company that owns the resturant, my entire food bill was comped, too bad they did not do the same thing for the drinks bill. But anyway, if you do not complain, service will continue to be bad, and you will never get any compensation.

For the OP's experience, the worker, however old or what, if I were the boss, will be fired immediately. Bad hair day is not an excuse in the service industry.
 

Xing said:
Since you have mentioned that he's a crappy elderly service worker, I dont think his services extend to moving tables all the time (other then clearing trays and wiping tables). You have mentioned that it's a big group of you, I'd guess you have more than 5 tables joined. Realigning one table is okay for the old man, but moving more than 5 tables and all the chairs... I would be more than crappy that day....

Guess we have to think abt our action first before condemning others, I know that old guy is crappy and tired, but we dont do that a "high krass" restaurants, pulling tables together and chat loudly, they'll probably put you in a private room.

FYI, I will always try to help clear the table at hawker centres first than waiting for others to serve me.
Actually if u'd worked part-time in such food establishments, 'table-shifting' is also part of the floor workers job. :embrass: They have to shift the tables back to their original position if the customers shifted them around so that other ppl dun have to shift it around and in the end, everything becomes placed haphazardly. :embrass:

In this case, this chap prolly got sick of shifting something he had just done 10mins ago and prolly spent the entire day doing nothing but shifting tables and thus his attitude.

Kinda curious, how many of u here worked part-time in the service industry whether its during ur holidays or when u're young?
 

I wonder where was the manager when this happened? Hmmm.... wonder why they ever need a manager or supervisor there....

i had very bad experience with rude waiters... got yelled by the waiter becos i was getting impatient when they forgot to prepare my food and my family already about finish theirs...
Lucky it wasnt han's... lol... it was some high krass restaurant....lol

Don't give chance.... write in until they apologize.

Cheers!
 

Astin said:
U treat the restaurant as yr playground? "Come lets move the tables here and there...". Honestly I dont see this type of things happen in other countries except Singapore leh...

Hi brother Astin and thanks for your input. The tables were joined, not carried all over the place as if it was a playground. If you have 16 people going for lunch and each tables sits 4 , would you not close the gap between the four tables by joining them so that all of you can sit close to each other?

As for your statement that 'Honestly I dont see this type of things happen in other countries except Singapore leh...' , I find that very fascinating. Maybe people in other countries do not go out in big groups. Even if they do maybe they will sit in fours or whatever the size of the table sits and ignore the rest.

Maybe members from other countries can give some input on this.
 

Hans is like coffeeshop to me actually. Its just another example of bad service.
 

Xing said:
Since you have mentioned that he's a crappy elderly service worker, I dont think his services extend to moving tables all the time (other then clearing trays and wiping tables). You have mentioned that it's a big group of you, I'd guess you have more than 5 tables joined. Realigning one table is okay for the old man, but moving more than 5 tables and all the chairs... I would be more than crappy that day....

Guess we have to think abt our action first before condemning others, I know that old guy is crappy and tired, but we dont do that a "high krass" restaurants, pulling tables together and chat loudly, they'll probably put you in a private room.

FYI, I will always try to help clear the table at hawker centres first than waiting for others to serve me.

I think small and movable tables are there for a reason... guess the organisation was thinking of allow customers to combine tables if theres a big group and split up for small groups.... else why not use fixed position ones like most fast food outlet do( Althought they still have some movable tables and chairs... but its oso for flexible use)

Han's is not high krass... and arranging tables n chairs are the waiters or cleaners and even managers of the restuarant's responsibility... they are part of the restaurant... unless they work there without pride....
 

Astin said:
U treat the restaurant as yr playground? "Come lets move the tables here and there...". Honestly I dont see this type of things happen in other countries except Singapore leh...
That's not true. I've seen it happened in Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia.
 

Astin said:
U treat the restaurant as yr playground? "Come lets move the tables here and there...". Honestly I dont see this type of things happen in other countries except Singapore leh...

I worked as a waiter before... i would move the tables for the customers if i see big groups coming...
 

jbma said:
That's not true. I've seen it happened in Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia.
Haha, tell me in Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia, u move the tables yrself or u ask the restaurant staffs to move for u?
I have been to all these places except Philippines, and to USA, Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, the whole Europe, thousands of restuarants, dozens of diff cultures, if there is a need for party, someone would call ahead to the restaurant and tell the staff, if it is ok the staff will move the tables before we arrive, if it is not ok then we just eat at different tables of 4, or 8, etc.
It is sometimes amazing to see ppl in Singapore moving tables around as if they own the restaurant, locals and foreigners as well.
 

Xing said:
Since you have mentioned that he's a crappy elderly service worker, I dont think his services extend to moving tables all the time (other then clearing trays and wiping tables). You have mentioned that it's a big group of you, I'd guess you have more than 5 tables joined. Realigning one table is okay for the old man, but moving more than 5 tables and all the chairs... I would be more than crappy that day....

Guess we have to think abt our action first before condemning others, I know that old guy is crappy and tired, but we dont do that a "high krass" restaurants, pulling tables together and chat loudly, they'll probably put you in a private room.

FYI, I will always try to help clear the table at hawker centres first than waiting for others to serve me.

I didn't say he was 'a crappy elderly service worker' but 'an elderly worker' who 'shouted at us'. The tables in question are similar to those you'd find at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, which is an aluminium topped table that sits two each. Two of such tables were joined originally to sit 4. I believe they joined 4 of such combination tables to sit 16. We were not there early so the tables were joined by those who were there earlier.

I don't think I have 'condemned' that person yet. Just relating the incident being as objective as possible. For your information, we have had previous gatherings at so called 'high krass' restaurants where we also joined tables and 'chatted loudly'. We also took photographs all over the place but we did not even 'earn' stares from the management and staff, much less being shouted at.
 

I worked in Hotels' banquet, Food Court drink stall, 7-11, Jap restaurant etc.(Part-time)
Was shouted at, looked down, some customers even tried to cheat by claimming that they have given $50 note instead of $10. Some educated will use 'powerful' english to insult & argue if they loose their grounds. Hoping that the 'low class' workers couldn't understanding them & give in.

Once there was this man ordered 4 cups of coffee. Paid, went back to his table.
Then came his colleague(a lady in office wear), demand a refund for one of the drink & started to be rude. Reason for refund: they've only 3 of them. Hahaha... :bsmilie: What the....
I reasoned with her. The four letters word came out of her mouth. :bigeyes: The Highlight, she complaint to manager that I scolded her with those words instead. Even her colleague(that guy) was shock.
 

Astin said:
Haha, tell me in Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia, u move the tables yrself or u ask the restaurant staffs to move for u?
I have been to all these places except Philippines, and to USA, Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, the whole Europe, thousands of restuarants, dozens of diff cultures, if there is a need for party, someone would call ahead to the restaurant and tell the staff, if it is ok the staff will move the tables before we arrive, if it is not ok then we just eat at different tables of 4, or 8, etc.
It is sometimes amazing to see ppl in Singapore moving tables around as if they own the restaurant, locals and foreigners as well.
Haha. Of course I ask them to move the tables for me lah. You are right about not moving the tables on our own without the consent of the staff/management.
 

Here, virtually no one return their trays in Fast food restaurants, though u can still find signs saying: Return Trays Here.
U hardly find these in other countries. They practice returning trays after use.
Then, one fine day, eg a staff from Mac shouted at U, 'hey!!! Return those trays!'.
the story goes............
What is ur view? I dun see any signs or whatsoever in any restaurants here in Singapore saying: Do Not Move The Tables & Chairs, OR: Please Move Back Those Tables & Chairs To Their Original Postion.

I believe everyone will be more than happy to move back the tables if were told/reminded in a nice way.
 

Status
Not open for further replies.