Lessons from across the Pond

Seriously, the customer service in this country is worse than terrible.

I've just come back from The States, having spent some time away with some great friends. One thing that wasn't necessarily obvious at the time, was the great customer service. Regardless whether it was a waitress in a bar or the people working reception - first class, just couldn't do enough for you.

You know, we take the p1ss out of the whole "have a nice day" tag line, saying it in a disingenuous way, that fact is, they don't say it in that tone, we just say it that way to distance ourselves from it because we seem to find it impossible to be bloody welcoming. The other thing with the Americans (I know it's a big country, but this is based on my experience), they know how to interact, they take time to know you and care, genuinely bloody care!

So, I get back into Heathrow and I'm waiting at the ticket counter to buy a bus ticket back to Gatwick - all I get is a head gesture to invite me to come to the counter, then silence.....I waited and I waited, finally, I said "you go first" it was as if I'd badmouthed her mother.

As a business owner myself, I'll be spending more time looking at how we interact with our customers and hope that we can beat the standards set by National Express in Heathrow and aspire to those in The States

Baptism of fire

Funny, wrote my last blog about a blind tasting of real ales making a case for a level handed approach on the big brands (do bare in mind I work for Dark Star) and someone, a brave soul, at least brave enough to be anonymous, said that all beer bloggers reviled me - I feel so welcome to the blogging community, thanks. Well, if blogging is about expressing my thoughts, freely (Phil Dixon tells me so) I wont be deterred. About this bloody tasting. Now pressed, not one person recognised London Pride or Greene King IPA or indeed TT Landlord - so let's cut through the nonsense and relax. We all love beer and i love nothing more than reading about expert's adventures (I show my hand, I love all Pete Brown books), but we must relax and just enjoy, what we enjoy.

If anon would like to chat further, please get in touch, please do, but let's chat, not throw mud, we must be on the same side...aren't we?