How NOT to deal with dissatisfied customers

FrijolMalo · Aug 6, 2010

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bella/2010/08/ouch_todays_hard_lesson_on_yel.php

I couldn't count how many times I've spoken to restaurateurs frustrated with negative Yelp reviews. Thanks to internet democracy, the website gives anyone a chance to write their opinions -- whether they're thoughtful and warranted, or written sheerly out of spite/competition/sadism. I've always insisted that business owners should put their emotions aside, take the high road, give a classy response, and give some humble consideration to any opportunities for improvement -- lest the whole thing embarrassingly spin out of control.

You never know who's paying attention.

Consider today's example: "Amy B" (Amy Bouzaglo), the owner of Amy's Baking Company posting an angry tirade under the guise of a five-star post, in response to local blogger/foodnik/obsessive home cook "Joel L."'s (Joel LaTondress') bluntly critical, one-star review that details poor food and dismissive service.

What can we all learn from this? Perhaps that it's beyond a bad idea to accuse an unhappy customer of working for the competition, and then call him/her "ugly," a "loser," and a "moron." Was Amy B. smoking crack for breakfast today?

Joel L.
Phoenix, AZ
8/1/2010
In retrospect, I should have known better than to step foot into Amy's Baking Company (a.k.a. ABC Bistro).

-8 pm on a Saturday night, three tables are occupied
-a sign on the door indicates they're looking for an experienced line cook, a dishwasher, waitresses, you name it
-Pita Jungle, just a stone's throw away, is packed to the gills

These are all bad signs. They go ignored, however, because I'd eaten one thing all day, and I had drove here to try their pizza. Never, ever again.

The waitress brings me out a water and a menu to my table for one on the patio, which I had all to myself. Browsing the apps, I was pleasantly surprised to see several things priced $3, which seemed like a bargain, given the high price of everything else. $3 tapanade sounded like a good deal, but I was informed that it didn't come with anything - it was $3 extra for bread. Since I was solo, I decided to skip it and instead pay $14 for their 12" margherita pizza.

About three minutes later, the waitress drops off my pizza. "Your pizza", she says, leaves a plate and off she goes. I sat for a moment, confused as to how things happened so quickly. I try to grab a slice of the pizza, but it was so blazing hot that I wasn't even going to attempt to handle it. I waited for a few minutes to let it cool off, only to discover that not only had it cooled enough to handle, but was actually well-cooled and most likely reheated. After a closer inspection of the pie in front of me, it was evident that it had been reheated, as there were smaller tomatoes that had spent their time in the oven, and larger tomatoes that had barely been kissed by the heat of the oven.

I took a bite, and was immediately underwhelmed. The crust had very little character, was slightly sweet but had that store-bought quality to it. The pesto tasted okay, but the tomatoes were completely tasteless and overall, it just fell flat. It's margherita - the ingredients need to shine to make such a simple pizza. These ingredients were sub-par. After two small pieces, I decided I was wasting my calories and just gave up on it.

So I sat outside, not eating, and sat. And sat. Where the hell was the waitress? I glanced inside a few times, hoping to catch her eye, but she must have been occupied elsewhere.

The owner comes out. "How'd you like your pizza?" Instead of immediately responding, I asked how it had come out so quickly. In short, he told me another table had ordered it, decided they didn't want it, and it sat in the kitchen for two minutes, who in turn decided to send it out to me since I didn't order anything else.

Me: "Well, it didn't really taste fresh".
Him: "No, no, our pizzas are the best. Ask our customers. You're the first person since we've opened to ever not like our pizzas".

He got very defensive about the pizza, but I hadn't really launched a harsh criticism on the pizza, just said I didn't really enjoy it. So I sat some more, with an empty drink, and realized they wanted me gone. The owner wouldn't make eye contact with me. The server never came back out asking if I wanted something else. And they still hadn't refilled my drink.

So I sat on a patio, alone, and decided to have a smoke. The waitress comes out...

Her: "Sir, there's a no smoking sign over there, I was told to tell you to not to smoke here."
Me: "Is this the last f*** you in this experience?"
Her: "Yes, I think so".

She walks away. I walk inside, pay the bill, and leave. No apologies, no discounts on the bill, nothing. $18 for weak iced tea and shitty pizza.

This is arrogance in its worst form. I can forgive bad food, but I cannot forgive misplaced arrogance and the blatant dismissal of a customer, whether you agree with them or not.

Perhaps the sign on the door should also say, "Wanted: New owner".

I cannot, for the life of me, recommend this restaurant to anyone.
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amy b.
Scottsdale, AZ
8/2/2010
Dear Joel,L. It is blatantly obvious to me why you were ALONE on a Saturday night!
Read any of the reviews that have been written about us and you will see that EVERYONE loves us!! The only people that don't is our "Competition". We knew you had been sent by another restaurant before you even ordered your $14.00 Pizza.

The Pizza was fresh and amazing. The reason the tomatoes had different texture was because I use three different heirloom tomatoes and some of them are sundried. So of course they are going to have a different texture from the fresh ones!!!
But perhaps you are only accustomed to tasting the ones that come "fresh from the can!"

Moving on to the "Store bought Dough" Comment. PLEASE!! My dough is made fresh every day from 100% organic ingredients. Perhaps your palate is not sophisticated enough to tell the difference.

As for you having the Patio all to yourself unless you have been living on another PLANET it is summertime in ARIZONA MORON!!! Only TRAMPS and LOSERS want to sit outside in 110 temperatures!!!!
We are hiring because we are so busy that we need to hire more people. You just so happened to come right after a huge rush. And the people did not change their mind for the Margarita Pizza they ordered. They were still enjoying their amazing Caesar salad and I thought perhaps you would appreciate not having to wait so long for your pizza. Which was just coming out of the OVEN.

I am the CHEF and the owner, and I am the one that made your Pizza.

As for the no smoking comment everyone knows that it is against the LAW to smoke within 20 feet of a public place. But perhaps you think you are above the LAW. Have a little respect not everyone wants to subject themselves to being around second hand smoke.

And as for the overpriced menu items if you think that $12.00 is too much for an ENTRÉE sized ORGANIC Salad or $14.00 is too much for an AMAZING Pizza then perhaps you should go to the PITA JUNGLE that is just a stone's throw away. And if you get lucky maybe you can even dig up someone up to take with you so you can share a $5.00 Falafel.
Do US a favor and keep your ugly face and you ugly opinions to yourself and go back to the restaurant that you really work at!!

I would LOVE for anyone who reads this review to come to ABC and try our Pizza. If you don't like it then I guarantee you don't have to pay for it.
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Yep, there's just three easy steps to dealing with poor reviews on the internet:

Step 1: Discredit your customer with ad hominem attack on the internet.
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Profit!

It didn't stop there. She went on the local news and berated her customer even more!

[YT="PR Genius!"]nexQhKIx39Q[/YT]

And it gets even better! One of the commenters on the story linked above dug up her criminal record. She's been convicted of identity theft!

shootER · Aug 6, 2010

There was a time not too many years ago when Phoenix teevee stations actually did news and not shit like this.

I guess it's true that they've turned into a smaller version of Los Angeles television.

Glad I didn't take that job there in 1998...

Sean the Puritan · Aug 6, 2010

shootER said: ↑

There was a time not too many years ago when Phoenix teevee stations actually did news and not shit like this.

I guess it's true that they've turned into a smaller version of Los Angeles television.

Glad I didn't take that job there in 1998...
Click to expand...

Channel 3 has ALWAYS done shit like this.

Speck · Aug 6, 2010

I have seen the Help Wanted ad for her place.
I will not apply.
(and her attitude is probably why she has to replace all her employees)

HEY! She'd be Perfect for a Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares!!!!

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How NOT to deal with dissatisfied customers

FrijolMalo A huddled mass

shootER Insubordinate...and churlish Administrator

Sean the Puritan Endut! Hoch Hech!

Speck Dark Brotherhood

Log in or Sign up

How NOT to deal with dissatisfied customers

FrijolMalo A huddled mass

shootER Insubordinate...and churlish Administrator

Sean the Puritan Endut! Hoch Hech!

Speck Dark Brotherhood

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