Poor Customer Service - TIMES café

[Poor Customer Service]

Dear Zambia,

A few days ago, a few friends and I decided to go and have some drinks at TIMES cafe. As this was a reunion with friends I had not seen in ages, the group was lively and consisted of almost 25 ladies. A few doctors,lawyers,business ladies etc. We arrived at the café and decided to have one huge table.Drinks were ordered and so were meals and snacks. 20 minutes later,the drinks arrived but the food delayed.

One of the ladies we were with decided to ask the DJ to play two tracks on request because the music that was being played was a little slow.The DJ, uncooperatively answered "We dont play zambian music here". Fair enough, she decided to then request something a little faster and on the 'oldies' side.He ignored her.

As if all this wasnt enough,the food delayed and waiters weren't exactly hospitable.Two of the ladies decided to speak to the owner.The ladies told them that we were not being well looked after.The OWNER replied "You dont like the music,you dont like the service,you dont seem to like anything here then just go". I was extremely shocked,disappointed and sad. If the owner of such a place could speak to customers that way, how will his workers behave? Having been trained in customer service myself,I felt so saddened that as ZAmbians we have to be subjected to that kind of treatment. The customer service in our country is not very good.It is important for us to change our attitudes. This is my country,your country,OUR country. It is unfair that someone who comes from elsewhere should come and look down on me or my fellow zambians just because they feel I dont look good enough for their establishment or the colour of my skin is 'wrong'. Naturally,I have decided to tell everyone I know about this and NOT go there again. I imagine that the ladies I went with (who were from various walks of life), will probably tell others about this too.Before you know it....Dear Zambia,

[Makaveli]

[deleted by admin]

[Chansa Kalaba]

This was bad and very embarassing. If the owner can respond in that manner, what about his workers? Any way l dont blame them. For lack of a better term, l guess they are as foolish as the owner himself.

[Michelle N.]

eish!!!i cant believe the owner actually answered you like that,tell everyone you not to go back there!!who do they think they are when its our money that keeps them open!how rude and totaly un classy of management ud expect such behaviour at sum shabbin not at Times who claim to be a classy establishment!What rubbish!

[kabusha]

Ladies I pity you. This was not about the establishment but the re union that was spoilt. There is book called capitalist Nigger that you need to read in order to get to the bottom of poor customer service. It encourages Africans to hit where it hurts the most. Do not spend a single cent in this joint, tell others about your bad experience and please let the whole world know. This will close the fella down eventually...

[A touched Zambian]

Really why don't the 25 ladies go to the post newspapers and put this in the paper and make the owner of times cafe apologize to you publicly. If I were u I'd do that.

[Fizo]

Really, with all due respect to the 25 ladies and all involved in this story, I'd humbly like to suggest that you guys are making a mountain out of an ant hill. You are complaining about not getting enough pampering at a cafe, while there are people dying of hunger and starvation in this world.

Have you ever been really really hungry you guys? I mean, dreadfully hungry that you look at the Zambian flag and all you can think of is that eagle being roasted over a fire.

You guys should try to bring things into perspective sometimes. Besides, if this was a reunion of friends who rarely see each other, you should simply appreciate the extra time you were given by the slow service. Catch up on old times.

There is nothing to complain about here. I am serious.

[kay]

Its true wen they say a story always has to sides to it. I was shocked wen i read the article corncerning times cafe, which i totally had doubts would react to a client in that way.

[mule]

Am sure if we get to the truth of this story wel obviously here that the women were drunk and obviously asked to leave the place due to inapropriate behaviour and to be spiteful they decided to create a story since they work in print media circles.

[keith]

I dont think this story is true not cafe times. They have the best service. Sorry ladies we certainly wont stop going there.

[John]

an Anonymous writer once wrote:
Give people a chance to complain and they will. It doesn't matter whether or not there is something to complain about.

to the guy who suggested alcohol was a factor, I will have to disagree with you a bit. At least not if we are talking about the same alcohol I enjoy so much. When I drink, nothing can go wrong. Everyone is my friend and the whole world around me is pulsating with positive vibes. You can't complaint about service when you are drunk. Because nobody can do wrong. Life is good no matter what. uh uh, this is no alcohol. this is more about a sense of entitlement. These ladies have gotten it into their heads that they deserve to be treated like queens or like a baby's soft behind or something delicate like that.

if I saw a man chasing one of these ladies trying to court them, I'd suggest to him that he is better off shooting himself in the head right now than put himself through the wringer of a household with one of these self-aggrandizing pin up girls.

[davie]

We love times cafe, best place to be in town. Those women are just exajarating!!

[me]

John thats what alchohol does to you and for others they become useless. We see what goes on in clubs, were other people get drunk vomit and insult. Who knws maybe thats wat some of those women did. Thez always two sides to a story.

[Chimbwi]

ba davie,, the next time you are dillydallying and having fun at the Café, ask your fellow club clientèle for a palm held dictionary and look up the word "exajarating". If it's a good palm dictionary, it will point you in the right direction of "exaggerating".

Stay well, dear one. and don't let the alcohol make turn you into a sloppy speller.

[Chimbwi]

davie dear one, i just like to pull a leg, every now and then. So please don't take my comments too seriously. enjoy

[JT]

I believed this story at first but I'm also having second thoughts. When these ladies describe themselves as being "lively" that evening, that could mean anything. It's possible that the owner could describe them as disorderly and unruly. If it's true the owner said those words, it must be because he was very annoyed with their behaviour. Let's not always blame racism.

The big sign that these could be those arrogant type comes from the way they describe themselves. She wrote that they were lawyers, doctors and business owners. Why mention that? What has it got to do with anything unless you think you were too important not to be treated special. I hope you were not telling the owner that you are important lawyers who are respected everywhere!!!

Next time make sure you have some men in your group and you will learn something about how to talk to the DJ or the owner no matter how educated you are.

[Juju]

Good point, JT. very good observation.

We have very good, decent and down to earth women here in Zambia. But no denying there are a few rotten apples. They even walk like there is something unholy stuck up their you-know-where. too much kumeka and so full of themselves. Guys too, mind you. I'm not being sexist. Just that this story is about ladies.

[davie]

Just as well u say u were joking coz i was really gona throw a hard one at you. And juju good obvervation, women who claim to have status in society are the ones who always wamwt to take their status to public places and try to bully people by thinking they should be treated like queens. Just like they wrote in their article, lawyers, buisness women and doctors. Who cares who wants to know your statuses, you could have just simply said we went out with friends. I trully you women stired the shit up, cos jst the way you have explained yourselves, we are able to illustrate who you really are. Banch of pompus women!!!

[Prof. Kasunka]

iwe Davie

You done it again my boy!

it is: Bunch of pompous women!!!

not: Banch of pompus women!!!

But before you throw a hard one on me, I want to caution you that I am in fact your former english teacher. I am just doing my job. You are never too old to learn proper english.

[Prof. Kasunka]

Davie

it might do you good to join the ranks of those lady lawyers. Maybe reading law will help you to improve the grammar.

Do not take my criticism negatively my boy. Think of it as tough love.