Is the customer always right?

No, not necessarily. But he/she is always the customer, and that is what those who are in catering, retail or who offer a service need to keep firmly in mind.

In other words, you need the customer, the customer does not need you. There are plenty of places where we can spend our money and it is very easy to take our business elsewhere.

That is why dealing with the public in any way, shape or form has to be one of the most challenging jobs ever. It is also the reason why, when it comes to purchasing goods, more and more people are turning to online shopping; it’s not solely because of the better prices and wider choice, but also because of the often excellent customer service, and general lack of aggro in effecting a transaction. What a relief that is!

If shops truly want to bring back the Maltese customer, they need to invest in proper staff training and make sure they hire the right people, while offering the kind of friendly, personal touch that makes you want to go back.

They also need to offer convenience, which is what most of us look for these days, meaning a good, constantly updated website and the possibility of ordering online and even the option of having the item delivered. Otherwise they will keep losing people to the inevitable alternative: ordering over the internet from other countries, with the package delivered straight to your door.

Eating out, however, cannot be done online, and this is where a lot of aggravation still lies. 

Like most people I have walked out of countless restaurants and cafes because of the abysmal service and rude behaviour of staff and I have vowed to simply not return. This is what the owners and management need to understand - that no matter what, their employees have to be specifically trained to deal with the stress and pressure of handling people. 

Some customers can be a pain, granted - they can be unbelievably arrogant and snooty, treating those who are serving them with an astonishing high-handedness. It is not an easy job and not everyone is cut out for it, so if you have the kind of temperament that blows a fuse quickly, it is not a good idea to find work in an industry where you have to come face-to-face with a myriad personalities day in, day out. 

Because no matter how obnoxious a customer can be, it takes extreme self-control to retain a pleasant smile and answer politely, even if it is through gritted teeth. The alternative is to lose a cover if the whole party walks out and to gain a reputation for staff who seem to think they are entitled to argue with customers.

It is true that as customers we have become more demanding, less tolerant, and less willing to overlook bad customer service. But then again, why should we? We are paying for the service, whatever it may be, and no one enjoys spending their hard-earned cash only to be treated with disdain. It is as simple as that.

I am sure I am not the only one who has been in an establishment, wallet in hand, with the intent to purchase something and instead end up being an unwilling eavesdropper as the waitress/cashier/salesman nonchalantly discuss last night’s episodes at PV or their latest lover’s quarrel. When you make your presence known after repeated attempts to catch their eye and speak to them directly, they glare at you furiously, as if to say: “how dare you interrupt me?”  

There is another thing I don’t get: aren’t people afraid of losing their jobs any more? You would think with all the complaints that “foreigners are out to get our jobs”, Maltese employees would be more diligent about doing a good job so that they will retain their livelihood. But no, too many act as if their job is dispensable and that they don’t really need the money.

And before people come out with that old chestnut that “staff act like this because they are badly paid”… sorry, but why is that the customers’ problem? Catering, especially, entails long, gruelling hours, but taking out your frustration on a complete stranger because you are unhappy with your salary and working conditions is just not on. 

People lingering at a table at closing time when your feet are aching, your back is in agony and you just want to go home must seem like the last straw after a very long day, but there are ways to indicate to customers that it is time to leave. You know, like politely going to their table and saying “excuse me, but we will be closing soon, would you like anything else?”

Banging the chairs, huffing and puffing in their direction and clattering the dishes and cutlery rudely as you clean their table is not acceptable. Or bringing the bill before you even ask whether the diners want coffee or dessert.  We go out to eat in order to socialize and take our time, not to shove the food in our mouths as quickly as possible because the staff want to go home. 

Similarly, if your establishment cannot cope with a certain number of people, then why keep accepting more and more covers and keep accepting orders until late? I would rather be told that “sorry, the last order is at 10pm” rather than be kept waiting an hour and a half because the kitchen staff is flat out, bone tired and unable to keep up with a sudden influx of diners in the hot, summer months when people tend to eat very late.

It is these things that can ruin a dining experience and which explain why some restaurants are always full while others are woefully empty. And that definitely cannot be blamed on online shopping.