NoTomatoPlease

The Pina Colada song - Have you forgotten what your purpose is? Me and my old lady have fallen into the same old dull routine Remember The Pina Colada Song? I was tired of my lady, we'd been together too long Like a worn-out recording, of a favourite song Have you forgotten why it is you went into business to start with? Please don’t say - I wanted to work with food for a living  Please say - I wanted to help people, to give great service, to meet people of different cultural backgrounds and to communicate with others and learn their different stories.  I wanted to make a difference, to have flexibility in my work week, a good work life balance and job satisfaction. I wanted to offer customers something they couldn’t get elsewhere. To build relationships. Yes, you wanted to make money, and maybe in your business you can do quite well. But if your customer’s don’t feel they can rely on you, have similar values, and feel good about their purchase, then this will reflect in your ...

Keep The Customer Satisfied      Gee Its Great To Be Back Home - Home Is Where I Want To Be Don't you hate it when one of your favourite cafes changes hands? It’s even worse when the  new owners just don't offer the same friendly smile and warm welcome... We have been regularly visiting one bistro in the city for a few years. Taking many friends and associates there for a decent meal and a nice relaxed coffee. About a year ago some friends reported to us that they had visited themselves recently and received poor service. The Italian bistro had changed hands they reported, and standards had suffered.  Food service was slow even when they were not busy and staff were not professional. How bad could it be ? We thought. Well recently we found out for ourselves. It had been some time since we had visited, but after a recent funeral we suggested a coffee there to talk and catch up. Our friends were right. On a not too busy Friday afternoon the staff were unreceptive,...

  Let’s Do Coffee -   If the doors are open, you're in business . Nothing annoys me more than a coffee shop that doesn't serve coffee. I love a good cup of coffee. I'm not fussy, a latte, a flat white or a nice cappuccino. I just need my shot of espresso every few hours. Now I make a pretty mean cup myself, even enjoying roasting a few beans to use at home, but I still like to go out with friends for a cuppa Joe sometimes. You could say I'm a social drinker. If someone is offering one, or suggesting we grab a cup, I'm up for it. Its my one vice. What really annoys me though,  is when I show up at a cafe an hour before closing and they've already run a cycle through the machine and are refusing to make me a coffee. Why are the doors open if I can't get a coffee? Atmosphere Or, what about when you're having a late coffee and they start slopping water everywhere and dragging  tables and chairs across the floor as they clean? Making an awful racket.  'H...

  Satisfy My Soul - The Importance of Satisfying Customer's Needs They say ‘a chef is only as good as his last cook’.  Let me tell you a story that highlights the importance of this and shows us why listening to your customers is so important. My wife and I like to go out for a late breakfast occasionally. Now we could find a place locally that would be adequate, but who ever went out to have an adequate meal? Locally we've had both good and bad experiences.  Though we used to enjoy one cafe close by that has a good view, they recently changed chef's and with that change their quality of produce and flavour changed also.  At our last breakfast there, the mushrooms were tasteless, and the eggs dry and grey. So we drive 45 minutes away to a location where we know we'll be treated well and have a good meal. Even though this location is more expensive and quite a drive, and just recently increased their costs, we still prefer to eat there. When we walk in, no matter what...