Invest in your greatest asset, your customers

THE EDITOR, Madam:

THE ISSUE of customer service stems around quality control. The core of a business must not be forgotten. We eat with our eyes.

Thus, cashiers and food servers must wear clean clothing, aprons and other apparel, including hairnets. Unfortunately, too many employees are neglectful in ensuring that the environment is clean and comfortable for use by customers. Sadly, paying, hungry customers are ‘punished’. Thus, as an immediate priority, in ALL food-service establishments, every single minute, there must be the cleaning of tables, chairs, mopping floors and clearing food garbage disposal bins. The sanitary conveniences need a ‘stand by the door’ monitor to ensure constant water supply, soap, tissue and other necessities. In the craziness to ‘cut costs’, a cosmetic ‘Band-Aid‘ approach has become expedient. The potential for cross-infection will abound. Thus, a return to hand sanitizers, especially in the continuing saga with airborne and mosquito diseases, will be appreciated.

Unfortunately, in several food entities, debit cards are swiped multiple times and the client informed that it has been rejected. The public is concerned that card readers could be incorrectly using their banking information as well as making false deductions from their accounts. A visit to a nearby ATM verifies that all is well. So why do their machines constantly malfunction? Often, one is forced to pay in cash. We wonder why?

The matter is far beyond what could be deemed ‘simple insults’. There is grievous injury and basic disrespect to the greatest investor, the customer. Given the attendant costs, many families will shy away from public meals and save, creating their own homespun versions.