OFF THE RECORD
AN opening night for those lucky enough to be invited is supposed to be a relatively straightforward arrangement. Those who have managed to get on to the VIP list are supplied with all manner of food and drink by the host. All they need to do is pretend to be interested in the event and product being promoted. It is not supposed to be an ‘all you can eat and drink’ buffet. So this couple need to take a good hard look at their behaviour. They arrived early and set up camp at one of the few tables. They then took turns filling plates of food from passing waiters. Of course glasses of grog were also poured down their gullets at every opportunity.
SPEAKING of openings, this young man about town has very cleverly worked out that those swish functions are much more than a great place to be fed and watered. He has noted that being seen on the scene at these functions has become something of an obsession for many sweet young things of the female persuasion in this insta-famous world. He offers a bit of smooth chat, offers to fetch a drink (it’s all free so no skin off his wallet) and suddenly, everything is beautiful and they are having the time of their lives. It’s not just a smorgasbord in the food department it seems.
IT was supposed to be a smooth handover of the good ship SS Family Business from the founding father to his children. Six months in and it seems a mutiny has been declared with the eldest child leaving to pursue ‘other interests’ and Daddy has come back to right the ship. The problem has been that many of the old, loyal customers were dismayed at the way they were being treated under the new captain and rang Dad to complain. It seems while the young gun loved the money and power, he forgot to treasure the most important asset – the customers.
FOR any customer-based business it is always a delicate balancing act between providing good service but still making enough money to stay in business. Somewhere along the way the new operators of this joint have got the balance all wrong. In the hope of making more money, they cut back on the number of staff and then to maximise the profits, jacked up the prices. End result – dissatisfied customers and loyal staff tired of being abused have left for a better climate in which to work. At this rate they will have no clients or staff in the near future.