Great Restaurant Experience
Great Restaurant Experience Part 1
I recently had an unexpectedly great #restaurantexperience. There have been a few not-so-good experiences in restaurants I was expecting better, so expectations were nonexistent, however, the entire experience from beginning to end was pleasurable.
I am Ahimaa (pronounced a: hi: maa), a 44-year-old Ghanaian young woman whose hormones have a penchant to dictate international cuisine monthly.
On November 4, 2022, my day started with a strong urge for Chinese food, so I planned a Chinese eat-out for dinner. I was not entirely sure where, but I knew it would be Chinese. The urge was strong that I had no appetite for either breakfast or lunch, or possibly unconsciously I was saving my tummy for the evening ensemble of Southeastern Asian spices.
Evening came and luckily my husband was home early so we decided to turn it into a date night. We settled on a Chinese restaurant that had recently opened a branch within 10 km of our home. We had entertained the idea of visiting when it newly opened, however, never got around to making it a reality.
This restaurant is situated by a busy road and housed in a three-level storey property with shops on the ground level, the restaurant on the middle level, and premium apartments on the last level.
The experience began right at the car park.
A beaming security man beckoned and assisted us to park well, another walked to us smiling and politely enquired if we were coming to the Chinese restaurant, to which we responded in the affirmative and asked why, he responded that he had to open the car door for me.
We were pleasantly surprised or rather gobsmacked (my new favorite English word).
He graciously opened the car door for me and led us to the entrance leading to the elevators, a waitress took over and assisted us with the elevator by punching in the floor level. The elevator doors opened, and we were met by another waitress who welcomed us and led us into the restaurant. The restaurant has both outdoor and indoor seating. We were handed over to another waitress who courteously asked about our seating preference. We opted for indoor; spicy food in humid November weather in Ghana is better enjoyed in a cooler environment.
We were enveloped in the cool air-conditioned interior of the restaurant and welcomed by an amiable waiter who led us to our seats. Another waiter pulled up an extra chair for my bag and removed the table piece in the middle of the table, which would have otherwise obstructed good conversation.
Our main waiter gave us the food and drinks menu and disappeared without literally standing on us to make an order. He gave us time to decide and reappeared when we had taken a decision on our choice of food and drinks. This is a waiter who knew his job, knowing the Ghanaian palate he assisted us with the right choice of sauce to ensure an enhanced culinary experience.
Food and drinks came on time; the waiter ensured our glasses were never empty. Our main meal was timely; a few minutes after the starter had done the deed in our tummies. Same as the dessert after the main meal. Though the food was not extraordinary (it was the usual Chinese), the pepper sauce known in Ghana as shito did the trick for me. It was so good I requested a takeaway which was obliged with a 150ml disposable bowl. Payment of service was hassle-free as well, devoid of the usual delays which get you threatening to leave without paying.
Our departure experience was no different from the arrival. Pleasantries of goodbyes and “hope you come again” were said, and again with their signature pleasant smiles, the security men assisted us to reverse safely into the busy road.
The entire experience from beginning to end was pleasurable. The quality of service delivered was 10/10. We felt valued and respected, it felt like they preempted and met our every need for the reason we were there.
Kudos to the management of #noblehouseghana Spintex Branch for maintaining a great corporate culture, and kudos to Robert and Prosper at the car park, Jerry and James who waited on us, and the ladies at the elevator and foyer who were on duty on November 4, 2022.
What are the actual elements that sold me? Stay tuned for the details in the next story
Disclaimer: This story is not a paid review.
REFLECTIONS – Customer Experience Management (CXM) as a Business Transformation Tool
- Reflecting on this piece brings to mind Maya Angelou’s poignant quote ;
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”
- Though the customer’s experience across touchpoints is a consequence of the customer’s perspective, the institution can influence these experiences by effectively managing touchpoints.
- The customer’s interaction with you begins at the point of need, through decision-making, awareness, actual buy-in/usage, and evaluation. Therefore, it is important to identify what success means to your customer at the touch points of all the stages that impact the customer’s decision-making process and devise strategies to influence and maximize the experience.
- Repeat business and customer referrals are in your power. Take the cliché out of feedback and reviews by creating innovative avenues for customers to evaluate and share their good or bad experiences. Good feedback is great, however bad feedback is awesome; it is free consultancy from your customers.
#cxdialogue
©AhimaatheCXstoryteller. 2022
