It is always great to catch up with friends, and during our time in Melbourne we met up again with Brenda Thomson, CEO of Networking World. After a frantic Saturday afternoon of meeting people; greeting people and of course, talking to people at her “Smart 90 Day Networking Event”;it was great to get together the next day for a more leisurely catch up time.
We managed to incorporate a quick visit to the South Melbourne Markets before we enjoyed a luxurious brunch which featured smoked salmon for the decadent as well as spinach for the more health conscious – when it happened!
The drinking glass exploded!
I am not sure who was more amazed – the people at the next table or us. Trish, who bore the brunt of the explosion, was now covered in shattered glass; which covered the table, infiltrated her handbag and npw littered the floor.
I really thought we had been shot at, and only the restriction of movement prevented my military training kicking in.
While the immediate staff members were appalled at the ensuing chaos, it soon became apparent that the manager (or whatever the head honcho was called) was impervious to the gravity of the situation.
He dismissed our concerns with a careless wave of the hand – which, seeing as he had tried previously to impale Trish by dropping a knife on her leg; should not have, perhaps, been so surprising.
So, if you decide to have brunch at the Caffe Panette in South Melbourne and run afoul of an exploding glass;do not look for sympathy; or even the consolation of a replacement drink – you will be disappointed.
You would have thought that after such a dramatic time the rest of the day would have been relatively plain sailing – well, this is the Trischel team you are talking about!
We took the opportunity to take in the last day of the Da Vinci Exhibition From Anatomy to Robot while we were here. The display was really interesting and we paused for a cup of tea and a cake – when it happened!
The cup of tea, mysteriously leapt out of Trish’s hands and landed in my lap. Consternation all round!!
After wringing out the bottom of my dress and stoically ignoring the state of my underwear; I was delighted to be offered a drying cloth, paper towels and another cup of tea – free of charge. What a difference in customer relationships!!
We put it to you – given the two scenarios, which establishment is more likely to engender repeat business or even a complimentary mention in general discussion.
Too often customer service is given lip service. This can be disastrous – you never know who your customers are. Caffe Panette is lucky that we were not food critics – only visitors from interstate who just happen to have a blog.
It has consolidated one of our philosophies that what you do is just as, if not more important, than what you say. In effect, the non verbal must match the verbal.
Michele and Trish @ Trischel (in Melbourne)