WHEN POWER REMOVES ONE FROM CUSTOMER CONTACT

Reminiscent of the Colonial Era when the Boss delegated to a subordinate is my recent experience with Protea Hotels I have always patronised Protea, moreso because of the Prokard The only place where one may be able to use the Prokard in the whole of Durban is Fire and Ice Umhlanga Due to Covid and age My Wife and I refuse to leave home. We had to go to Umhlanga and I suggested to my wife that we have a meal at the Fire and Ice Protea in Umhlanga A disastrous experience. Order was taken from the Menu provided. Ingredients were not in the kitchen and we had to leave with a bitter taste in our mouths Every attempt to address this with someone in authority was thwarted . The task of resolving this unpleasantness was delegated to some junior person and the problem was not resolved Delegation in this instance was abdication. I was directed to assume that people in senior positions were in such lofty positions that it was beneath their dignity to talk with disgruntled customers. It cannot be denied that the hospitality industry is reeling from the Covid impact. One would believe that the hospitality industry would make every effort to ensure satisfied customers My recent experience will ensure that I never visit Fir and Ice Umhlanga ever again To complain is not to bring the institution into disrepute but to describe the unfortunate experience so that thos sitting in ivory towers express gratitude for the time and expense of the customer and to ensure that the situation is addressed and further such mishaps are averted BUT when arrogance of theose in senior positions borders on recklessness the customer is compelled to approach other avenues to express their discontent Such reluctance to be proactive brings the Protea/ Marriott group into question and also militates agains all the efforts by the tourism centre and the hospitality industry to enhance customer satisfaction It is ironic that those dependent on customers and should thrive on ensuring customer satisfaction fail in this noble and praiseworthy task and end up doing the very opposite: bringing the institution that pays their salaries into disrepute I believe such delegation and abdication must of necessity be stopped as a matter of urgency. Roles and functions must all focus on enhancing customer satisfaction Coincidently, my Son spent a weekend at this institution and promised never to return because of the dilapidated condition of the room

Yet all this could have been averted should one of the mighty agreed to be humble enough to listen and agree to ensure that the problem would not recur. To boot even e mails are deemed too servile to respond to!!!!