Are you treating your customers rudely? This should never happen in any business. Even if customers become unruly, it is important for the owner or person in charge to remain calm and handle the situation with control. These types of customers are often one-time visitors. This principle applies to businesses in New Jersey as well. Although it may be tempting to retaliate against a difficult customer, it is better to stay calm and handle the situation with firmness. The same applies if the business owner is frustrated or facing problems. Blaming the customer is never a good idea. While the specific example mentioned in this content did not occur in New Jersey, the lessons from that situation should resonate with every small business owner in the Garden State.
The particular establishment discussed in this content is located on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It is positioned along the main highway and offers pizza, ice cream, and other food items on its menu. Now that this issue is clarified, let’s shift our focus to the pizza itself. It is worth mentioning that the customers involved in the altercation mentioned earlier were from New Jersey. It seems that this incident was not an isolated occurrence, as I later discovered. The owner or manager of this establishment has a lot to learn about customer service and proper staffing.
Now, let me explain what happened during my visit. It was a warm August night, and my family and I had just begun our vacation. We decided to take our children to this place for dinner because they wanted pizza. However, the options for pizza in that area were quite limited. Upon arrival, we placed our order at the counter inside the store and paid in advance, including a tip. We then found a table outside. One of the staff members brought us water and informed us that the pizza might take up to 30 minutes to be ready. Despite the hunger of our children, we thought that a slight delay wouldn’t be too bothersome.
Fast forward almost an hour, and there was still no sign of our pizza. No staff member came to our table to update us, so we decided to go inside to inquire about our order. The cashier apologized and mentioned that they were working on it. I returned to the table to inform the rest of my family. After about an hour and ten minutes of waiting, we were growing impatient and ready to leave. The only issue was that we had already paid. I decided to check one last time if it was possible to cancel our order. However, things took an unexpected turn during that conversation.
A heated argument unfolded between a woman behind the counter and another customer. Once the lady left, I asked the gentleman what had happened. He explained that he had been waiting for his pizza for over an hour, and the owner had yelled at him. Yes, the woman who had been shouting was the owner herself. Evidently, the owner was frustrated with the customer’s lack of patience. Although the customer was upset, he didn’t respond angrily to the owner’s behavior; he simply wanted to know why the pizza was taking so long. The woman eventually walked away, ignored his request for a refund, and continued her work.
The atmosphere in the venue was tense, with the owner’s loud voice drawing the attention of everyone present. Honestly, the wait for the pizza was unreasonable, and I could understand the frustration of the customer involved in the argument. What was even more baffling was that the owner herself was responsible for making the pizzas. Ultimately, she was to blame for the delay. While this customer proceeded towards the register to request a refund, I had a chance to speak with him. I learned that he was also a business owner from New Jersey. Regrettably, I do not recall the nature of his business, but it was unrelated to food. Once he completed his transaction, I swiftly requested a refund before the owner disappeared again. By this point, we had been waiting for over an hour and twenty minutes, and patience was running thin.
Afterwards, we decided to dine at another restaurant and later checked the reviews for the place we had originally chosen. It became evident that our experience was not isolated. Past customers had shared similar stories, complaining about excessive wait times for pizza. It seemed that the same woman was always in charge of making the pizzas and handling customers in an aggressive manner. These negative reviews dated back years, indicating that this was not an isolated occurrence. The current owner took over the business five years ago and seemingly had full control over the pizza oven. I could agree with the New Jersey customer’s assertion that she lacked the skills to run a business effectively.
If the owner insists on making pizzas herself, she should consider hiring additional staff to handle customer issues as they arise, especially in a busy establishment. It makes one wonder how the business manages to survive if the service is consistently poor. From my understanding, this store relies on tourists rather than local customers since pizza options are not readily available in the area. Additionally, they offer ice cream, which seems to be popular, but there was no wait time for that particular item. I am relieved to say that such experiences are not typical in New Jersey, where establishments prioritize treating their customers well and have adequate staffing.
Sometimes, due to understaffing or unforeseen circumstances, the owner may have to step in and solve problems personally. Unfortunately, these situations can occur. However, it is crucial never to dismiss a customer’s concerns simply because they are frustrated with an extended wait time. If a restaurant estimates a 20-minute wait, there should be no reason for the customer to wait over an hour, and at the very least, an apology should be offered.