Boundless Horizons | Lee Sok Wah: Don't Let Employees' Bad Attitude Ruin Your Reputation
Recently, some foreign friends visited, and Ms. Alice Lee invited them to dine at various restaurants on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. To give them a taste of different cuisines, she took them to several restaurants.
The first restaurant they visited was one she frequent. The environment was serene, parking was convenient, and the restaurant was surrounded by beautiful plants and flowers. The cool breeze made it very comfortable. The hostess always had a smile on her face, and the staff was friendly. Even if the restaurant didn’t sell durians, the hostess would send someone to buy them for customers who wanted to try them. The service made customers feel right at home. Of course, friendly staff alone wouldn’t be enough without a good chef. Fortunately, the ingredients were fresh, the chef was skilled, the portions were just right, and the prices were reasonable. They thoroughly enjoyed their meal.
Since Ms. Alice Lee wanted her foreign friends to experience different restaurants, she took them to another restaurant for a meal later. This restaurant also had a nice environment with small bridges and flowing water but lacked parking space. The young man directing traffic seemed impatient and shouted at the cars, making them uncomfortable.
Not Worth the Effort
After finally parking and sitting down to order, the waiter’s impatient attitude was evident. Any request to modify the dishes was flatly refused. The menu was fixed, and they had to eat what was shown without any changes. This meant you had to eat what they prescribed, not what you wanted. The frustration continued as it seemed the waiter and the kitchen staff lacked communication. The portions were inadequate, not reflecting the ideal balance between customers and food. While the chef’s skills were decent, the small portions and dish shortages left us dissatisfied. If we were to rate this restaurant on a points system, it would score very low.
The stark contrast between the two restaurants led her foreign friends to prefer the first one, refusing to waste time at a third restaurant. The hostess and staff remembered what they had previously eaten and always recommended new dishes to avoid repetition. Their friendly and attentive service made it hard for the restaurant not to do well.
Talking about the attitude of restaurant staff towards customers reminded her of Wong Kei, a Chinese restaurant in London’s Chinatown, notorious for its rude staff. Despite this, the restaurant’s business was booming, with long lines of customers daily. The reason? The food was delicious and very affordable, catering to ordinary customers. Even with poor service, people still flocked there. However, those seeking quality service would undoubtedly avoid it.
The Importance of Employee Attitude
The point is to remind business owners of the importance of their employees’ attitude towards customers. Even if you have the same excellent conditions as your competitors, if your employees have a bad attitude, it will ruin the reputation you’ve worked hard to build.
