The highs and lows of customer service - Cheltenham
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2013-04-03 21:25:32 - Graham Ellis
I spent Monday evening in Cheltenham - staying at an Edwardian themed B&B that's halfway between the station (where I arrived) and the town centre (where I was training on Tuesday). It's one of those rare places where they do everything right (right for the quality leisure guest, mind you - a bit fussy for business visitors in my personal view). The real coffee, served in the lounge a few minutes after I arrived, was a welcome and unusual supplement to the hospitality tray in the room (it's something we do too, but it ain't common). The host - gracious, welcoming, and just the right chattyness too.
A full breakfast in the morning - again, slightly more the leisure market (and I note that the other guests were leisure) and again that professional approach from the young lady waiting at table who also checked me out. I'm going back there next time I'm training up that way and "voting with my feet" is a true measure. Again, I will add that this level of breakfast care and attention - whilst it's very rare - is exactly what we provide; I guess my pleasure was in finding somewhere else where there's clearly a similar team spirit and standards through and through to us (and I guess I heave a huge sigh of relief that Butler'si isn't in Melksham!
A wish for a mid-evening light meal and a desire not to be sitting alone in a restaurant while all around me are groups, lead me to look for a fast food joint in the town centre.
One was open and I took a deep breath as I walked in past two members of staff smoking in the doorway. To my left, the section was blocked off and was in serious need of tables clearing and cleaning.
I placed my order and was surprised to see a paper bag for takeaway service gotten out. "May I eat in", I asked and was assured that I could, with a cheerful smile too but "all the trays are filthy dirty so I'm giving you a bag ..." and indeed there were trays around and a mess at many tables, when I went to eat; I did find a clean table and as I was finishing, one of the smokers came back in and the young lady who had been on the till came out to start cleaning tables.
Oh dear - what a contrast. Next time, I'll take a book or laptop into Cheltenham and sit quietly in Wethersppons or a rather interesting Thai restaurant I noted; BK in that town is now in the "only if I'm very rushed" category and I don't expect to ever be that rushed in Cheltenham!
Cheltenham does have some of the elements of its transport right too. It's a shame this isn't still a railway but I wasn't the only person using it as a footpath to get from the current station to my final destination. A final stretch along a little river / parkside but close to a modern Waitrose took me to where I was training. Other elements - so many old buildings that could do with a bit of TLC and footpaths which are in abysmal condition, complete the story of contrasts.