Last night, on the way back from an out and return trip to Colchester, I foolishly stopped at a service area on the M1 for what the Americans call, 'a comfort stop'. Being quite late (c.23:00), I was tired, needed a drink and fancied a sandwich. Nothing surprising there I guess - But . . .
The M&S shop was closed, the Burger King (aaargh!) was shut and although there was a café-like place (which was open) it only had one Panini type thing which was Mozarella and toe-nail clippings and this ran in at about £3,000 (not sure, didn't actually bother to look at right price but I know it was more than £6!).
When I mentioned this to a manager-like person I was told that I could buy drinks from WH Smith and they sold sweets, crisps, biscuits and hot drinks too. I asked where I could get a sandwich and he pointed me to a garage at the next exit! He explained that it wasn't worth keeping everything (anything) open at that time because there was only a trickle of people and that it was there to make money - not serve the needs of the odd individual.
I can live with that reality as I'm a very odd individual! Just will be avoiding service areas from now on (except for a spot of comfort) and heading for the nearest proper sandwich seller off the motorway - probably save money too!
Don't you just love our customer-facing, the customer is a blinking nuisance, culture?
3 comments:
Try the Job Center, there ,the customer is something on the bottom of their shoe and they are doing everyone a great favour by sitting behind their desks............ with jobs!
Customer Service are dirty words in some places. Motorway Services are perhaps the most expensive and unfriendly places in the UK for service.
Unfortunately, we are obliged to use them - but their idea is bring on the mugs and we will fleece them.
I actually think it has got worse since M&S and WH Smiths have gained the franchise on these outlets.
As a matter of course, we now take a flask and sandwiches with us as we begrudge paying their prices and getting inferior food and drink.
It does seem that as outlets like M&S have appeared the level of service and provision has diminished. I think that the 'sophistication' of the even higher priced bistro eating has done us no favours.
One area I visited had a Costa, a pseudo-Italian outlet, KFC, Burger King and some sort of cardboard sandwich area. Queues everywhere and the amount of money this must have been raking in was immense - but there were no seats free and the place was filthy.
Not a positive experience at all.
I worked for the Employment Services and know what you mean about some of the JobCentre staff - not always a positive encounter is it?
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