Customers advise businesses: how to survive the recession

Meeja Ireland

Like everyone in Dublin, I've been looking at businesses with new eyes during the recession. Being charged five euro forty for a pint in the Clarendon, when Pravda offer the same pint for four euro, seems like a handy snapshot of who is thinking straight and who isn't. Both pubs were empty, but I'll obviously go back to one and not the other.

I've just got a flyer in my door for a new takeaway. It misspells its own address (Oxamantown Road, apparently) and offers such unbargains as chips for 2.80 with a portion of mayonnaise for two quid. With a delivery charge of 1.80, not counting the tip. So they are graciously offering to deliver me a chicken burger, coke, and chips with mayonnaise for 14.30. Each. That's 26.80 for a (fairly unhealthy) couple, plus a tip.

I want to shake these people and shout the news in their ear. "You will not survive! You will go bust within a year, and it will be YOUR FAULT!"

Often it's not a price issue. Coffee shops that don't display their opening hours, for example. Who's going to go in at ten to five, with the possibility that they'll be hounded out after five minutes? If you're open till six, say so on the goddamned window.

So I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread of observations and advice. What is guiding your consumer decisions these days? Why do you choose one pub or cafe over another? What simple things could businesses do to improve their chances?

With a bit of luck, some of the people who make the decisions will join in, and we could save a half-decent pub or shop or restaurant from liquidation.

admiralofthefleet

this thread might be of interest to you op

carlmango11

Not really the same thing as the recession thread. I think this thread could be interesting. I can see exactly where the OP is coming from

Meeja Ireland

carlmango11 wrote: »

Not really the same thing as the recession thread. I think this thread could be interesting. I can see exactly where the OP is coming from

The other thread is really about advice to consumers. That's really useful, but it's pointing out the companies who have already adjusted to the times. This is about helping the businesses who haven't yet.

Simple, cheap things they can do (or stop doing) to attract customers. My original post went on a bit, but that's the essence.

Here's another simple example: restaurants should put their menu in the window. Otherwise they're asking people to go in and sit down, and possibly suffer the embarrassment of finding it too expensive. Some people just won't go in, and you will never get their custom.

Basic stuff, but it's not always done.

enda1

My advice for companies.

1. Like OP said, display opening hours!
2. Clearly display prices
3. Say that service is included (without adding 12.5%) because it is! This is not the States.
4. Be friendly and thankful and attentive to your customers
5. If I say there is a problem with my experience, try to correct it and be apologetic
6. Make sure your staff are not hanging around chatting with each other/looking at each other work/messing on phones etc. - they are there to work not feck around
7. Cut out inefficiency, do not over-staff thinking it makes you look great, it makes you look like amateurs spending my money on staff and not quality ingredients etc.
8. If a restaurant, have one server for my entire meal who knows what's going on.
9. Have a drinks menu with some variety, not the usual dross (and definitely have a drinks menu even if you're a bar!!)
10. Know who ordered what at a table instead of asking when you arrive, its not so difficult to get this right
11. Make sure your staff know what they sell, they need to know what ingredients are in what and what will accompany what
12. Value for money!

Wishbone Ash

Meeja Ireland wrote: »

Here's another simple example: restaurants should put their menu in the window

:eek: A pet hate of mine - I'm sitting in a nice restaurant with my wife and there's a foursome outside checking out the prices and gawking in the window!

enda1

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

:eek: A pet hate of mine - I'm sitting in a nice restaurant with my wife and there's a foursome outside checking out the prices and gawking in the window!

Its actually the law.

Wishbone Ash

enda1 wrote: »

Its actually the law.

That doesn't stop it being a pet hate!

(Are you sure it the law - I don't see the world's largest restaurant chain displaying it's prices outside.)

happyfriday

enda1 wrote: »

My advice for companies.

1. Like OP said, display opening hours!
2. Clearly display prices
3. Say that service is included (without adding 12.5%) because it is! This is not the States.
4. Be friendly and thankful and attentive to your customers
5. If I say there is a problem with my experience, try to correct it and be apologetic
6. Make sure your staff are not hanging around chatting with each other/looking at each other work/messing on phones etc. - they are there to work not feck around
7. Cut out inefficiency, do not over-staff thinking it makes you look great, it makes you look like amateurs spending my money on staff and not quality ingredients etc.
8. If a restaurant, have one server for my entire meal who knows what's going on.
9. Have a drinks menu with some variety, not the usual dross (and definitely have a drinks menu even if you're a bar!!)
10. Know who ordered what at a table instead of asking when you arrive, its not so difficult to get this right
11. Make sure your staff know what they sell, they need to know what ingredients are in what and what will accompany what
12. Value for money!

If a restaurant has a service charge I will never go there again unless the service is exceptional and I mean blow your mind fantastic and bar one restaurant in Dublin none of the ones with service charges have good service. :mad:

enda1

happyfriday wrote: »

If a restaurant has a service charge I will never go there again unless the service is exceptional and I mean blow your mind fantastic and bar one restaurant in Dublin none of the ones with service charges have good service. :mad:

That's what I said!

I said don't add a charge for service, but tell their customers that service is included in the price i.e. that they pay their staff to do their job.

Instead of the lie that is printed at the bottom of many receipts, that service is "not included" when it is!

enda1

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That doesn't stop it being a pet hate!

(Are you sure it the law - I don't see the world's largest restaurant chain displaying it's prices outside.)

True alright.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1984/en/si/0213.html

This says "immediately outside" or "immediately inside".
So I guess restaurants would prefer that people don't mill around inside opening and closing doors and upsetting customers.

I agree though that plastered on the window is not the best place for the menu.
On a stand outside or on the wall at entrance are better.