Murphy's Ice Cream

the-island-man · 30-09-2018 12:18am #1

I love the stuff. So many great flavours and I love that there's a shop now in Galway but......

wtf is with the staff?! Seem like decent people but they're acting like Yanks.

You walk in the door to be greeted by "So what are up to today? What was that like? when is that on? I was thinking of going to that but I wasn't sure, what do you think?"

I am here to get some delicious ice cream not to make new friends or play 20 questions. People may think i'm being a grumpy b**tard but anyone who has been to the Galway shop is sure know what I mean. It's questions asked in a way akin to the fake type of questions you get from service staff in America.

I think fair enough if they need to Plámás the tourists/yanks but when I walk in with an Irish accent please just give me the f***in' ice cream and don't make me go through this rigmarole every time

Jimmy. · 30-09-2018 12:21am

Thanks Tom Murphy, say hi to Agnes for me.

Kermit.de.frog · 30-09-2018 2:08am

Collie D · 30-09-2018 2:11am

Never has a man looked more awkward with an icecream.

vicwatson · 30-09-2018 2:13am

Nothing special except the price

Odyssey 2005 · 30-09-2018 2:15am

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Cnut

trixiebust · 30-09-2018 2:25am

the-island-man wrote: »

I love the stuff. So many great flavours and I love that there's a shop now in Galway but......

wtf is with the staff?! Seem like decent people but their acting like Yanks.

You walk in the door to be greeted by "So what are up to today? What was that like? when is that on? I was thinking of going to that but I wasn't sure, what do you think?"

I am here to get some delicious ice cream not to make new friends or play 20 questions. People may think i'm being a grumpy b**tard but anyone who has been to the Galway shop is sure know what I mean. It's questions asked in a way akin to the fake type of questions you get from service staff in America.

I think fair enough if they need to Plámás the tourists/yanks but when I walk in with an Irish accent please just give me the f***in' ice cream and don't make me go through this rigmarole every time

They were the same the last time I went to the Killarney shop two years ago. Headwrecking.

skD13 · 30-09-2018 3:35am

Walked out of the Killarney store recently, without buying anything, because of it. I find it extremely off-putting. Maybe I'm just a miserable git though.

Canis Lupus · 30-09-2018 3:53am

Genuine customer service is easy to spot and doesn't involve faux bonhomie from a teenager about how your day is going and what have you been up to. I usually just answer in one word replies as best I can to this sort of stuff get what I need and get out.

ChikiChiki · 30-09-2018 5:16am

skD13 wrote: »

Walked out of the Killarney store recently, without buying anything, because of it. I find it extremely off-putting. Maybe I'm just a miserable git though.

Your not. I like to be left alone whilst shopping as do a lot of people. Really despise obvious false friendly customer service. If i have a query, i will ask.

I just walked out of an empty store whilst shopping for sunglasses after not one but 3 staff did the same within sight of one another. My budget was 300$ as I need a good pair as spending long hours driving in Australia and the falseness made them lose out.

Fcuk off and leave me alone. :-)

Capt'n Midnight · 30-09-2018 11:20pm

Murphy owned a nail manufacturing factory. He decided to give things a boost, so he called in an advertising agency to make an ad for TV.

Three weeks later the agency rang saying his new ad would get its first showing on the following Wednesday night before the Angelus.

The ad came on and the camera zoomed in on a grassy field and there was lovely background music. The camera then moved over the grass and up the side of a hill. At the top of the hill it came to the bottom of a cross. It slowly moved up the cross... to reveal Jesus on the cross. It moved out to his hands to show the nails driven through the hands. A voice then said, "If you want a job done right use Murphy's nails".

Murphy rang the advertising agency in despair and asked them to change the ad. Three weeks later they rang saying there would be a new ad the following night. The ad came on as before, the camera focused on the grass, same background music.

The camera went up the hill and came to a cross, moving up this time there was no one on the cross. The camera looked off into the distance.... and there was Jesus legging it across the fields. A voice rang out, "They should have used Murphy's nails!"

Muscles Schultz · 30-09-2018 11:25pm

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Murphy owned a nail manufacturing factory. He decided to give things a boost, so he called in an advertising agency to make an ad for TV.

Three weeks later the agency rang saying his new ad would get its first showing on the following Wednesday night before the Angelus.

The ad came on and the camera zoomed in on a grassy field and there was lovely background music. The camera then moved over the grass and up the side of a hill. At the top of the hill it came to the bottom of a cross. It slowly moved up the cross... to reveal Jesus on the cross. It moved out to his hands to show the nails driven through the hands. A voice then said, "If you want a job done right use Murphy's nails".

Murphy rang the advertising agency in despair and asked them to change the ad. Three weeks later they rang saying there would be a new ad the following night. The ad came on as before, the camera focused on the grass, same background music.

The camera went up the hill and came to a cross, moving up this time there was no one on the cross. The camera looked off into the distance.... and there was Jesus legging it across the fields. A voice rang out, "They should have used Murphy's nails!"

Hal Roach is that you?

andekwarhola · 30-09-2018 11:28pm

Never tried their ice-cream. Maybe i'm missing out. Always assumed only sentimental yanks with large wallets actually go into those shops when in places like Dingle and Killarney.

JupiterKid · 01-10-2018 12:04am

The ice cream parlour craze has come very very late to Ireland- the USA and Italy had these places 50+ years ago. Most here are horribly overpriced but I do love an occasional lemon sorbet from an Italian style gelateria.

From holidaying in Italy a good bit over the years - it seems like gelatria there are like pubs here - every small town has at least one.

...and here was me thinking this thread was about ice cream flavored after a well known Cork stout.:pac:

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo · 01-10-2018 1:57am

JupiterKid wrote: »

The ice cream parlour craze has come very very late to Ireland- the USA and Italy had these places 50+ years ago. Most here are horribly overpriced but I do love an occasional lemon sorbet from an Italian style gelateria.

From holidaying in Italy a good bit over the years - it seems like gelatria there are like pubs here - every small town has at least one.

...and here was me thinking this thread was about ice cream flavored after a well known Cork stout.:pac:

I could see them trying that as a flavour lol. Last time I was there I got a brown soda flavoured ice cream and some chocolate cake ice cream. And it was fucking delicious.

I truly welcome the ice cream craze. I think the donut craze was/is stupid, each place has the exact same base that they buy in, and then it is loaded up with sweets on top. There not even that nice, and are simply not worth the calories.

But gelato style homemade ice cream with all the different flavours is tremendous. I almost weep with happiness from how yummy they can be.

road_high · 01-10-2018 2:18am

skD13 wrote: »

Walked out of the Killarney store recently, without buying anything, because of it. I find it extremely off-putting. Maybe I'm just a miserable git though.

They’re the exact same in the Kilkenny one. All happy happy bollix. It’s definitely the training and the personality (fake) types that they go for. They don’t seem
to alter their fake rubbish for Irish people!
And yes it’s very expensive for pretty average ice cream. Much prefer Scrum Diddlys.

ANDREWMUFC · 01-10-2018 2:29am

Went in the last day to get a cone just to see what they were like

Anyway this young lad behind the asked a dozen questions where was I going, what did I buy.

I had to tell him to get lost in the end.

Cnuts

road_high · 01-10-2018 2:36am

ANDREWMUFC wrote: »

Went in the last day to get a cone just to see what they were like

Anyway this young lad behind the asked a dozen questions where was I going, what did I buy.

I had to tell him to get lost in the end.

Cnuts

Did you buy an ice cream?

ANDREWMUFC · 01-10-2018 2:42am

road_high wrote: »

Did you buy an ice cream?

Nope. It was for the young lad but left after I got bombarded with questions

fryup · 01-10-2018 3:55am

just pretend to be deaf, problem solved

d8491prj5boyvg · 01-10-2018 6:57am

Next time one of you goes into a shop and asked how are you doing today, stay silent. After a brief pause, take out your phone, scroll to this thread and hand to your server.

That'll shut the prick up.

Wompa1 · 01-10-2018 7:13am

It would be really funny if it's not a management imposed thing and it's one guy who's just trying to be nice and everybody hates him for it.

Mrs OBumble · 01-10-2018 7:40am

Wompa1 wrote: »

It would be really funny if it's not a management imposed thing and it's one guy who's just trying to be nice and everybody hates him for it.

Yeah, he works in all the shops simultaneously.

Most of the staff are just regular people doing a job to pay the rent. I doubt they enjoy it any more than you do. And most of the time they deal with real tourists.

If you really want to wreck their day say something like "I'm going up to the hospice to sit with my dying granny for the afternoon " or suchlike.

road_high · 01-10-2018 9:52am

Wompa1 wrote: »

It would be really funny if it's not a management imposed thing and it's one guy who's just trying to be nice and everybody hates him for it.

No it sounds like it’s the same fakery in all their stores...

Hector Savage · 01-10-2018 10:57am

There is nothing worse than that fake customer service bull**** that you can tell the poor kids working there are FORCED to do by some c*nt of a manager.

And again, I love genuine good customer service - like when I go into Conns cameras and they have knowledgeable staff and they are genuinely interested in giving you good advice on lenses/cameras etc.

I remember in the Disney store once (yeah this would be the worst possible place for this kind of sh1te) and I was just getting a toy for my kid, and the server was asking me "Do you know there is actually another SW film coming out next year?" - it was around the time of the Force Awakens release and a lot of people didn't know about Rogue one - and then he would give a little promo of what the new film is about etc ... jesus wept ... just give me the toy!!
You could tell he was memorizing a script and probably didn't give 2 sh1ts about SW - the poor kid HAD to do this with EVERY customer.

marcbrophy · 01-10-2018 11:02am

I'm mad for some stout flavoured iced cream right now :mad:

skD13 · 01-10-2018 12:59pm

Remembered what the conversation was now actually, happy happy girl rocks up (sees a bag from a shoe shop in my hand), "so, did you get the shoes you were after, are they nice etc. etc." "Errm" confused, "they are for my kids", bewildered, what's all this about, I just want an ice-cream FFS... left.

It's weird, this type of fake customer service approach. And I know the staff are made do it, but why, does it actually work? Everyone hates chugging but apparently it works.

road_high · 01-10-2018 5:11pm

skD13 wrote: »

Remembered what the conversation was now actually, happy happy girl rocks up (sees a bag from a shoe shop in my hand), "so, did you get the shoes you were after, are they nice etc. etc." "Errm" confused, "they are for my kids", bewildered, what's all this about, I just want an ice-cream FFS... left.

It's weird, this type of fake customer service approach. And I know the staff are made do it, but why, does it actually work? Everyone hates chugging but apparently it works.

That's far too personal. Looking at your bag and interrogating about your purchases! That would drive most of us berserk!

tmh106 · 01-10-2018 5:37pm

I've bought ice-cream in their Galway store on a few occasions. It is expensive, but it is very very good - in my opinion, and in this case it really does come down to matter of personal taste I guess. so I'm prepared to pay the price because I treat it as rare indulgence.

As for the service, while it is definitely on the friendly side, I didn't find it overbearingly so. Somewhat surprised at the level of annoyance it obviously causes to some people.

fryup · 01-10-2018 5:48pm

tmh106 wrote: »

As for the service, while it is definitely on the friendly side, I didn't find it overbearingly so. Somewhat surprised at the level of annoyance it obviously causes to some people.

so am i tbh,

don't see anything wrong or weird with a staff member striking up a conversation with you? aren't we a nation of talkers after all?

wouldn't it be far worse if they were in a huff and ignored you???

The Rape of Lucretia · 01-10-2018 5:52pm

That sounds horrific. I am a glad I have never darkened their door, and now know not to even consider it.
Still in mourning for the loss of Cestelli Ranieri myself. The last time that good ice cream was available in Ireland.

road_high · 01-10-2018 7:25pm

fryup wrote: »

so am i tbh,

don't see anything wrong or weird with a staff member striking up a conversation with you? aren't we a nation of talkers after all?

wouldn't it be far worse if they were in a huff and ignored you???

There’s natural friendly chat and there’s forced fakery. This is the latter and I’ve been there a few times. It’s pretty expensive for what it is as well

01-10-2018 7:37pm

Headphones always rescues me from those annoying customer servers

byhookorbycrook · 01-10-2018 7:40pm

I love the ice-cream but the begosh and begorrah staff stuff drives me close to slapping someone with their Peaky Blinders caps. It could be worse, they could be pretending to be a Healy Rae.

skD13 · 01-10-2018 9:15pm

I love to chat with staff in shops, but organic, naturally flowing chat. This Murphys experience was like an ambush with someone acting (and I mean acting) like they wanted to be my best friend. It was way too much. I found it interesting that this thread sprung up and I'm not the only one who feels uncomfortable/annoyed by this particular sales ploy.

Someone tell the Murphys to get on here

Arrival · 01-10-2018 9:30pm

Why don't all of you just ask to kindly speak with the managers and then inform the managers that you'd rather not be interrogated by teenagers when you're simply looking to get an ice cream and leave as quickly as possible, otherwise you're just moaning and complaining with no possible change happening which just makes you all useless, miserable gowls. I don't understand why Irish people are so averse to giving constructive criticisms to businesses, speak up for yourselves for goodness sake. How many of you have even done the simple process of just contacting them with your feedback on social media?

skD13 · 01-10-2018 9:40pm

Arrival wrote: »

Why don't all of you just ask to kindly speak with the managers and then inform the managers that you'd rather not be interrogated by teenagers when you're simply looking to get an ice cream and leave as quickly as possible, otherwise you're just moaning and complaining with no possible change happening which just makes you all useless, miserable gowls. I don't understand why Irish people are so averse to giving constructive criticisms to businesses, speak up for yourselves for goodness sake. How many of you have even done the simple process of just contacting them with your feedback on social media?

I probably will the next time (swear) . I was just in shock that day

.

P. S. Kudos for the use of gowl. My favourite term of abuse.

road_high · 02-10-2018 12:18am

fryup wrote: »

just pretend to be deaf, problem solved

I doubt it...they’re the kind of happy clappy people that can sign in three languages ðŸ˜‚

Zero Point · 02-10-2018 1:05am

Arrival wrote: »

Why don't all of you just ask to kindly speak with the managers and then inform the managers that you'd rather not be interrogated by teenagers when you're simply looking to get an ice cream and leave as quickly as possible, otherwise you're just moaning and complaining with no possible change happening which just makes you all useless, miserable gowls. I don't understand why Irish people are so averse to giving constructive criticisms to businesses, speak up for yourselves for goodness sake. How many of you have even done the simple process of just contacting them with your feedback on social media?

Went into the one on Wicklow Street one day and we were pounced on by a cloying Disney-type personality. We quickly did a u-turn out the door. That WAS the feedback. If we couldn't tolerate staying for less than minute we were hardly going to take the time to write them a complaint. Businesses need to tailor their customer service to the general population of a particular culture. That over- the-top fake niceness doesn't work well here and shows a lack of understanding about customer behaviour and attitudes.

ANDREWMUFC · 02-10-2018 1:37am

A bunch of teens interrogating you

Outlaw Pete · 02-10-2018 2:12am

I like NoBo.

wakka12 · 02-10-2018 3:18am

Hahaha
Thought the exact same when I visited galway
Some server lad chatting to me about sweet f all for the ten minutes I was queing,absolutely painful, just couldnt wait for him to go away and the boring small talk to end. The americans beside me in the queue seemed to love that servers were chatting with them though so I guess its a good business model for them

Mrs OBumble · 02-10-2018 7:42am

Zero Point wrote: »

. Businesses need to tailor their customer service to the general population of a particular culture.

Nope, they need to tailor it to their target market. They have. You ain't it.

TerrorFirmer · 02-10-2018 9:20am

I've been there once in Galway and the painful, forced conversation was actually my lasting impression of the place.

Nothing wrong with conversation, but it's the over-enthusiastic 'fake-friend' approach that's incredibly annoying in any shop/restaurant/whatever.

Don't get the praise anyway, found it pretty average - there's a gelato place a few minutes away which is infinitely better.

road_high · 02-10-2018 5:47pm

wakka12 wrote: »

Hahaha
Thought the exact same when I visited galway
Some server lad chatting to me about sweet f all for the ten minutes I was queing,absolutely painful, just couldnt wait for him to go away and the boring small talk to end. The americans beside me in the queue seemed to love that servers were chatting with them though so I guess its a good business model for them

Yes the yanks probably love this false ****e as they tend to go in for fake customer service. Irish people are too cynical and see right through this kind of stuff. Not sure why they don't just adapt their sales pitch to foreigners

road_high · 02-10-2018 5:48pm

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

I've been there once in Galway and the painful, forced conversation was actually my lasting impression of the place.

Nothing wrong with conversation, but it's the over-enthusiastic 'fake-friend' approach that's incredibly annoying in any shop/restaurant/whatever.

Don't get the praise anyway, found it pretty average - there's a gelato place a few minutes away which is infinitely better.

I wasn't blown away by the ice cream either. For about a fiver a pop it was nothing special.

road_high · 02-10-2018 10:57pm

Wasn't it set up by two yanks or something? Might explain a lot :pac:

daithi1970 · 02-10-2018 11:25pm

I remember a few years ago being in a mall in Ohio, and the servers there were just like that-overfriendly way past the point of annoyance..I found myself longing for the apathy and barely concealed contempt that Irish shopworkers usually display..

tl:dr, its a yank thing...

road_high · 03-10-2018 12:09am

Their Trip advisor reviews are interesting. Funnily enough few complaints re the staff but people fuming with the price, stingey portions and average tasting product!

the-island-man · 05-10-2018 12:41am

They should have their customer service approach set up like this:

road_high · 11-12-2018 1:32am

The one in Kilkenny is closed- their happy clappy mix of fake chat, overpriced average ice cream mustn’t have made it pay.
Wonder what happened the staff? Do they go back to studying Gender studies and Socoliogy in trinners?

Murphy's Ice Cream

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