As
many of you would know, I'm a huge fan of Dempsey. It is home to many
lovely establishments and I've never had a truly bad experience.
However, that all changed over the weekend when I went to Don Quijote.
Having received rather bad service at
the door, I sent the management a note. Being in the F&B industry
myself, I appreciate it when someone gives me a heads up on bad service.
However, I wasn’t expecting the reply that owner Ken Lim sent.
“In eight words, who the fuck do you think you are?”
We are constantly complaining about the lack of service culture in Singapore and attribute it to a general lack of staff in the industry. Sure, the lack of staff is one reason – less staff, lower standards of service. We’re in an industry wide crunch and everyone’s trying their best to cope. So Mr Ken, I do understand where you’re coming from. What better way to save time on service recovery then a templated “Fuck you?”
Of course it does not help when owners themselves validate bad service but Mr Ken, I’m neither mad nor upset about your reply. I’d just like a glass of whatever you were drinking.
However, I wasn’t expecting the reply that owner Ken Lim sent.
“In eight words, who the fuck do you think you are?”
We are constantly complaining about the lack of service culture in Singapore and attribute it to a general lack of staff in the industry. Sure, the lack of staff is one reason – less staff, lower standards of service. We’re in an industry wide crunch and everyone’s trying their best to cope. So Mr Ken, I do understand where you’re coming from. What better way to save time on service recovery then a templated “Fuck you?”
Of course it does not help when owners themselves validate bad service but Mr Ken, I’m neither mad nor upset about your reply. I’d just like a glass of whatever you were drinking.
Facebook Response by Ken Lim on his 8 words reply :
Don Quijote Spanish Restaurant shared Arun Ratnaa's photo.
People
like to react to sensational tit bits... without actually knowing the
facts... You posted what you wanted everyone to see and hear, without
the full facts and I wonder how you manage to call yourself a
professional of any industry, whether F&B or other..
Here's the parts you left out.. That my staff in question was at no
point rude to you and in fact apologized several times that we were not
able to accommodate you, but for whatever reasons you had, maybe showing
off to friend, you decided to get abusive instead and even your email
was racist, pointing out a Filipino staff with bad service, where
because her command of the English language isn't as high as yours, and
maybe could have explained things better, but instead you flew the coop
and then followed up with a scathing email, signing off with your
company credentials..?
Was your visit in a personal or
corporate capacity? Were you emailing us in your "professional" (I would
have to use this word very loosely with you) capacity and complaining
as a representative of your company?
I will not engage any
further exchange with you, whether be it online and in any other medium
so you may continue with your banter about how professional you actually
are and what a victim you were when what I have is my now 8th year
reputation for having higher-than-most standards of service to stand on.
Bottom line.. If you had written to us in a personal capacity, I would be bestowed every courtesy that is bestowed on ALL our customers.. But because you chose to do so with your corporate details and titles, to me, seeing that you are "a professional in the F&B industry", to me, you should not go up to someone else's house and kick the gate because if you do, then you should be prepared to get bitten by the dog. In my opinion your deplorable behavior towards both my staff and us all collectively was bully-like and racist-like which just added to things and I responded accordingly.
Ken Lim
Proprietor
First Email to Ken Lim :
This was my email:
Dear Management of Don Quijote,
I wish you a very prosperous Lunar New Year.
Unfortunately,
I had a less than pleasant experience just minutes uses ago at your
door. Having been recommended by my friends at I-S Magazine, I went to
your outlet only to be turned away.
I'm
a FNB professional myself and it pains to be turned away at the door
although your outlet was far from full. The Filipino lady that attended
to us was less than helpful. I had to hint her that I would accept a
table either inside or outside.
Of
course, she was not eager to help me. The good thing is, we're at
Dempsey. If not Don Quijote, La Forketta is always welcoming. Even when I
don't make a reservation.
Disappointed by the service rendered to me at your door.
Best regards,
Arun Ratnaa
Find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=724135324277349&set=a.317075431650009.80936.315021665188719&type=1&theater
Did anyone get confused?
Here's a quick summary, Arun who is the Head of Marketing at Shiraz Middle Eastern Restaurant visited Don Quijote and was turned away by the staff. He wrote a feedback to Don Quijote with his professional signature and was responded to by Ken with 8 words (which you can read above).
Arun then took to Social Media and posted his response together with Ken's email reply on his own personal facebook.
SMRT Ltd (the parody facebook) picked up on the news and posted it on their page.
It quickly got viral and Ken responded in the comments to the post, he then shared it on Don Quijote's facebook page.
Arun shared what was his original email at a later stage and also said this in the comments:
Arun Ratnaa It would be a useless statement to say that this issue has blown way out of proportion. I regret that it as. I went to Dempsey as a consumer, I complained as a consumer and then went to La Forketta to enjoy a meal with friends just like any other consumer. Just as it is the prerogative of the owner of DQSR to send that reply, it was my prerogative to share what happened.
Honestly? None of them came out looking better and it's really kind of petty. No one knows the real truth so all we can say is........
A whole lot has been said and shared with regards to what has happened. But here it is again:
I received questionable service, I sent a message to the Restaurant's email address. I then received the now infamous reply from the owner. I posted his reply on Facebook. It went viral.
This has nothing to do with Shiraz nor with any marketing ploys or was it intended at any point in time. I was at Dempsey on an off day with my friend looking for Spanish Cuisine.
I was a hungry diner who got turned away. I ranted like anyone would.
And for those wondering if I'm Foreign Talent: I'm proudly Singaporean, born and bred :)
I received questionable service, I sent a message to the Restaurant's email address. I then received the now infamous reply from the owner. I posted his reply on Facebook. It went viral.
This has nothing to do with Shiraz nor with any marketing ploys or was it intended at any point in time. I was at Dempsey on an off day with my friend looking for Spanish Cuisine.
I was a hungry diner who got turned away. I ranted like anyone would.
And for those wondering if I'm Foreign Talent: I'm proudly Singaporean, born and bred :)
I
am humbled and grateful as to the number of people who have come out
"in support" of both myself personally, as well as a team on the whole.
It truly warms the heart to have strangers come out and write emails
directly to me telling me to "keep your chin up!"... Of course those who
actually know me, and us as a team, have come out and voiced their
support both online and via direct messages to me,
and to all of you, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for both
your understanding and continued support... but we are also thankful
that a vast majority of all of you have also looked beyond what was
meant to be a direct and private response from me that was meant for
just one person to see, but he chose to try to "do me in" by gathering a
public mob against me, which has since unfortunately for him,
backfired.
For the record, this was never meant to be a popular vote on who should've said what and who shouldn't have said what.. Whatever has been said and done, is exactly just that and that should be the end of it..
Please note that at some point today, probably at or around sunset, we will be removing all posts and threads both past and future, pertaining to this matter, from our FB pages as we sincerely believe that we have let enough people know enough about this and that it's time to move on to more pressing matters, namely the struggles of running a business in Singapore.
Again, our sincerest thanks to all...
Ken, and everyone else, at DQ
For the record, this was never meant to be a popular vote on who should've said what and who shouldn't have said what.. Whatever has been said and done, is exactly just that and that should be the end of it..
Please note that at some point today, probably at or around sunset, we will be removing all posts and threads both past and future, pertaining to this matter, from our FB pages as we sincerely believe that we have let enough people know enough about this and that it's time to move on to more pressing matters, namely the struggles of running a business in Singapore.
Again, our sincerest thanks to all...
Ken, and everyone else, at DQ
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