These few days, I have been going around town, in search of a dress for a wedding reception. Actually, it is just an excuse to get more pretty clothes.
However, there were some not so pleasant experiences with the sales persons. One such bad experience was at Mugigae at Bugis Junction. No offense, but this was yet another shop which employs foreigners, mostly from a country that does not speak English. I do mind a little for I just feel that they should at least try to learn how to speak a little English. It will be of great help to them. The operative word here is "try".
In any case, I digress. All was going well and I have finished trying the clothes. I was quite undecided though for it was only the first shop my Mum and I had gone into to try clothes. I liked the dress (90%) but had just wanted to exercise all my options first.
Therefore, I asked the salesperson if she could 'hold' the dress for me for a few hours. It is not even for a day. If it were Dorothy Perkins or Topshop, they would have held it overnight for me. I suppose they were trying to send out a message that their clothes are not mass produced. This I understand. Now, if only they put it across the right way!
Salesperson (avoiding my question on whether she can hold the piece for me): This is the last piece already.
I(smiling, in fact almost apologetic since I was the one who was undecided): Yes, but can you hold it for me, for awhile?
Salesperson: No we cannot hold for you (pause and no eye contact all the time), if you want to hold must put deposit.
I (getting a little annoyed but trying to calm self down): OK, so how much deposit do I need to pay?
Salesperson (still no eye contact): The deposit is non-refundable.
I: I understand. So how much IS the deposit?
Salesperson (paused for one second): 50% (Can't quite remember if it was 50% or 30% as I was already mentally calculating whether to ditch the whole idea of buying the dress).
I (being a little mean now and wanting her to calculate the amount): So how much is that?
Salesperson (paused to do mental calculations): $50...and it is non-refundable.
All this time, she was just folding up the clothes that I tried on and tidying up, giving me only sideways glances. Her actions were haughty and her tone, not so good. I smiled and walked away. The message that I got was either: if you do not have the cash, don't buy; if you can't make up your mind, don't buy; you do not have the shape to carry our clothes so better don't buy; all of the above. There was to be no deal with this shop. Not today, not for a very long while, even though they sometimes have clothes that I like.
I can understand if you want to make a quick sale. I can understand if you want to close a deal and up your sales for the month. However, I do not think that speaking rudely and giving out rude non-verbal actions would be able to save your monthly sales figures, if there really is any saving to do. In the end, she did not manage to clinch a deal. She also managed to help her bosses lose a repeat customer.
Come to think of it, this was the same shop who had the very bad, old habit of adjusting the rack of clothes that I have just gone through. I was there earlier than Mum and so decided to take a look-see first at the various shops. Every time I finished with going through one rack, they immediately rearrange it.
I am not sure whether they were taught to do so but whoever thought of this logic is not making much sense as the non-verbal message that you are sending out to your customers is this: You have messed up my display.
Well, I think that it is meant to be messed up. Not so much as to mess up, but to go through. If not, how are we to see how the clothes look like. And it is not as if there were Call Numbers like library books. We do not jumble up any sort of number or order. It is true that a shop should look neat and that one should treat their customers like Gods, but I would not go to the extent of sticking so close as to almost hug the customer and I would wait till the customer has walked far away, or even out of the shop before I rearrange.
Under normal circumstances, if I see a salesperson start to 'ruffle' through the hangers randomly, I would just walk out of the shop. Why bother seeing since you do not want me to mess it up? Then of course, I am learning to be tolerant and so I continued to browse.
I suppose customer service issues are everywhere as we are all humans and handle things differently. The thing for me now is to learn from these different situations as I will soon be joining this line of profession again very soon.
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Mozza Pizzeria
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| The two pizzas |
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| The pizzaiolo in action |
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| Fried potatoes with kacang puteh and rosemary |
You see, there is an osteria section and a pizzeria section. "Osteria" equals "eatery" equals more expensive stuff. If you want to enjoy good table service and fine wine and food, do go ahead. Pizzeria, to me, would be the fast food version of the restaurant that serves mainly pizza. Except, the wait for the pizzas actually start from 15 minutes!
"Sir. You did not make a reservation for the pizzeria. You made a reservation for the osteria", said the lady with a very strong Filipina accent (no discrimination intended, just wanted to start facts). That was when I half questioned my friend on whether he was told which section he was making a reservation for. His answer was negative. I know you are some celebrity restaurant/ chef kind of place but I think the least you could do is to state that the difference at the start of ANY reservation. At least ask if your would-be guests know that is actually a difference, instead of giving them a rude shock like we did.
We would not have minded it so much if not for the fact that the pizzeria was running at full house and we were going to catch The Lion King in about 2 hours' time. I made this known to the hostess because I really wanted us not to be late and get the seat quick. Besides, we were supposed to be celebrating a friend's birthday with this meal.
As usual, I was not too happy for the nonchalance and the news that we will only be offered bar seats at best since we are in such a hurry. Well, half an hour later, at 6.30pm, we really got our bar seats and it was actually a blessing in disguise coz I think we had the best seats in the house! We got to see the pizzaialos (the guys who make our pizzas) in action and smell the yummy food like the wood fire roasted chicken wings. Oh, and I get to be real close to some very cute chefs too :P
We ordered potatoes with sea salt, kacang puteh and rosemary. It is called fried potatoes ceci and herbs. I am assuming "ceci" is the Italian word for "kacang puteh". We had to wait quite a while more before our two pizzas came.
We ordered Funghi misti, fontina, taleggio and thyme pizza (vegetarian) and Fennel sausage, panna, red onions and scallions for the meaty one. It was yummy but the crust was a little tough. I ended up using my hands instead. Just as well for it tastes nicer like that.
However, I did find the potatoes and the funghi pizza (mushrooms) too salty for my liking. Even though it was sea salt (I presume), it still made me very thirsty after that.
In any case, the food dissolved all ill feelings towards the place. A good place to pamper yourself once in awhile.
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Jou Jou Sushiya
If you did not do some detective work, you may never find this place. This shop is at Toa Payoh's HDB Hub area. It is a local Japanese food joint and it is a no-frills kind of place. It's location is not the best: behind a row of other shops (i.e. cannot be seen immediately) and riddled with poor ventilation despite very recent renovation.
It is nestled among well known roasted meat eateries like Hiang Ji and Choo Chiang and at first glance, I would not really try it. One day though, my mum packed a Japanese Bento back for me and upon asking, it was from Jou Jou. It was surprisingly good and value-for-money.
I decided to go there and try it for myself. Environment wise, one cannot be too picky. You would have to bear with the heat as mentioned, ventilation is poor. The same goes for other stores in that same row. I could get a decent bento for $6.80 and if I added a dollar or so, I could get a chawanmushi and hot/cold green tea. The portions are substantial and food tasted like restaurant standard. Delicious! When I mean substantial, it means I actually felt full and unlike those food court Japanese bentos that give you thinly sliced salmon or pork katsus. These are really thick slices. My personal favourite so far is the unagi bento.
I do not think they sell pork but to ensure that you are ordering the right thing, they have got a symbol of the animal at the side of the food pictures. Other than bentos, they also have udon, ramen and sushi. All sushi will be discounted at 8.30
Service was up to standard too. I suppose there is a lot of competition as well and so they need to establish good customer relationship. Whatever the reason, one could feel that they were genuinely friendly. Well, just this week alone, I have eaten there twice, so...I will keep going back!
Follow this link to get the address. Or, if you are well oriented with HDB Hub, walk towards the row of shops where there is Watsons. Look out for Sin Ma and Singtel phone shop. There will be an inning to get to the back row shops. Enter there to find mini food haven :)
It is nestled among well known roasted meat eateries like Hiang Ji and Choo Chiang and at first glance, I would not really try it. One day though, my mum packed a Japanese Bento back for me and upon asking, it was from Jou Jou. It was surprisingly good and value-for-money.
I decided to go there and try it for myself. Environment wise, one cannot be too picky. You would have to bear with the heat as mentioned, ventilation is poor. The same goes for other stores in that same row. I could get a decent bento for $6.80 and if I added a dollar or so, I could get a chawanmushi and hot/cold green tea. The portions are substantial and food tasted like restaurant standard. Delicious! When I mean substantial, it means I actually felt full and unlike those food court Japanese bentos that give you thinly sliced salmon or pork katsus. These are really thick slices. My personal favourite so far is the unagi bento.
I do not think they sell pork but to ensure that you are ordering the right thing, they have got a symbol of the animal at the side of the food pictures. Other than bentos, they also have udon, ramen and sushi. All sushi will be discounted at 8.30
Service was up to standard too. I suppose there is a lot of competition as well and so they need to establish good customer relationship. Whatever the reason, one could feel that they were genuinely friendly. Well, just this week alone, I have eaten there twice, so...I will keep going back!
Follow this link to get the address. Or, if you are well oriented with HDB Hub, walk towards the row of shops where there is Watsons. Look out for Sin Ma and Singtel phone shop. There will be an inning to get to the back row shops. Enter there to find mini food haven :)
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Face Shop
Last Saturday, I went a-hunting for fake eyelashes. I had already bought some from Sa Sa but one of my colleagues had recommended those from The Face Shop.
I popped by at the outlet at HDB Hub. The salesperson started out quite alright. She was knowledgeable about her products and gave good advice as to which lashes to uses. Trouble only came when a second customer 'cut into' our conversation and started asking her own questions, first about fake eyelashes as well, and then about foundation powders. I was also asking about oil-free compact powders and only managed to 'intersect' a few times in order to get my questions answered. The second customers kept interrupting, as if I was the one who should wait for her to finish her questions.
As a salesperson, one should be super highly sensitive to such issues: be it who was in the queue first or who was actually being served first.
This salesperson was either too polite to 'reject' the second customer until the first (in this case, me) was being served, or she just does not know the un-written etiquette of first come, first serve. I was secretly seething inside but kept my calm. I stared blankly in one direction, waiting for the salesperson to come back and serve me. I think even if I did not make eye contact, she should have asked if I needed further help. Instead, she went all out to help the second lady, totally ignoring me.
I think making your customers feel cared-for, is very important, but this salesperson failed to do that. Instead, she made this customer (me, of course!) very mad, for I was actually in a hurry to get home so that I could get ready for a concert at the Indoor Stadium that night.
After a few more seconds of pause, I walked calmly to the cashier. The other salesperson who was going to ring up my purchases, picked up the bad vibe but kinda said the wrong thing. She asked me, "Still cannot decide is it? I see you thinking."
To which I replied, "No, I am not thinking. I actually have questions to ask, but that lady kept interrupting. I was here first and yet I am not being served. I am in a hurry. I am not going to buy anymore."
"So sorry about it. Oh, OK", said the salesperson but did not offer to ask me what questions I wanted to ask regarding the compact powders. I think she was getting nervous with my calm, matter-of-factly face and the fact that her colleague had upset a customer."
"Hold on, I do have a discount card. Can I use that?", I asked.
"Oh, so sorry, actually do you want to get another two pairs (of fake eyelashes)? Because you can only get a discount for purchases ten dollars and above."
This made me even madder, but this was policy and it is no fault of the salesperson's. I told her, "Never mind. I don't want to get anything more.". I was not about to give her more business.
After paying she very nicely returned me my card and receipt with both hands saying, "Thank you, see you again!". With a smiling face of course, but a little too late. Damage done.
I think even as a salesperson, one must learn how to reject and so no, or even wait, albeit in a positive manner. It does not mean that you have to kow-tow (bow) to each and ever customer and neglect 'policing' who came in first. To me, it is just plain manners anyway.
This is not the first time that a Face Shop salesperson has upset me. I cannot remember whether I blogged it in my other blog, but the store at Wisma Atria also did something that I did not approve of: speaking to me in Mandarin all the time when I kept speaking to her in English. It was not like she did not know how to speak English. I could tell that she was not local, but she DID start off speaking to me in English first, so I don't understand why she had to be impolite and keep replying to me in Mandarin when I was clearly speaking another language to her.
Maybe I just dislike being mistaken as The Other, the ones from that country (and I am not talking about our neighbours). I would be the first to admit this. But if we want to be tops in customer service (which is still a far way away since we are using so many foreigners and not tightening the ropes on their training), we need to get CSO s (Customer service officers) to be in-tune the needs of customers.
Two Face Shop shops down. Now, I will rely on the Junction 8 outlet and the Plaza Singapura outlet. Keeping my fingers crossed now.
I popped by at the outlet at HDB Hub. The salesperson started out quite alright. She was knowledgeable about her products and gave good advice as to which lashes to uses. Trouble only came when a second customer 'cut into' our conversation and started asking her own questions, first about fake eyelashes as well, and then about foundation powders. I was also asking about oil-free compact powders and only managed to 'intersect' a few times in order to get my questions answered. The second customers kept interrupting, as if I was the one who should wait for her to finish her questions.
As a salesperson, one should be super highly sensitive to such issues: be it who was in the queue first or who was actually being served first.
This salesperson was either too polite to 'reject' the second customer until the first (in this case, me) was being served, or she just does not know the un-written etiquette of first come, first serve. I was secretly seething inside but kept my calm. I stared blankly in one direction, waiting for the salesperson to come back and serve me. I think even if I did not make eye contact, she should have asked if I needed further help. Instead, she went all out to help the second lady, totally ignoring me.
I think making your customers feel cared-for, is very important, but this salesperson failed to do that. Instead, she made this customer (me, of course!) very mad, for I was actually in a hurry to get home so that I could get ready for a concert at the Indoor Stadium that night.
After a few more seconds of pause, I walked calmly to the cashier. The other salesperson who was going to ring up my purchases, picked up the bad vibe but kinda said the wrong thing. She asked me, "Still cannot decide is it? I see you thinking."
To which I replied, "No, I am not thinking. I actually have questions to ask, but that lady kept interrupting. I was here first and yet I am not being served. I am in a hurry. I am not going to buy anymore."
"So sorry about it. Oh, OK", said the salesperson but did not offer to ask me what questions I wanted to ask regarding the compact powders. I think she was getting nervous with my calm, matter-of-factly face and the fact that her colleague had upset a customer."
"Hold on, I do have a discount card. Can I use that?", I asked.
"Oh, so sorry, actually do you want to get another two pairs (of fake eyelashes)? Because you can only get a discount for purchases ten dollars and above."
This made me even madder, but this was policy and it is no fault of the salesperson's. I told her, "Never mind. I don't want to get anything more.". I was not about to give her more business.
After paying she very nicely returned me my card and receipt with both hands saying, "Thank you, see you again!". With a smiling face of course, but a little too late. Damage done.
I think even as a salesperson, one must learn how to reject and so no, or even wait, albeit in a positive manner. It does not mean that you have to kow-tow (bow) to each and ever customer and neglect 'policing' who came in first. To me, it is just plain manners anyway.
This is not the first time that a Face Shop salesperson has upset me. I cannot remember whether I blogged it in my other blog, but the store at Wisma Atria also did something that I did not approve of: speaking to me in Mandarin all the time when I kept speaking to her in English. It was not like she did not know how to speak English. I could tell that she was not local, but she DID start off speaking to me in English first, so I don't understand why she had to be impolite and keep replying to me in Mandarin when I was clearly speaking another language to her.
Maybe I just dislike being mistaken as The Other, the ones from that country (and I am not talking about our neighbours). I would be the first to admit this. But if we want to be tops in customer service (which is still a far way away since we are using so many foreigners and not tightening the ropes on their training), we need to get CSO s (Customer service officers) to be in-tune the needs of customers.
Two Face Shop shops down. Now, I will rely on the Junction 8 outlet and the Plaza Singapura outlet. Keeping my fingers crossed now.
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Security!
Giving good service does not only restrict one to the four walls of a restaurant. Doing business is a type of service and providing security and being "bouncers" is also a service being rendered.
Now, how far would a company go, to keep its security on check and at the same time, make their clients/customers happy?
Last weekend and this weekend, my friends and I were at the Esplanade to watch some gigs for the Mosaic Music Jazz Festival. For all the gigs we went to at the theatre studio, we have had quite unpleasant experiences with the security people.
Last week, we were at 65daysofstatic autographing signing session after the show. We met this girl in front of us, who was from Indonesia. She did not bring a camera and was asking whether my friend could help her take a picture. We agreed and after all of us signed, we stood outside the queue poles and tried to take pictures. There were many unsuccessful takes as those people who were getting their CD autographed kept moving and blocking the view of the artist.
Every time my friend finished a shot, the security and staff tried to move in to 'usher' us out of the building. If I wanted to look at it from another point of view, I would actually find it funny coz it looked like they were doing a sort of dance, moving back and forth.
Finally when we have finished, they asked us, albeit with a 'trained' smile on their faces whether we have finished or whether we were done. You know, the tone was so rather rude, that I cannot remember whether they used the word "finished" or "done". In any case, they then went on to explain that the doors of the building close at 1.30am. Time check: 12.30am. What a crappy excuse. You just kinda revealed to us that you want us to scurry on home so that you could also leave early. Bad service number 1.
Yesterday. My friend was at the earlier gig of Saint Etienne. She took out her camera while queueing up to get her CD autographed. She was told by this burly man that there is absolutely no photography during the autographing session or while she was in the queue. So my friend put on the lens cap and slung her camera over her shoulder.
This burly man was not satisfied. It was as though he was having an ego issue with my friend. He said something like," I told you: No camera or photo-taking. You have to keep you camera."
My friend: I know, I am not taking any pictures. I am just hanging it over my shoulder.
Burly security man: In your bag now! Or you get out of the line! (Opens up part of the queue pole, whatever that is called).
Now, this may not be the exact words that he said as I was a little out of earshot, but I was scared stiff and I felt very offended for my friend and even myself. This man just talked down to my friend when there was no need to!
He could have explained that she could take pictures when she is out of the queue, after the signing, but not while she was in the line. How did I know? I saw people standing outside the line, holding their cameras and clicking away.
It really marred an otherwise very pleasant evening where my friends enjoyed the music and performance. We are not children (even if we do look young). It is not our fault that we do not look our age. In any case, we should not be talking down to children at all. What sort of mannerisms are we teaching them if we talk to them like that??
Please, the Esplanade is suppose to be an arty place where people are cultured. We are not now, at a night club of rowdy drunk people. I am not saying the night clubbing people are not cultured either. They usually are and are capable of being civilised. I think this man here, thought that he was dealing with juveniles.
My friend was so upset that she had asked a permanent staff for an email address and/or an avenue for her complaint to be heard. The staff actually explained that they have "NO CONTROL OVER THE SITUATION" as the security services are being outsourced? What kind of LOUSY excuse is THAT?
Yes, oftentimes outsourced services are never up to one's company's service standards, but that does not mean not ensuring that they try to meet it? Does the Esplanade not realise that outsourcing or not, this is going to DIRECTLY hurt their company image????
By right, your customers are not supposed to know that you have outsourced staff. And even if they do know, your customers would assume that you ensure the same level of service standards regardless whether your staff is full-time, part-time, volunteering, outsourced or otherwise.
Later that evening as we sat eating at Glutton's Bay, a fight broke out and police van came. We glanced across and gave each other knowing looks thinking, "Now where is that burly bouncer when you REALLY need them?"
Now, how far would a company go, to keep its security on check and at the same time, make their clients/customers happy?
Last weekend and this weekend, my friends and I were at the Esplanade to watch some gigs for the Mosaic Music Jazz Festival. For all the gigs we went to at the theatre studio, we have had quite unpleasant experiences with the security people.
Last week, we were at 65daysofstatic autographing signing session after the show. We met this girl in front of us, who was from Indonesia. She did not bring a camera and was asking whether my friend could help her take a picture. We agreed and after all of us signed, we stood outside the queue poles and tried to take pictures. There were many unsuccessful takes as those people who were getting their CD autographed kept moving and blocking the view of the artist.
Every time my friend finished a shot, the security and staff tried to move in to 'usher' us out of the building. If I wanted to look at it from another point of view, I would actually find it funny coz it looked like they were doing a sort of dance, moving back and forth.
Finally when we have finished, they asked us, albeit with a 'trained' smile on their faces whether we have finished or whether we were done. You know, the tone was so rather rude, that I cannot remember whether they used the word "finished" or "done". In any case, they then went on to explain that the doors of the building close at 1.30am. Time check: 12.30am. What a crappy excuse. You just kinda revealed to us that you want us to scurry on home so that you could also leave early. Bad service number 1.
Yesterday. My friend was at the earlier gig of Saint Etienne. She took out her camera while queueing up to get her CD autographed. She was told by this burly man that there is absolutely no photography during the autographing session or while she was in the queue. So my friend put on the lens cap and slung her camera over her shoulder.
This burly man was not satisfied. It was as though he was having an ego issue with my friend. He said something like," I told you: No camera or photo-taking. You have to keep you camera."
My friend: I know, I am not taking any pictures. I am just hanging it over my shoulder.
Burly security man: In your bag now! Or you get out of the line! (Opens up part of the queue pole, whatever that is called).
Now, this may not be the exact words that he said as I was a little out of earshot, but I was scared stiff and I felt very offended for my friend and even myself. This man just talked down to my friend when there was no need to!
He could have explained that she could take pictures when she is out of the queue, after the signing, but not while she was in the line. How did I know? I saw people standing outside the line, holding their cameras and clicking away.
It really marred an otherwise very pleasant evening where my friends enjoyed the music and performance. We are not children (even if we do look young). It is not our fault that we do not look our age. In any case, we should not be talking down to children at all. What sort of mannerisms are we teaching them if we talk to them like that??
Please, the Esplanade is suppose to be an arty place where people are cultured. We are not now, at a night club of rowdy drunk people. I am not saying the night clubbing people are not cultured either. They usually are and are capable of being civilised. I think this man here, thought that he was dealing with juveniles.
My friend was so upset that she had asked a permanent staff for an email address and/or an avenue for her complaint to be heard. The staff actually explained that they have "NO CONTROL OVER THE SITUATION" as the security services are being outsourced? What kind of LOUSY excuse is THAT?
Yes, oftentimes outsourced services are never up to one's company's service standards, but that does not mean not ensuring that they try to meet it? Does the Esplanade not realise that outsourcing or not, this is going to DIRECTLY hurt their company image????
By right, your customers are not supposed to know that you have outsourced staff. And even if they do know, your customers would assume that you ensure the same level of service standards regardless whether your staff is full-time, part-time, volunteering, outsourced or otherwise.
Later that evening as we sat eating at Glutton's Bay, a fight broke out and police van came. We glanced across and gave each other knowing looks thinking, "Now where is that burly bouncer when you REALLY need them?"
Bud
After dinner at Cedele, I wanted to get some organic make-up removal cleanser, and thus went over to BUD at Square 2. My mum had brought me there before, but as with all things, I liked to have different views from her. Now though, I am beginning to see the importance of buying responsibly and using products responsibly, so that we do not cause harm to our own body and the environment.
The owner was very friendly and knowledgeable and I suppose when I have my mind set on something, I would naturally let the salesperson (in this case the owner) help me out. If not, when a salesperson asks, "Can I help you?" I would simply tell them I am just looking around.
The owner was careful and meticulous enough to ask me what cosmetics I was using, like what type. He then asked what type of skin I had before proceeding to recommend me some brands. He was knowledgeable about his products and was able to tell me the price of each of the recommended products.
When my mum voiced her concern about my sensitive skin and how I would put it aside once I deemed it unsuitable, he went one step further by agreeing to give me a sample to try. While I was going to buy the product, he told me not to use it first. Instead, try the sample, and if redness or whatsoever occurs, bring back the product to exchange with an alternative brand.
This was not only generous of him but it shows that he has a certain percentage of confidence that his products would work and therefore, he can afford to suggest such a solution. I loved the matter-of-fact way that the owner did business, informing the customer and yet, not pushy at all. It just makes good business sense. Beats having like 10 sales girls standing at each individual brand, chit-chatting away and only patronising the customer as they pass by.
The owner was very friendly and knowledgeable and I suppose when I have my mind set on something, I would naturally let the salesperson (in this case the owner) help me out. If not, when a salesperson asks, "Can I help you?" I would simply tell them I am just looking around.
The owner was careful and meticulous enough to ask me what cosmetics I was using, like what type. He then asked what type of skin I had before proceeding to recommend me some brands. He was knowledgeable about his products and was able to tell me the price of each of the recommended products.
When my mum voiced her concern about my sensitive skin and how I would put it aside once I deemed it unsuitable, he went one step further by agreeing to give me a sample to try. While I was going to buy the product, he told me not to use it first. Instead, try the sample, and if redness or whatsoever occurs, bring back the product to exchange with an alternative brand.
This was not only generous of him but it shows that he has a certain percentage of confidence that his products would work and therefore, he can afford to suggest such a solution. I loved the matter-of-fact way that the owner did business, informing the customer and yet, not pushy at all. It just makes good business sense. Beats having like 10 sales girls standing at each individual brand, chit-chatting away and only patronising the customer as they pass by.
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Cedele: Novena Square
You must wondering why I like to blog about food places around these areas: Novena Square, Square 2, Velocity, and so on. Well, I do hang out at these places a fair bit for some reason other than shopping.
My favourite cafe of choice would be Cedele. I have had bad encounters with them before and so did my cousin on Christmas eve 2010, but that was at their Frankel Main shop and the Amara hotel outlet, respectively.
Briefly, here was what happened to my cousin on Christmas eve: She was working at her office nearby and was going to collect the cake after she had rushed out some last-minute work. Then comes the phone call from Cedele at a certain time to ask her when she was going to pick the log cake up. My cousin asked them when they were going to close and they gave her a time (say, 2pm). At about 1.15pm thereabouts, she gets another call from the shop. This time, the staff sounded more rude. It was almost like a command for her to go down to the shop now or risk not having a log cake for Christmas.
Well, did they not say their closing time was 2pm? Apparent not!!!! How absurd! You want to rush off for your long weekend holidays and you actually rush a customer like that? Worst part was, when my cousin rushed off to get the cake, she still saw some other people's orders yet to be picked up. Rude and bad service.
Well, this particular Cedele at Novena Square changed my mind though. I have eaten here many times after I boycotted Hans. I admire this rather young team of staff. The supervisor (if I may call her that) does not speak perfect English. Nevertheless, she speaks with confidence and yet, not in a rude manner. The young lady who makes the sandwiches makes them beautifully.
How do a gauge whether it is a good sandwich or not? It must not fall apart when I am eating it. Unless of course, that the sandwich itself is too big, in which case, I would need to eat it in part and not in whole.
I also went to the Cedele at Takashimaya last week. I found the food to be surprisingly good. I used to half expect to be pretentious: pretending to be very western but tasting very local (i.e. bad cooking). It was totally not so. Plus, the service was good. I do not get to see sour, faces like those that I get at Frankel.
Mum reckons that the staff at Frankel were proud and obnoxious. She also added that the staff at the Novena Square outlet used to be like that too, when they had a more mature team.
Well, anyway, here's to more non trans-fat baked goods and healthier eating. Oh, but it is a little on the pricier side though, so eating there has always been a treat.
My favourite cafe of choice would be Cedele. I have had bad encounters with them before and so did my cousin on Christmas eve 2010, but that was at their Frankel Main shop and the Amara hotel outlet, respectively.
Briefly, here was what happened to my cousin on Christmas eve: She was working at her office nearby and was going to collect the cake after she had rushed out some last-minute work. Then comes the phone call from Cedele at a certain time to ask her when she was going to pick the log cake up. My cousin asked them when they were going to close and they gave her a time (say, 2pm). At about 1.15pm thereabouts, she gets another call from the shop. This time, the staff sounded more rude. It was almost like a command for her to go down to the shop now or risk not having a log cake for Christmas.
Well, did they not say their closing time was 2pm? Apparent not!!!! How absurd! You want to rush off for your long weekend holidays and you actually rush a customer like that? Worst part was, when my cousin rushed off to get the cake, she still saw some other people's orders yet to be picked up. Rude and bad service.
Well, this particular Cedele at Novena Square changed my mind though. I have eaten here many times after I boycotted Hans. I admire this rather young team of staff. The supervisor (if I may call her that) does not speak perfect English. Nevertheless, she speaks with confidence and yet, not in a rude manner. The young lady who makes the sandwiches makes them beautifully.
How do a gauge whether it is a good sandwich or not? It must not fall apart when I am eating it. Unless of course, that the sandwich itself is too big, in which case, I would need to eat it in part and not in whole.
I also went to the Cedele at Takashimaya last week. I found the food to be surprisingly good. I used to half expect to be pretentious: pretending to be very western but tasting very local (i.e. bad cooking). It was totally not so. Plus, the service was good. I do not get to see sour, faces like those that I get at Frankel.
Mum reckons that the staff at Frankel were proud and obnoxious. She also added that the staff at the Novena Square outlet used to be like that too, when they had a more mature team.
Well, anyway, here's to more non trans-fat baked goods and healthier eating. Oh, but it is a little on the pricier side though, so eating there has always been a treat.
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