A Challenging Situation

I know it has been awhile since the last update of my blog. God knows how many drafts I saved online but cannot publish it because I simply cannot continue the story anymore (I actually cannot remember what exactly happened after a few days or maybe a week after the event. Yeah I have a terribly weak memory. Hmmm...).

Well, I just wanna share about an incident that happened to me where I was very pissed off with a customer. I know I learnt that customers are always right in college, but if the customer/customers is/are being rude, I dont really wanna care bout whatever I learnt in college.

So on that day, I was working as usual and there were not many customers in the restaurant. A father and son walked in the restaurant and my colleague took order from them, while I was busy taking order from foreign customers.

After sometime the father (who was grumpy and talked loudly on the phone when they first walked in) and son (his son is still in primary school) asked me for 2 more soups. I saw on the table already had two chicken soups. I didnt even bother to ask whether he only wants the soups or other meal, and he didnt mention anything else.

After the chicken soups arrived and I was doing other stuff, suddenly he called me again and asked for his meal. I was quite confused because I was not the one who took the order in the first place. So I went to the cashier and checked his bill. There was no meal ordered. So in confusion, I asked my colleague (who took the order from him) just to confirm whether he had ordered his meal or not. Without answering me, my colleague went off to ask the customer. So I continued my work once again.

After his meal arrived, suddenly he called with an angry tone and again I went to his table because no other server seemed to be free that time. Bad luck for me, he complained about his meal again. This time he was complaining with a loud voice and demanding for rice. I felt weird because why on Earth did he not get rice in the first place, if he had really asked for rice already? I saw that there were already 3 side dishes on his plate, so I asked him whether he wants to add on the rice or not. He didnt understand why he should add on the rice because he thought Kenny Rogers Roasters (KRR) memang serves the roasted chicken together with rice. So I explained to him.

Suddenly he raised his voice and started complaining again. He was talking in a different accent (definitely not Sabahan or Sarawakian accent) and he was looking here and there while talking, so I couldnt hear clearly whatever he said. So I said 'sorry' because I couldnt hear him. Then he shouted at me asking whether I'm Sabahan or not and whether I'm a Malaysian or not. He purposely shouted at me in front of all those foreigners (from Germany if I'm not mistaken) and asking why do I have to speak in English with him. I was surprised because I didnt speak ALL English to him. I was just using words such as 'a-la-carte', 'side dishes', 'muffin' and 'sorry' only. WTF?! The father was wearing a formal outfit with a modern technology gadget; so I thought he must be fluent in English. Who knows...!

I was so embarassed because there were a lot of customers who were looking at us. Even my manager was looking at the both of us. I can feel my face was so burning hot I think it melted and dripped on the floor. I almost raised my voice too and shouted back at him but luckily I didnt lose my grip. So I went off and returned to give him a-la-carte rice. This time he complained again that it was way too much food and that he couldnt finish them all. So he took a little bit of rice and asked me to take the rest of it. I was so pissed off I almost threw the whole bowl of rice on his face.

After the incident, I was so furious and angry that I refused to go to his table to tend to him. I let my other colleagues to do the job. After some time, I overheard his conversation with his young son. They were mentioning about the food they ordered and His Own Son's Mistake to Order Wrongly! After he knew that it was his son's mistake instead of ours (the staff of KRR), he called my colleague and apologized for whatever that happened. He didnt apologise to me directly of course, but even if he did, I might put on my 'linsi' face to him. Also he mentioned that it was his first time to dine in KRR and he didnt know how to order, he is just an orang kampung (yadayadayada) and only his son is used to dine in there. Yeah, whatever~ I just totally didnt care whether he's going to come back to KRR or not, I was just completely mad and couldnt care less about anything else but to get my 'face' back.

I wish I can give customer service such as the cartoons below. Muahahaha!!!

*click on picture below to view larger thumbnail*

cartoon from www.cartoonstock.com

*click on the picture below to view larger thumbnail*

cartoon from www.cartoonstock.com

*click on the picture below to view larger thumbnail*

This (cartoon below) is really one of the best! I think everyone who works in the customer service industry should own one gun, at least! xD

(Just kidding, of course!)

on second thought, maybe I dont wanna be any one of them cuz Im gonna be a customer too. ;)

Studying, Working and.....?

I'm exhausted! I stood all day and got my rest only just now at 11.20pm. Whew~! (Well, I did have my rest way before that, at about 1.10pm.)

In the morning, I had Kitchen Preparatory class which requires me to cook a/a few dish/dishes according to the recipes given. I admit I learnt & gained a lot of knowledge from Chef Ka and also one of my seniors.

In the kitchen, we were required to do the mise en place or prepare all the ingredients needed before we start cooking. During this time, I learnt chopping, slicing and mincing from a senior. It was really fun and easy, but to be a pro, I still need a lot of practise. =)

After we have prepared everything, Chef Ka (the chef-in-charge that time) asked one of us to cook the rice. (Oh, I forgot to mention that we were required to cook Mi Goreng Mamak & Nasi Goreng) At first he asked one of the boys to cook, but he went off to wash his hands. So Chef Ka pointed at me instead.

During that time, I was so nervous already. I felt that I was going to embarass myself. Anyway, I went in front and did as he directed me. Of course I am afraid of fire, but I'll be a dumbass if I refused to go in front of the stove and start cooking. I mean, if my fear stop me from learning, then what's the purpose for me to go to college and study and learn and blablabla? =p

Being the first one to try to do the dish (Nasi Goreng), with no experience whatsoever, I didnt do it well. I mean it was okay, but I dont feel satisfied. It was because I saw another one of my senior did it so well till I feel so envy and amazed and in awe and, and, and... Hahaha..

Even the students after me were doing it well. Argh, nevermind. There's always room to improve bah. (After everything was done, there was a scene. It was because of responsibility. We were supposed to clean up the utensils and everything, but 90% of them didnt. So blablabla and 2 guys almoooossstt fight with each other but luckily Chef Jack came and talked to the both of them and everything was alright afterward).

After that class, I went off to have a rest because I was very exhausted. My legs feel so weak even until now because I stood for a long time. Haiz. So yeah, I know I missed a class after that. (Miss, if you're reading this now, I'm so sorry I M.I.A. just now.)

So at 5pm sharp, I reached my workplace. Yesh, workplace. I'm studying and working (part time) at the same time. I know it's challenging, I know it's tiring. But first day is looking good, though it's so tiring and killing me. I'm happy; it's amazing. I feel happy I'm doing this now. I mean I'm happy I can study and work at the same time. But in the long run, I dont know how I will feel.

Of course I was a bit kelam-kabut and blur just now when I first started my work (though I've worked in that place before this), cuz I've been there for only 1 month. That was in February or March 2007. It means I've left the place for 34months or almost 3 years. What do they expect from me? Of course I cant remember everything! And definitely there will be mistakes everywhere! I have so many things and memories and formula to remember during these 3 years. Hahaha.. But anyway, I enjoyed working there. It was fun. Yah, I can say fun lah. Hehe.