A Prime falling episode
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I was at Prime Steak Restaurant at the Le Meridien on Monday for a business luncheon. Now my Eric, he doesn't quite like the food at Prime, which he politely grades as 'overpriced, overrated, not so nice' but I still like going there for business lunches, especially if the guest is of very high priority level – I like the ambience, and I love the huge armchairs they sit you in.
However, Monday's lunch experience at Le Prime Grill kinda killed my opinion of the place. Or maybe they had some trainee waitresses waiting on us that day. I don't know. I just remember the plates clanging and a lot of shuffling around the table as the ladies assigned to our table tried to do their job. And then, as we were just about to dig into our main course, one of the girls actually dropped the plate of butter and cream.
A few minutes later I was to be reminded that the rated five-star restaurant (which places skyscraper prices on its steaks) didn't exactly have very five-starred service. My phone rang, and as it was necessary to answer the call, I took leave from the table and was on my way out of the private room, when I slipped, slid and fell on the hard wood panelled floor with a great thud and half a split. RIGHT in front of my lunch dates. And these were rather important people, mind you, all of them editors and reporters. Talk about a way to impress the guests.
Apparently, the waitress who spilt the butter FORGOT to clean the floor, and so I had conveniently stepped on butter, cream, and oil.
Never mind no one came to apologize to me personally, and instead my staff who was sitting outside was given a card, where the F&B manager said, 'Please tell your friend inside to call me so that we can help her.' That was Monday. So now I fall in your restaurant and you expect me to call you back to tell you, 'Excuse me, sir, thanks to your waitress I fell and hurt myself. So now what?'
Two days later, nursing a bruised hip, a scratched knee and a twisted ankle, I visited the doctor with a black patch on my left foot. 'Its a blood clot, and well, I'm going to give you some reparil, and require you to come back on Monday,' said the doctor. 'If it doesn't get better, we'll have to do an x-ray. I hope there's no broken bones. And oh, no high heels for the next month'
The problem is NOT possibility of broken bones. See I can handle that. But I'm shallow and I have a problem walking around my office in house slippers and a bandaged foot. I'm also shallow to the extent that I want to complain about not being able to wear heels… or the other problem of not being able to take my engagement photos in sexy heels. I'm so shallow I am not interested in going for business meetings and seminars, limping, in oversized slippers and I am just not keen on telling people the tale of 'how I fell and sprained my ankle at the five starred Prime restaurant.'
Not this month, not this week. Because I have too many meetings to attend and now I've to go to all of them with a limp.
The other thing is I'm just annoyed at the stupid waitress who split butter, because when I looked at her to sign the bill and told her that she needs to be more rigorous and urgent over cleaning up, she just stuck out her tongue in the most unprofessional manner, and instead of saying sorry, she GIGGLED. (You think I'm your friend-ke? Don't do that thing, that's the kind of behavior you reserve for high school kids)
And the F&B Manager, couldn't even come to me direct, or to our table, because of this reason, 'Didn't want to interrupt you guys in your important conversation,' and instead, he leaves a card behind, telling me and my staff to call them if there's any problem.
…
So today, I decide to call the front desk of the hotel to highlight the matter. I said, 'Look, this is a five star hotel, its the LE MERIDIEN, and this is really quite ridiculous. Why is it that no one returned to us to at least find out how we were, how our guests were.'
And it took them two days to come up with a defensive, 'Oh yeah we wanted to find out how things were but didn't have your number.'
Gosh. We booked a table and we called a few times to confirm the menu. NO number ke? Come on.
…
So later in the afternoon I received this bouquet of flowers from the Le Meridien's inhouse florist, Mulberry, with a we're so sorry card attached to it. Cantik kan? But you know, even the delivery guy saw my bandaged foot and he said, 'Aiyoh, the nice flowers won't cover the damages man.'
-_-"
Well. Its a pretty bouquet, I'll give them that. I had people wishing me HAPPY BIRTHDAY today damn it. And I hate this kind of unnecessary attention. Because of the bouquet I had to point my colleagues to my sandaled feet and tell the tale of the butter slipping incident and the heavy bandage. (Yah I rant, I rant!).
I'm in PR, and in the service industry myself. And honestly, I feel for the hotel. If I were in their shoes, I'd not know what to do either. But I think, here, that the Le Meridien has A LOT to learn from The Mandarin Oriental's Pacifica Grill and Bar. The last time I was invited there for dinner, my friend was served the wrong dish, and the entire meal was given to her FOC with an additional invite to go back for another round.
You'd think the hotel's PR would want to be as discreet as possible about the matter right? But no, they decided to play 'courting Boyfriend' and send me a bouquet of flowers'. COOL! Now I get to tell the WHOLE office and my family, my fiance and my friends how and why I got a bouquet of flowers. Man.
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Jul24
July 24, 2008 at 9:12 pm
should at least give you a free meal voucher or something… right?
July 24, 2008 at 11:25 pm
I am rather impressed by how you’re gracious with your criticism and comments, that while you’re stating the bad points, you are generous enough with dashes of good words for them.
Seems like you’re suddenly different now, or I suspect that not knowing you well enough is the case.
Or perhaps there are times for fiery posts, and there are times for light-hearted ones.
July 25, 2008 at 6:57 am
This reminded me of an incident many years back. A colleague from Australia came here for a business trip and was staying in Le Meridien. On the day she arrived in office, she greeted us and started complaining about how the bellboys ate her box of Krispy Kreme donuts that was with her luggage. The donuts were supposed to be a gift for us, but apparently the bellboys thought it was a gift for them! My colleague was of course furious, but the manager apologised for their behaviour and gave her two boxes of pastries instead, which was well, something, but nothing could replace those Krispy Kreme donuts.
Anyway, you get well soon.
July 25, 2008 at 8:17 am
Hope you get well soon…Take care…
July 25, 2008 at 9:42 am
Dropping the butter was a mistake, not cleaning it up is, as was demonstrated, negligence. In some countries where health and safety are taken seriously, it’s not only grounds for a lawsuit, but also the health inspector paying the restaurant a visit.
The proper thing to do PR wise is very clear cut. 1) Dismiss the staffer, 2) Personally apologies, and offer to pay your medical expenses, 3) Lavish you with a better dinner experience.
In that way they are, ensuring the incident won’t happen again, making good on your loss, and redeeming their dignity.
July 25, 2008 at 11:18 am
perhaps training is lacking in the hospitality arena. perhaps the hotel culture also need to be examined. attitudes are often moulded through observing management.
July 25, 2008 at 1:13 pm
The flowers are an insult.
If the same thing happens in Sydney Hilton, the CEO will be calling you to apologize, offer to compensate your bill, offer you to stay in the Presidential Suite and have your friends party and stay over in another floor below you with the best champagnes and food all on them.
This happened to a friend of mine when her sister-in-law was insulted for being a handicapped taking a lift out of the restaurant her family was dining in, to go to the toilet.
Suppose you are in a worse situation. Something is definitely wrong with the management.
July 25, 2008 at 2:43 pm
hey, sorry to hear about your experience. You should make a law suite out of this matter. All restaurant’s 5 star or not, are required to have a public liability insurance. You can sue them for negligence and hurt.
It seem’s kinda harsh but it’s a fact. Teach them a lesson. I support you all the way. Go Girl. Hope you heal before your wedding…
July 25, 2008 at 4:40 pm
[quote]The other thing is I’m just annoyed at the stupid waitress who split butter, because when I looked at her to sign the bill and told her that she needs to be more rigorous and urgent over cleaning up, she just stuck out her tongue in the most unprofessional manner, and instead of saying sorry, she GIGGLED. (You think I’m your friend-ke? Don’t do that thing, that’s the kind of behavior you reserve for high school kids)[/quote]
Wow, I would’ve probably scolded her or immediately called the hotel manager/ the F&B manager on the spot.
July 26, 2008 at 6:18 am
on the one hand, u wan good and perfect services,
how to get it?
in america, they sue till they get it..
but then they become sooo scared and litigious that they can sue the gomen if they fall in the street or something..
perhaps we can find middle ground somewhere?
oso, quite hard to pls ladies nowadys yea, poor flowers kenak tembak for no reason other than the fact that the buyer has guilty conscious..
still,can a flower be less of a flower just becos the hotel bought it? tough.. wat if bfren bought it instead to try to may ur day?
context is everything?
July 27, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Sue sue sue! I’d send them a letter from my lawyers, just for the fun of it!
And to that waitress who stuck out her tongue, well, I would’ve yelled at her already!
Get well soon.
August 1, 2008 at 4:09 am
I seriously think that you should get your lawyer to issue a letter of demand. If they do not take you seriously, slap them with a lawsuit. Seriously…it may sound frivolous but it is not. We’ve dealt with cases like that and from my personal experience, the plaintiff usually ends up getting a couple (actually more!) of grant. Especially if it is a fancy restaurant at some fancy hotel. You’ll be able to get a nice tidy sum (minus the 25-30% so which your lawyer will happily pocket). Then you can use that money for a nice little holiday
Ps:I’m not saying this because I’m pro-litigation (believe it or not, coming out from the mouth of a former litigation lawyer). I’m saying this because of the way this incident was handled by them. Badly done.
August 14, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Hi just minishorts,
My name is Thyetus and I am a lurker from Starwood Hotels and Resorts in Asia Pac. I am sorry to hear that your recent experience at the Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur is not up to your expectations.
As such, I would like to invite you to forward your feedback to us by sending us an email to starwood@starwoodhotels.com. You might like to indicate your reservation details such that the hotel would be able to follow up on your feedback as well. Alternatively, you might like to reply to me with your particulars (including your name in full, email contact and SPG number) and details of your previous stay. The property might be responding directly to you on your comments.
Do let me know if you require any further assistance.
Once again, thank you for your feedback.
Thyetus Lee | Online Forum Coordinator(AP)
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
apguest.forum@starwoodhotels.com
March 24, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Selamat malam, salam kenal…
Baru hari ini saya baca blog ini, ketemu di google
Si Cantik