What's A Girl Gotta Do?

Seriously, I had two really disappointing customer experiences this weekend and it makes me wonder what people are thinking. Both were in the services industry - a beauty salon and a restaurant. I'm thinking these are both industries challenged by current economic times so wouldn't they be bending over backwards? Or at least be accommodating? I had to wait 15 minutes at the salon while the employee put on HER OWN Makeup! I mean really, it was 12:30 in the afternoon - what had she been doing all morning that a paying customer had to wait for her. The store was not crowded, in fact my girlfriend and I were the only clients in there. And yet WE waited for THEM to get pretty before they could make us pretty. The same afternoon a restaurant/bar couldn't be bothered to open 1/2 hour early, even though I had a group of 30 thirsty wedding attendees standing at their front door pleading for an over-priced cocktail. We walked an extra block and the staff at Tarrant's went out of their way to make us happy - and were rewarded handsomely.

I left both disappointing shops knowing I'd tell the negative story over and over again - meaning my friends and coworkers won't be at their doors anytime soon. It's a shame, really. But it reinforces our commitment to client services here at MBM. In the end, our long standing relationships are because of the way they treated and the experience they have working with us. And it better be positive, or else - right?