The Write Direction: ‘TG, I’m really proud of you’

AT THIS really busy time of the year for local businesses, things are often conducted in quick fashion, with lines of tourists ready and anxious to do their shopping so they can get back to the beach or enjoy what they came here to achieve.

Best practice can become lost in that rush.

Tourism often forgets that its success often rests on people’s perceptions when discussing the holiday with others who may not have come to our area previously.

It thrives on returning business year after year.

I am delighted to report that one particular action from a popular Tea Gardens coffee outlet recently drove home to me that instances of exceptional service and respect for customers can set up our area as a positive location, which bodes well for tourism in the future.

A person well-known to me, who has lived and worked overseas for several years, visited the coffee place with her male partner whilst having a few days here on a short holiday.

In a crowded and busy location, two takeaway coffees were ordered and provided, with the next step being to

pay for them.

Being younger and well-skilled, she had her credit card details on her phone, but that brand of card was not accepted by the business, so another card was provided – from her phone.

All was good until the cash register thought that as the first choice was rejected, maybe the second one needed to be rejected too.

So, they had two coffees and no way of paying for them, with a lengthening queue waiting for service.

The cashier said “please come back with cash when that suits”, but still delivered the coffee in a friendly fashion.

Yes, they returned the next day and paid for their coffee, and are now so full of praise for the employee and that business for trusting their position.

They said it would never have happened in New York, London or Hong Kong.

This simple action, when discussed with their friends, will see Tea Gardens spoken of in highly credible terms, setting our area apart and above larger tourism locations – proving again how lucky we are to be living in this community.

By John BLACKBOURN