The state of one of your pubs

[Mr Zak]

Dear Humphrey,

I called in my local this afternoon, and I thought you might like to know how things are. The pub's currently being "run" by a relief manager, after you (unfairly) sacked the manager and his wife some six weeks ago.

After climbing over the pile of fag ends outside your pub (the relief manager can't be bothered to clean them up in the last six weeks), I waited to be served at the bar for over fifteen minutes. That's a long time when you're stood waiting. I'm not making this up - it was fifteen minutes. The lad behind the bar was engrossed in a conversation to his mates on his mobile phone - I guess they're far more important than serving customers, but what does he care - his relief manager is nowhere to be found, and she certainly wasn't outside clearing up the fag ends.

Then I read the blackboard displaying your Christmas and New Year opening hours:

Xmas Eve: 11:00 a.m to 11:00 p.m
Xmas Day: 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.
Boxing Day: 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
New Year's Eve: 12:00 noon to 12:30 a.m (I hope you'll be disciplining your manager for ignoring your instruction to close at 11:00 p.m.)
New Year's Day: 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Given that there was only three people in the tap room, and it still took a quarter of an hour to be served, it's good to see that you are gearing up to give all your regular customers (I've been going in for 35+ years) an enjoyable Christmas and a magnificent New Year. Is it ok if I have a ping pie to celebrate?

Kindest regards,

A saddened customer, who once recognised Sam Smiths as a local pub provider, but alas, no more...

[Alpine Drinker]

Dear Mr Zak,
A word to the wise.               
You'll make no freinds on this site by trying to get a manager the sack.
In the current climate most managers are allready in fear of losing their jobs, just for doing their
job without some cheesed off customer giving a helping hand in a very stressfull time of year.

[Mr Zak]

Dear Alpine Drinker,

You mistake my intentions if you believe I'm trying to get a manager the sack, and if you thought that's what I meant, please accept my apologies for wrongfully giving you that impression. Indeed, I've spent a considerable amount of my recent time in trying to support my local's ex manager and his wife in their battles with Humphrey and his cronies, and their clearly unfair dismissal by him. Further, I haven't contributed to this site to make friends, rather to offer support and encouragement to those people who are or have been on the receiving end of the illegal and despicable treatment meted out by Madcaster Towers to its staff.

That said, I'm still a customer, and feel entiltled to complain at poor service. Ultimately, it's the customer who pays the staff wages, and whilst I sympathise with the position my local's relief manager may find herself in, it's really no excuse for a mountain of fag ends and crap service. Yes, it's a stressfull time of year for many, and I am a cheesed off customer, but, believe me, the very last thing I would wish to cause, is the dismissal of a manager. Do you really think that my views on this site would cause such a dismissal? My anger and sarcasm was directed at Humphrey and his accolytes, not the manager, not you.

Unless, of course, Alpine Drinker is actually Humphrey in disguise?

Only joking - enjoy the festive season! 

[357maddog]

Alpine Drinker, Most of the time I would certainly agree with you, but lets not forget that Mr. Zak having been a customer for 35 years is certainly entitled to his opinion.

What we do know is that Humph is pretty desperate for managers, and has employed some unorthodox methods to attract often unsuitable people, if this Lady is a "new" manager to the company then I for one would expect her to at least be making an effort to bring the house up to an acceptable standard in terms of cleanliness and presentation...thats what the job is all about, coupled with good people skills,...ffs anybody can pull a decent pint with a little training, and  cellar husbandry isn't rocket science.  

Its not just Sams she should be impressing its more importantly her new found customer base, the ones like Mr. Zak who will no doubt have seen many managers come and go over the years.
I certainly cant comment on this persons suitability to be runnng a pub, I dont know her and I have no clue which pub it is even, but lets not adapt a total seige mentality regarding the current situation, we do know he is employing f--kwits, there is plenty of evidence on the postings on here and for the regular users of that pub she has to be the right person...if not she will join the rest of the previous managers.  

As a regular Sams drinker and a former employee I dont want to see their pubs being ran by lazy idiots who have no idea for whatever reason be it lack of training or just simply a free roof over their heads and a seemingly endless supply of free drink, not that I'm saying that this is the case here but she aint winning no friends by not making a bit of an effort.

Sorry to sound a little harsh maybe but customer care and presentation are my forte...I have always said that you cannot train someone to be people focussed, you either are or you aren't.          

[357maddog]

Sorry guys but I posted that almost as Mr. Zak posted his 2nd post, but it kinda backs up what he was saying really.

Merry Xmas to all.

[JettaP]

Don't worry Mr Zak and Alpine Drinker,
Humph' is never gonna' sack anybody for Bad Customer Service, Lowered Standards of Hygiene and the littering outside his pubs caused in part by the Smoking Ban and in part by the smokers total disregard for their pub and locale.

My Smiths ex-local ( I am now barred for being an aggravation at the bar) is well identifiable within these forums, H is well aware of the situation there, dogs allowed to put their paws on the bar, women taking Wet Wipes into the Ladies to clean the seat before use, etc, etc, etc.

I am now enjoying the fruits of the many micro breweries in the North West, Copper Dragon, Phoenix to name but two in clean pubs aligned to what the customer wants.

Hump' visited my ex-local (since 1973) last week spent 45 minutes there and pronounced himself satisfied with the way the pub is run.

And again within these forums the reasons for "peeps" getting sacked are well listed. Worry ye not.

By the way.. I see parallels in Mr Dickens's A Christmas Carol. Did he ever visit Tadcaster I wonder? Is H Smith a reincarnation?

External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty

If I could work my will, said Scrooge indignantly, every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should!

[ex-man]

Though i agree with a lot of the comments on this site the one that really gets my back up is the one from people like Mr Zak ie I AM A CUSTOMER THEREFORE I PAY YOUR WAGES!! get off your high horse, i have been a customer & manager for the company for many years &  to that statement all i can say is if you can do better give it a go. I know quite a lot of the old managers & they & they're staff put up with enough crap from his highness nevermind so called loyal customers no matter how long they have been drinking in a certain pub. just remember it might be your local but it's somebody else's home. and as for the new managers they are lucky to get a 6 month contract off humph & that's a fact so would you be bothered about fag-ends outside if the answer is still yes....  GET A BRUSH & DO IT

[JettaP]

Well ExMan
So do you mean a brush to paint the place?
A brush to clean the toilet pan?
A brush to clean behind the bar?
Or
A brush to sweep outsidethe doors?

In your home does someone else do it for you?

Everybody has standards.. just some peoples standards are set higher than others.

[minsterman]

and as for the new managers they are lucky to get a 6 month contract off humph & that's a fact so would you be bothered about fag-ends outside if the answer is still yes....  GET A BRUSH & DO IT

I disagree!!!

Our new management couple (who I think have only a 3 month contract) have in two weeks, done so much, you would think it was their own property. From their own pockets, they have put in well stocked planters everywhere, tidyed up the place inside and out, and much, much more. And after less than 3 weeks, have earnt the respect of all of their customers. So it just goes to show - it can be done!!!

Blaming customers, is not always such a good idea - especially the loyal ones!!! I respect my customers, because if they weren't my customers, they would be my competitors, and I wouldn't be as wealthy as I am!!! Yes I know in all walks of life, there are the troublesome ones, but that's usually the exception and not the rule.

If a pub manager was to say to me "..if you don't like it, then get a brush and clean it up yourself", then my response would be the same as many others - "You're in the wrong job mate!!!"

[Mr Zak]

Well, Ex- Man, it seems to me that your attitude to customer service may well be one of the reasons that you are just that - an ex manager!

[blueboy]

Hey lads and lasses, calm down here. Everyone has their views on what?s clean, what?s not, how a pub is to be run, and how it shouldn?t be.
Before I came to the company I frequented my local Sam Smiths to find dust here and there, fag ends outside, unpolished brassware, unpolished tables and mirrors etc.
On joining the company I then learnt that cleaning staff didn?t exist anymore. The duties were piled onto an already overworked licensee and his wife.
Allowances for spending on cleaning materials are not adequate. These allowances are to include glassware replacement, glass wash detergents and rinse aid materials, games replacement articles etc. leaving sod all to spend on actual cleaning.
Now the anti smoking campaign has kicked in, the lack of tobacco smell gives rise to the stinking odour of a well worn beer stained carpet throughout the pub. Aerosol sprays are used to hide the stink.
All credit to the new management couple for their endeavour in smartening the pub up at their own expense. (sounds like a Fran O?Brien pub) At first my wife and I did the same thing, but while ever there are employees prepared to do this then the company will continue to skimp on the outlay required to keep the establishment in good fettle.
My missus and I do our best to keep things acceptable for our valued customers, but our own financial input ceased long ago. We manage with what we have, you could call it cosmetic surgery.
Customers have the right to express their opinions on this site, but I do hope that they realise that we haven?t the time nor adequate cleaning materials to match what is required to satisfy everybody?s  high expectations or standards. We would love to be in a position to do just that.
Whether you like the expression or not, customers are our bread and butter, without them we would not exist, there?s no getting away from that fact.
All the best to everyone for Xmas and the New Year. Lets  hope that things turn around for the better in 2009.

[rgv]

 I can accept the argument that funds for cleaning have been cut,but it costs nothing but a minute of time to sweep out front.
In my local,the stairs that lead to the toilets have'nt been hoovered for well over a year.
Stairs are one thing but does'nt take a great deal of extra effort to push a hoover under the pool table does it?,its not been cleaned under our table for over two years.
If that sort of laziness went on in the workshop I run...,You'd lose your job,but I would'nt allow it to go for more than two days let alone 2 years!.
I dont take advantage of my employees and pay them pittance to work an insecure job though.

[JettaP]

Strewth Blueboy !!! anyone would think that every minute of every hour is spent pulling pints for the punters stood 6 deep at the bar and in between doing cellar work. Humph should ban books, magazines and mobile phones from behind the bar.
Elbow Grease, Soap and Water costs nowt.
RGV has it spot on in his post.

p.s. Eddie also has a couple of Repetitive Strain Injuries and calluses on his fingers from his time at the oche......

http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-och1.htm

[blueboy]

rgv and JettaP you misunderstand. I make no excuses for lazy sods, or the couldn't care less people that do exist within our management operations.These are the people that you refer to.
There will be quite a few of these as the experienced well trained managers have been sacked. There will of course also be new reliable and consciencious people that will serve their clientel  well in all aspects of the job.
We set high standards at our pub and do try to keep on top of the job, many other couples set the same high standards as we try to do, but we have to do it with the tools we have which are to say the least the bare essentials.
I totally agree that it takes but a few minutes to sweep up tab ends and localised rubbish, and there is no excuse for not doing so. But as I mentioned in my previous post everyone has their own idea of cleanliness. If their idea is to leave rubbish outside the frontage and on staircases etc then God only knows what their living quarters are like.

[JettaP]

Fair enough blueboy..accepting your comments I am happy to draw a line under this thread and allow the dust to settle (Sorry couldn't resist that !)

?()? **Best Wishes and Good Luck for 2009** ?()?