I had a very bad experience at Subway yesterday night (2nd Nov 2010, 8:45pm). I had just finished my regular Tuesday gym session and decided to go down for my very regular serving of Subway sandwich. A little bit tired of the mundane however, I decided to drop by at the Soy Shop located opposite the Subway branch to boost up my 'protein's... ;) Paying the RM2.30 for a cup of soy milk, I brought it over to the Subway shop and laid it on one of the tables before heading to the counter. I supposed my arms were a little weak after my workout so I was kinda sluggish. The strap of my bag caught against the side of the table and I yanked it free, it table lurched and it hurled the plastic cup containing the soy milk to the ground, making a messy white spot on the floor. :p Unable to do anything, I went over to the counter and told the Chinese, bespectacled, red T-shirt supervisor (he didn't wear a nametag) looking person of the unfortunate event and apologized.
He told me, "I will pass you the mop for you to clean up".
I thought he was joking. I ordered my sandwich, in the process noticing one of the workers coming out with a mop from the backroom as my sandwich was being prepared. Surprisingly, the worker paused after he laid the mop on a chair by the table where I spilt the milk and I wondered for a while what was he waiting for. I paid for my sandwich (RM10.50), adding a cup of 100 Plus to cover for the lost soya milk drink and headed back to my table. The worker was still standing there by the mop. Perhaps thinking that he was waiting for me to clear my stuff from the 'affected' table, I moved mine to the next, sat down and unwrapped my sandwich.
I was about to make my first bite when the worker looked at me and said, "Sir, you'll have to mop the spill..."
I was SHOCKED beyond my senses!!!! It took me a while to gather my wits because this was absolutely unheard of! I turned towards the red T-shirt supervisor who was standing by at the counter and asked him whether he was 'SERIOUS'. He replied that 'It's MY FAULT, and I should clean it up for them'! He also said that I should APOLOGIZE for the mess!(?). If the worker asking me to mop the floor was a shock, I was stunned beyond belief by the audacity of the supervisor! I mean like, have they forgotten that I am a CUSTOMER????? I told the supervisor that I was a regular customer and gestured to one of the workers whom I know have seen me ordering from him every Tuesday. I also told the supervisor that I HAVE ALREADY APOLOGIZED! The supervisor then said that 'he was just pulling my leg' and that 'I should not do this again'(?).
Wow! I guess I must have unwittingly been transported by aliens into the planet of 'not knowing what a customer means in a service/food industry'! I asked the supervisor, "So are you still expecting me to mop the floor for you?" to which he answered, "He will get the worker to mop it up". The whole thing left a very bad taste in my mouth. I mean like, spilling things is something that people don't intentionally do. Little old ladies sometimes do it, nice cutie kids running around the shop sometimes do it, even a guy out of a gym also sometimes do it as well! Does Subway expect ALL THEIR CUSTOMERS to mop up the spill if that happens???? Not that the business there is fantastic. There are hardly any customers there. :p And if there are any, it's the gym crowd that go there, the same gym that I just came from! I could just as easily post a note on the gym noticeboard telling how Subway values their regular customers! :p I ate my sandwich, quenching my hunger first before I made my next move. I flipped up my phone, connected to the internet and went over to Subway's website . I then patiently typed in my complaint. I checked my email later on and got an acknowledgement that the system had received my complaint.
Now whether anything is going to happen from here I guess the powers only knows. In any case, I concluded my bad experience at Subway, Summit USJ by heading back to the counter and telling the poor worker that was standing by with the mop that I have already lodged a complaint with Subway. The Red T-Shirt Supervisor 'hero' was not around. He seemed to have dissappeared. I guess this is going to be my last experience with Subway... what a shame, despite having so few customers, they still have the gall to insult and embarass their customers! Shame on you SUBWAY! :p
I work at a Subway in Michigan. I would never ask a customer to clean up a spill. Customers have even asked for a mop or a towel to clean something up and we refuse to let them.
ReplyDeleteI hate when customers leave there trash on their tables. It's called being respectful. I will call someone out on that if I see it.
Anonymous, thank you for your comment. Subway did indeed sent the complain to the local management and I am told (through a phone call) that proper action has been taken. The manager did inform me that this particular worker had other complaints made on him as well...
ReplyDelete