customer service and craft beer

I don't really have a problem with their general response. They told you the policy previously. With that policy, if it's still that difficult to plan a trip then maybe a visit to the brewery is not in the cards. If I would have received that response I would have moved on tbh. This is hardly an example of egregious customer service imo. Life is too short to take offense at each and every response one might not like.

 

I agree with this, but the reaction from the employee was still unacceptable. It would be interesting to see the number of people supporting the employee's reaction, who have also worked in a retail job. My guess is zero.

 

This is I VERY much disagree with. In my experience working in retail, most employees would LOVE it for their boss to allow them to respond like this. Did you skip right to owner? Haha.

P.S. I'd like to throw in there that the standard for customer service is probably lowest in California (and New York, for that matter). People are much nicer in Michigan, and well, almost everywhere else, haha.

 

Of course they would love it, we all would. It does not make it right though.

 

It is one or the other with breweries in my experience. Total cluelessness or spot on customer service. We are mostly a service based country now that, sadly, sucks at service.

 

There is a distinct chance that the person was asked like 45 times, the same question. Either that or they broke up with a significant other or some shit. I honestly think personal matters account for a lot of customer service snobbery. If someone ever does this again just give a 10 second pause and start repeating, "It's not your fault". If they start hugging you just let it happen, they needed it.

 

Hate to say it but they probably don't give a shit if you visit or not. They probably want less people on most days and this could have been a way of deterring you from coming. Sante is mostly a shit show these days and they could piss off a dozen people on FB every day and still have lines out the door when they open. Like it or not, demand like that will turn almost anyone into the soup **** eventually. And my guess is that you actually did talk with one of the owners.

 

As far as I can tell around here, someone could make a post saying "I walked into a brewery and the owner jumped over the bar and kicked me in the nuts with a giant boot" and somehow it would still be pretty much a 50/50 split on who people sided with.

 

Interestingly, I had a different shitty customer service experience at SARA.

Went in, asked for half pours of three beers and asked to purchase 2-3 bottles of their Cask whatever the number. When I asked to buy the bottles, the server looked at his pal who was a customer sitting across from him and to my right and shook his head and muttered something right in front of me. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but it rubbed me wrong. Was he bothered by me for some reason? Not sure. But his behavior in front of me was poor form and set the tone for my visit there and likely affected how I enjoyed the beers and the place.

Personally, I think they're overrated as hell. Hard to know whether I'd have a different opinion without the awkward moment while handing them over a good sum of my money.

 

We've reached the zenith folks. For the first time in history, we have businesses that are gleefully turning away people and their money. It's a whole new business model.

 

It sounds to me like the employees here aren't trained and/or they aren't managed. It's a case of rats taking over the ship.

 

I agree. How about you hold up the walls all by yourself. If a customer asks about your product, then you tell them.

 

He was just asking whats going to be around while he's around ? Whats wrong with that? You kinda sound like a ass..

 

When the brewery worker says to look at the feed again because they've already stated their release announcement policy, the customer immediately becomes petulant and passive aggressive.

SARA 1 - 0 terrapinbrian

 

For the love of God, please do not open a business. We already have plenty that act like this.

 

If anything can be learned from threads like these, it's that I can tell what BA's to ignore in the future when browsing.

 

Definitely poor CS, but it's probably just an unfortunate byproduct of the Craft bubble. Beers and breweries get placed on pedestals and it's changed the rules of traditional customer interactions. The Draft Kingsification of Craft has turned a great bottle shop near me into bitter, standoff-ish, preachy buttholes and while I miss their selections, I choose not to do business with them. Unfortunately, for every nerd that wises up, 5 more get in line.

 

I have to say ur 1st statement about 2 segments is news to me. I have yet to see a brewery culture of openly trying to outdo other breweries; hence all the collaboration beers between some of the best breweries in the country. I think its an industry that is refreshing (and not just the suds) in that artistry over capitalism seems prevalent. I chalk up ur experience to two ships colliding - u are under pressure/time demands having a family in ur beer adventures and a rude employee who isn't seeking beer karma. I really don't think this is common and it comes down to how important SARA is to u and how far u want to expose his behavior to his management. Fortunately most craft breweries and good businesses are using social media better than ever that u don't need to deal directly with personnel.

 

Nothing is wrong with asking a question ONCE. But if you are told in no uncertain terms what those rules are regarding such things and insist on asking the same question again. It practically begs that someone is trying to be that special ********* who gets the rules bent for them.

 

Unfortunate. But not surprising if you've ever met some of these jerks who work at breweries. They are far from refined persons. I look at stuff like that and just think to myself that they don't know any better. Being an asshole is simply the best that person knows how to do.

Just don't give them your business. And seeing the response you received, I don't care how good their beer is. I won't give them my business either. Its just beer.