I had an interesting experience that I would like to share with you.
I recently came across a beautiful restaurant in my city, Nairobi, on my way home from work and promised myself that I would take my wife there for a date. So yesterday, I went to check it out. I do that a lot, I check out places before I actually visit for a dine in event. I walked in and I was struck by the beautiful ambience. The deco was off the hook and the ambient music was just perfect. I could immediately picture myself sitting at one of the corner tables enjoying a quiet evening. I stood at the reception table which was unmanned for about 3 minutes soaking in the splendid view.
I then looked around and tried to get the attention of one of the waiters who were by the way all busy chatting at the corner near the kitchen counter. I had to, sort of, shout to get their attention. I was now thinking…...no…...no…..no….. not this Kenyan thing here; of building an amazing place and then stifling it with poor customer service. Anyway, I took a deep breath and said a polite “hi” and complimented them on the restaurant’s beauty and said “I would like to dine in here some time. Would you kindly show me a menu?” Ladies and gentlemen of the press (a.k.a Facebook, KOT, Instagram) gather here because you will not believe what I was told….no….no….no you won't believe it.
The waiter politely told me that the management policy is that menus are only given to patrons who are ready to dine and that I was required to leave my telephone number and email address and I would be contacted with special offers whenever they came up. The nicely dressed waiter then handed me a gold trimmed pen and a nicely done form on one of those fancy wedding card invite papers and waited as I politely filled in my email and tel number and then turned on a dime and went back to her giggling session at the corner.
I know what you are thinking because I was thinking the same exact thing. It was like in that Martin Laurence sitcom where Martin says somebody please hold me because I’m going to do something stupid and I will be another reasons why we hit the streets to say “Black Lives Matter” because for sure cops are going to be involved.
Now, I do feel like leaving it right here because you and I are sure it can't get any worse. No, it cannot get any worse, can it? I think this one is for Nigerians on Twitter because K.O.T hamuwesmake. No sooner had I gotten into the car than, I got a text and an email with an offer to dine in this amazing restaurant for two on Friday night and there would be a live band with a fancy name in performance.
Which restaurant is this? I hear your scream, I hear your question. K.O.T are here for you, just tell us who and we will put them straight. Wait for it…… this restaurant is “YOU” Dear Entrepreneur, this restaurant is you and your business. You who has an amazing product, an amazing service that you advertise and you entice us to, you who has a drop dead website, an active Facebook page and an active Instagram page, you who posts on all the groups and has the product that we so badly want and then when we want to know the price and the details of the product you tell us inbox me please.
This is you, dear entrepreneur. You ask us to leave our contacts on your website and then you promise to call us back with details of how we can consume your service or obtain your product. You are a walking unfulfilled promise. I’m tired, we are tired.