What about this combo: Amazing Product & Disastrous Service?

Inspired by another disappointing experience today, I cannot stop wondering what makes this unfortunate association possible: having a disappointing and unflattering service represent a great product. 

And I believe in coincidences, but this was not one of them.

A beautiful coffee shop, in a privileged location (Calea Victoriei), colorful inviting décor, intuitive seating, personalized branded items (from cutlery holders and napkins to coffee cups), a great selection of music, vegan food and drinks options (tasty and tastefully presented) and an overall enjoyable vibe.

Only to be hosted by three service employees who seemed from another world!

Young and beautiful, but deeply disconnected, sad, and distant. Not once seeing them smile, in one hour I spent there (and trust me, I looked, and I smiled at them myself, in an attempt to activate their mirror neurons), robotically placing orders on the counter and cashing the money, making each interaction seem like a painful punishment they have to endure!

And I am completely ignoring, at this point, the total lack of basic service elements like saying hello, goodbye, or eye contact. Somehow their mood affected mine, feeling disappointed and heartbroken when I left the place.

I know, I make it sound so dramatic, but think about it!

Would you go (back) to a place like that, even if they had the best product?

I know I would not, for me, the most important element of the ambiance remains the human presence!

Now, this makes me reflect, once again, on what could be the logic of an owner, who invested such care and interest in the little details of a beautiful and high-quality product, but completely the service aspect.

In a previous article I was asking: What do you think is the biggest challenge of a small/medium customer-facing business, that fails to create a culture of great service? And the predominant answer was: The Leadership’s vision.

Here are some possible “visions”:

• The owner might have limited resources and allocate them primarily to product development rather than service infrastructure.

• They may have a short-term perspective, focusing on immediate profits rather than long-term customer satisfaction.

• They may see service as an area where costs can be cut without affecting the perceived quality of the product.

• If customers haven't voiced complaints about service, the owner might assume it's not a priority.

• If competitors also neglect service, the owner might feel less pressure to improve in this area.

• The owner might be technically proficient but lacks skills or interest in customer service.

• They may underestimate the importance of service in maintaining customer loyalty and satisfaction. 

• They are overconfident in the product; they might believe so strongly in the superiority of their product that they neglect other aspects of the business.

• Their business model might be rigid, focusing solely on product sales without considering service as a revenue or value-generating aspect.

• 
  

And what can I do about this? 

Share the feedback, specifically and respectfully, write that review, and approach the manager/owner directly. 

All my initiatives seem superficial, even to me now, looking at how small I am compared to the big list of disappointments, but giving up means enabling this, and normalizing these behaviors instead of providing a quality service.

How do you handle this disappointment of having a great product being presented in an almost disrespectful manner?