Comments on: The Historic Barn http://www.thinkdave.com/the-historic-barn/ A Smörgåsbord of Thesis services Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:41:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Dave http://www.thinkdave.com/the-historic-barn/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Dave Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:33:47 +0000 http://www.thinkdave.com/small-business-marketing/the-historic-barn/#comment-11 Hi Peter. Good to hear you had a pleasant day out. While it sounds like a completely different place to the one I visited, I'll take your word for it. If they'll let me back in, I might make a follow-up visit some time. Hi Peter. Good to hear you had a pleasant day out. While it sounds like a completely different place to the one I visited, I’ll take your word for it.

If they’ll let me back in, I might make a follow-up visit some time.

]]> By: Peter http://www.thinkdave.com/the-historic-barn/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Peter Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:22:31 +0000 http://www.thinkdave.com/small-business-marketing/the-historic-barn/#comment-10 Dave. Me and my family (extended) had lunch at the Historic Barn about three Weeks ago. We were pleasantly suprprised and I cant agree with ANY of ur statemensts. We were welcomed in propper style. Reveived upper class treatment from the waitresses. Had devine food, and all that at prices that we paid back in the '90's. Where else will a company of 8 eat lunch and have beverages at less than R50/head. To the management and staff at the Historic barn, many thanks. Peter Steyn Dave.
Me and my family (extended) had lunch at the Historic Barn about three Weeks ago. We were pleasantly suprprised and I cant agree with ANY of ur statemensts. We were welcomed in propper style. Reveived upper class treatment from the waitresses. Had devine food, and all that at prices that we paid back in the ’90′s. Where else will a company of 8 eat lunch and have beverages at less than R50/head.
To the management and staff at the Historic barn, many thanks.
Peter Steyn

]]> By: Dave http://www.thinkdave.com/the-historic-barn/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Dave Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:09:21 +0000 http://www.thinkdave.com/small-business-marketing/the-historic-barn/#comment-7 Thanks for your response Elizabeth. It's nice to see small businesses actually taking an interest in what people say about them online. I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment about facts vs. perceptions. As a business owner, what you perceive as fact is often different from your customers perceptions. So while you've pointed out that I've made a couple of incorrect assumptions (for which I apologize), I stand by my comments that on the whole my customer experience wasn't a good one. I hope that rather than offending you I've helped point out where you could improve. Good luck. Thanks for your response Elizabeth. It’s nice to see small businesses actually taking an interest in what people say about them online.

I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment about facts vs. perceptions. As a business owner, what you perceive as fact is often different from your customers perceptions.

So while you’ve pointed out that I’ve made a couple of incorrect assumptions (for which I apologize), I stand by my comments that on the whole my customer experience wasn’t a good one.

I hope that rather than offending you I’ve helped point out where you could improve. Good luck.

]]> By: elizabeth van der merwe http://www.thinkdave.com/the-historic-barn/comment-page-1/#comment-12 elizabeth van der merwe Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:23:02 +0000 http://www.thinkdave.com/small-business-marketing/the-historic-barn/#comment-12 Our sincere appologies to the above mentioned Commentators re:, the service recieved at the Historic Barn. I could not agree more that ultimate customer service is of prime importance, however customers when lodging public complaints should focus on facts as well as perseptions which in both above cases are not correct. Sure there are aspects that need attention,however if not brought under the attention of management immediately on occurance, makes it very difficult to admit to or even rectify. The Historic Barn is indeed Historic, built in 1886, from bricks made on the farm and imported oregon wood still to be seen in the original floor boards. The furniture inside the barn are from various time periods dating back as far as 200 years up to the late 50s. The original floors are no going to be varnished or polished as it will take away its authentisity. (Barns are not always wooden) The school books on display I admit are a bit dusty as they go back as far as the late 1800's. Implying that the coffee is instant is a down and out lie. Various filter cofee blends are blended to ensure our unique taste which is actually sought after by countless repeat customers. Surley R8 for a cup of coffee is more than market related, clearly the above commentator has not been around in the JHB area lately not even to mention the local places surrounding Hartebeespoortdam.Prices vary from between R10,95 and R12,95. at a three star hotel. R12 for two cheese scones and R15 for two strawberry and cream scones are not a rip off.Just for the record we are not a home industry, however a tea garden. My sincere appologies for charging you R8 for a cup of coffee. Dearest Lynda How unfortunate that you mistook a 18th centuary hand made tea cosy for being dirty,I need to inform you that colours and yarns do change over age.When last did you visit any place trying to keep your tea as hot as possible for as long as possible. Slightly impossible when chating for more than an hour over a pot. I clearly remember the insedant, you ordered two cups of tea and received a pot, firstly the tea was to strong, then to weak and lastly you needed more boiling water, clearly I am mistaking a cup of tea with a botomless pot. Numerous repeat customers visit us every Saturday or Sunday and appreciate the fact that we try and meet with all our customers and that our food is freshly prepared at reasonable prioces. Please take note that we are not a fast food venture,on average a normal cofee or drinks order in most places can take up to ten minutes. I do invite you as well as the three other "misfortunate" people to re visit us, I will take note and try a different blend of filter cofee and discard the " dirty" tea cosy as most people are not used to being served tea with a teapot indorsed with a tea cosy. Dave we do wish you all the best with your new business venture as business advisor, however always do keep in mind those that can do, those that cannot teach. Sam and Elizabeth van der Merwe. Our sincere appologies to the above mentioned Commentators re:, the service recieved at the Historic Barn.
I could not agree more that ultimate customer service is of prime importance, however customers when lodging public complaints should focus on facts as well as perseptions which in both above cases are not correct.
Sure there are aspects that need attention,however if not brought under the attention of management immediately on occurance, makes it very difficult to admit to or even rectify.
The Historic Barn is indeed Historic, built in 1886, from bricks made on the farm and imported oregon wood still to be seen in the original floor boards. The furniture inside the barn are from various time periods dating back as far as 200 years up to the late 50s. The original floors are no going to be varnished or polished as it will take away its authentisity. (Barns are not always wooden) The school books on display I admit are a bit dusty as they go back as far as the late 1800′s.
Implying that the coffee is instant is a down and out lie. Various filter cofee blends are blended to ensure our unique taste which is actually sought after by countless repeat customers. Surley R8 for a cup of coffee is more than market related, clearly the above commentator has not been around in the JHB area lately not even to mention the local places surrounding Hartebeespoortdam.Prices vary from between R10,95 and R12,95. at a three star hotel. R12 for two cheese scones and R15 for two strawberry and cream scones are not a rip off.Just for the record we are not a home industry, however a tea garden. My sincere appologies for charging you R8 for a cup of coffee.
Dearest Lynda
How unfortunate that you mistook a 18th centuary hand made tea cosy for being dirty,I need to inform you that colours and yarns do change over age.When last did you visit any place trying to keep your tea as hot as possible for as long as possible. Slightly impossible when chating for more than an hour over a pot. I clearly remember the insedant, you ordered two cups of tea and received a pot, firstly the tea was to strong, then to weak and lastly you needed more boiling water, clearly I am mistaking a cup of tea with a botomless pot.

Numerous repeat customers visit us every Saturday or Sunday and appreciate the fact that we try and meet with all our customers and that our food is freshly prepared at reasonable prioces. Please take note that we are not a fast food venture,on average a normal cofee or drinks order in most places can take up to ten minutes.

I do invite you as well as the three other “misfortunate” people to re visit us, I will take note and try a different blend of filter cofee and discard the ” dirty” tea cosy as most people are not used to being served tea with a teapot indorsed with a tea cosy.

Dave we do wish you all the best with your new business venture as business advisor, however always do keep in mind those that can do, those that cannot teach.

Sam and Elizabeth van der Merwe.

]]> By: Dave http://www.thinkdave.com/the-historic-barn/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Dave Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:25:55 +0000 http://www.thinkdave.com/small-business-marketing/the-historic-barn/#comment-9 Thanks for taking the time to comment Lynda. It's funny how bad news spreads. I've spoken to 3 other people who had the misfortune of visiting The Historic Barn, and each one has their own little horror story. Thanks for taking the time to comment Lynda.

It’s funny how bad news spreads. I’ve spoken to 3 other people who had the misfortune of visiting The Historic Barn, and each one has their own little horror story.

]]> By: Lynda Smith http://www.thinkdave.com/the-historic-barn/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Lynda Smith Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:45:57 +0000 http://www.thinkdave.com/small-business-marketing/the-historic-barn/#comment-8 I could not agree with you more. I live on The Coves Estate near to The Barn. Last Sunday I decided to go and be a tourist in my own town. How grateful I am that I did not take guests and never will!!!! My thoughts were, that they could have a wonderful concept but have done no market research to discover what needs to on offer if you want to be in business. I had cold over priced tea served in a tea pot with a dirty tea cosy that did not fit and then when I asked for boiling water it arrived in a chipped open mug. I could not agree with you more. I live on The Coves Estate near to The Barn. Last Sunday I decided to go and be a tourist in my own town. How grateful I am that I did not take guests and never will!!!!

My thoughts were, that they could have a wonderful concept but have done no market research to discover what needs to on offer if you want to be in business.
I had cold over priced tea served in a tea pot with a dirty tea cosy that did not fit and then when I asked for boiling water it arrived in a chipped open mug.

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