This post is basically, a good old grumble about Pizza Hut's cost cutting measures :)
The EU bought in regulations regarding the shape, size and colouring of vegetables.
Most of the vegetables you'll buy in supermarkets will be Class 1, consistent shape vegetables and fruit. (No more LOL at the shape of that carrot, potato etc!). So all the vegetables that don't make the grade are then called Class 2 and are significantly cheaper. Aldi and other discounters will sell this stuff routinely.
Pizza Hut uses Class 2 vegetables, as they are cheaper. But it causes problems with how our products look. While we are badgered about the thickness of a slice of cucumber, "supply chain" are happy for us to use one cucumber which has virtually black skin, and others which are almost yellow.
While for the majority of the products it makes very little difference, it just shows that their commitment to quality goes as far as "only if it's cheap enough!".
Anyway enough moaning for this post. If I still have any readers left (I must start posting more regularly again and get my name back out there!!!!) Please leave a comment if you're still reading because it'd be great to hear from you!
Showing posts with label Corporate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Corporate. Show all posts
Monday, 4 May 2009
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Online orders
Now all Pizza Hut's are using the fantastic Micros system, online ordering is available for collection and delivery from nearly every hut.
The problem is although it works most of the time, the time it doesn't is the time when you get a silly customer.
If a customer wants to collect in an hour - we won't even know about that order until about 20-30 minutes before the collection is due. Which I suppose can cut down on confusion, but I'm not too sure. The real problems come when the customer inputs their own order. Basically they use our system but in a more 'user friendly' way. So you get orders like this:
M Pan Supreme
NO PEPPERONI
DBL PEPPERONI
NO MUSH
DBL MUSH
and so on.
You get orders which end up cancelling each other out, why the system even allows the customer to do this is baffling.
You'd think they would fix this problem. No - they call it costly. A new menu has just been introduced, with a few price increases. So they spend thousands on these new menus, and changing the website price should just be a quick thing which the internal IT team can do. Not this time though, we got a memo which basically said - because the price increases aren't very big, it isn't economically viable to change the website, so when we receive online orders could you please honour the old price.
Anyway, that'll do for now on the rant. Now I work in a new place I will post more regularly, because the customers are a hell of a lot more ratty.
The problem is although it works most of the time, the time it doesn't is the time when you get a silly customer.
If a customer wants to collect in an hour - we won't even know about that order until about 20-30 minutes before the collection is due. Which I suppose can cut down on confusion, but I'm not too sure. The real problems come when the customer inputs their own order. Basically they use our system but in a more 'user friendly' way. So you get orders like this:
M Pan Supreme
NO PEPPERONI
DBL PEPPERONI
NO MUSH
DBL MUSH
and so on.
You get orders which end up cancelling each other out, why the system even allows the customer to do this is baffling.
You'd think they would fix this problem. No - they call it costly. A new menu has just been introduced, with a few price increases. So they spend thousands on these new menus, and changing the website price should just be a quick thing which the internal IT team can do. Not this time though, we got a memo which basically said - because the price increases aren't very big, it isn't economically viable to change the website, so when we receive online orders could you please honour the old price.
Anyway, that'll do for now on the rant. Now I work in a new place I will post more regularly, because the customers are a hell of a lot more ratty.
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
30 minutes ironing for £5 when using Pizza Hut Delivery
Pizza Hut on 1st April launched a new service, where you can order 30 minutes of ironing and vacuuming for £5, completed by the delivery driver when you order for delivery. Not bad.
But the funny thing is, that was the "internal" April fools joke. And at the bottom it had a number that stores could ring about arranging training for the service. They actually had phone calls to this number and the next day - they had to send a memo confirming that yes, it was an April fool.
However, if you are registered with Pizza Hut you may get a mail shot with a picture of a delivery driver ironing and cleaning as it's part of their latest marketing campaign.
And I have another what could be seen as an April fool, but what a customer actually claimed he was going to do. Pizza Hut have got the name Pasta Hut, but this man is going to get "Samosa Hut".
The conversation went like this:
"You're always changing the menu!"
"Oh .."
"Not like KFC - I've been eating them 30 years, you know where you stand with them"
"Ha, we're actually part of the same company"
"Really?"
"Yes".
He ranted on a bit more, about how there are always tiny differences each time he comes and then said
"You know what I'm gonna do, right, I'm gonna start SAMOSA HUT"
"Right?"
"Yeah - I'm just waiting for somewhere I can start it, have you ever had a samosa?"
"Only ones from a supermarket"
"WHAT? Not that rubbish, I'm on about proper Indian shit, proper massive good filling samosas!"
"Sounds nice !!"
"Yeah, I'll be a millionaire"
"I'll look out for you then!"
But the funny thing is, that was the "internal" April fools joke. And at the bottom it had a number that stores could ring about arranging training for the service. They actually had phone calls to this number and the next day - they had to send a memo confirming that yes, it was an April fool.
However, if you are registered with Pizza Hut you may get a mail shot with a picture of a delivery driver ironing and cleaning as it's part of their latest marketing campaign.
And I have another what could be seen as an April fool, but what a customer actually claimed he was going to do. Pizza Hut have got the name Pasta Hut, but this man is going to get "Samosa Hut".
The conversation went like this:
"You're always changing the menu!"
"Oh .."
"Not like KFC - I've been eating them 30 years, you know where you stand with them"
"Ha, we're actually part of the same company"
"Really?"
"Yes".
He ranted on a bit more, about how there are always tiny differences each time he comes and then said
"You know what I'm gonna do, right, I'm gonna start SAMOSA HUT"
"Right?"
"Yeah - I'm just waiting for somewhere I can start it, have you ever had a samosa?"
"Only ones from a supermarket"
"WHAT? Not that rubbish, I'm on about proper Indian shit, proper massive good filling samosas!"
"Sounds nice !!"
"Yeah, I'll be a millionaire"
"I'll look out for you then!"
Sunday, 10 February 2008
Smile!
We are continually losing points on our mystery shoppers because we aren't giving "genuine smiles".
Now...surely if we are being told to smile genuinely, that isn't genuine? It's impossible to do it without smirking. A personal service to me, is loads better than a brand standard smile, hello, and come again....but that's what they want.
So from now on:
Massive smile and greeting
Deadpan face while serving, no conversation (no points for smiling during the transaction)
Massive smile and "Come again"
Not genuine, but that is what they are asking for.
We have new menus, which are loads better than the old ones - but they forgot to change one of the sections, so that looks odd, but you can't expect them to get it right!
Now...surely if we are being told to smile genuinely, that isn't genuine? It's impossible to do it without smirking. A personal service to me, is loads better than a brand standard smile, hello, and come again....but that's what they want.
So from now on:
Massive smile and greeting
Deadpan face while serving, no conversation (no points for smiling during the transaction)
Massive smile and "Come again"
Not genuine, but that is what they are asking for.
We have new menus, which are loads better than the old ones - but they forgot to change one of the sections, so that looks odd, but you can't expect them to get it right!
Thursday, 8 November 2007
I'm not dead
No I am not dead, just lazy and there hasn't been much to blog about.
Except for a customer falling straight on his arse after slipping on the wet floor. There were three yellow warning signs out - and it looked wet. After a moment of concern (are we going to get shouted out) everyone retreated to the kitchen to laugh, a lot.
We have a new booklet, which they've made 'pocket size' which lists all the stuff we can get as PH employees - discounts elsewhere. Most of it is rubbish and is like 5% off when you spend over £50. PH claim they have negotiated these deals, I can find most of them on Money Saving Expert. Whitbread discount card was better, and I never even got one.
Well there you have it, about 2 weeks worth of posts. I really need to email a student who wanted information on this blog, I said I would about 3 weeks ago and now I feel guilty.
Except for a customer falling straight on his arse after slipping on the wet floor. There were three yellow warning signs out - and it looked wet. After a moment of concern (are we going to get shouted out) everyone retreated to the kitchen to laugh, a lot.
We have a new booklet, which they've made 'pocket size' which lists all the stuff we can get as PH employees - discounts elsewhere. Most of it is rubbish and is like 5% off when you spend over £50. PH claim they have negotiated these deals, I can find most of them on Money Saving Expert. Whitbread discount card was better, and I never even got one.
Well there you have it, about 2 weeks worth of posts. I really need to email a student who wanted information on this blog, I said I would about 3 weeks ago and now I feel guilty.
Thursday, 25 October 2007
Rotten smell and CHRISTMAS!!
A rancid and/or rotten smell decided it would make itself known today in the centre. It was like sewage, but worse.
The centre staff noticed it pretty quickly, and they clocked us sniffing the air. Security were looking round, one had the nerve to come up to me and ask "Err - is your extractor on ?" Yes it is thank you!
The outcome was, that it was a burnt panini. I seriously doubt that explanation - it smelt worse than sewage. And I have had a recent experience with sewage when someone decided they'd tip oil down the sink and some pipes had to be ripped out and replaced as it had got clogged with various substances. The same person also put a separator (a plastic disc which allows pizza pans to be stacked on top of each other) through the oven and melt onto the conveyor. I do like this person but wish they wouldn't be so thick.
And on the subject of smells. Making pizza and dough is a smelly occupation. I come home and I stink like oil and dough, and my hands no matter how many times I wash them, still smell of cheese.
Being in the kitchen doesn't provide many customer stories - which for me is rather pleasant. I do enjoy the odd complaint however. I have noticed though, that for some reason customers seem to respect you more when you come from the kitchen out to the front to help them. I wonder if it is the apron or that I've just been lucky.
Christmas isn't far away now and this will be my second Christmas at Pizza Hut. I can't wait for the centre to go all festive. The trees, the lights, the robotic animals, the music, the festive cheer from customers (!). Last year I posted about what I should say to customers at Christmas. I ended up just being the same and not say anything special. This year I've got a lot more confidence with customers (potentially bordering on cocky) so I don't know whether to be happy and jolly or delibrately miserable. I might be delibrately miserable to express my disgust that Pizza Hut don't pay ANYTHING extra for working Christmas Eve, Boxing Day or any other bank holiday for that matter. And the likely recognition we will get at store level will be "Disappointing Christmas, down on last year" forgetting the fact we gave up our family and holiday time so we could sell pizza - and be paid the same as if it was any other weekday.
There we go, another moan over with. I've done meat and pay rates now... Next time it might be about the constant nagging for brand standard quality products. We try but when you send wafer thin "chunky tomatoes" and tomato concentrate which is 30% thinner but don't tell anyone until 3 weeks after its introduction, it really isn't easy! And the fact you have got rid of the Pizza Hut logo on the napkins (any other PH employees noticed that?) but you want to build the brand. Oh AND the way they are selling off some restaurants to franchisees and telling the store team and managers after it has happened with a phone call saying "by the way, you are now owned by.."
Motivation and communication are not Pizza Hut's strongest points.
The centre staff noticed it pretty quickly, and they clocked us sniffing the air. Security were looking round, one had the nerve to come up to me and ask "Err - is your extractor on ?" Yes it is thank you!
The outcome was, that it was a burnt panini. I seriously doubt that explanation - it smelt worse than sewage. And I have had a recent experience with sewage when someone decided they'd tip oil down the sink and some pipes had to be ripped out and replaced as it had got clogged with various substances. The same person also put a separator (a plastic disc which allows pizza pans to be stacked on top of each other) through the oven and melt onto the conveyor. I do like this person but wish they wouldn't be so thick.
And on the subject of smells. Making pizza and dough is a smelly occupation. I come home and I stink like oil and dough, and my hands no matter how many times I wash them, still smell of cheese.
Being in the kitchen doesn't provide many customer stories - which for me is rather pleasant. I do enjoy the odd complaint however. I have noticed though, that for some reason customers seem to respect you more when you come from the kitchen out to the front to help them. I wonder if it is the apron or that I've just been lucky.
Christmas isn't far away now and this will be my second Christmas at Pizza Hut. I can't wait for the centre to go all festive. The trees, the lights, the robotic animals, the music, the festive cheer from customers (!). Last year I posted about what I should say to customers at Christmas. I ended up just being the same and not say anything special. This year I've got a lot more confidence with customers (potentially bordering on cocky) so I don't know whether to be happy and jolly or delibrately miserable. I might be delibrately miserable to express my disgust that Pizza Hut don't pay ANYTHING extra for working Christmas Eve, Boxing Day or any other bank holiday for that matter. And the likely recognition we will get at store level will be "Disappointing Christmas, down on last year" forgetting the fact we gave up our family and holiday time so we could sell pizza - and be paid the same as if it was any other weekday.
There we go, another moan over with. I've done meat and pay rates now... Next time it might be about the constant nagging for brand standard quality products. We try but when you send wafer thin "chunky tomatoes" and tomato concentrate which is 30% thinner but don't tell anyone until 3 weeks after its introduction, it really isn't easy! And the fact you have got rid of the Pizza Hut logo on the napkins (any other PH employees noticed that?) but you want to build the brand. Oh AND the way they are selling off some restaurants to franchisees and telling the store team and managers after it has happened with a phone call saying "by the way, you are now owned by.."
Motivation and communication are not Pizza Hut's strongest points.
Friday, 19 October 2007
Salt
I'm not a company spokesman, so I'm not going to defend the fact that a report has found we are the most salty fast food restaurant. But are we really fast food? We're a chain of restaurants who provide dine in, collection, delivery and a relatively new fast food format. Not really fast food, but we are in the Fast Food Song. So in that way the comparison isn't really fair.
But...they used the Pizza Plus meal deal for 4. They divided the salt content into 4 and got as 12.3g of salt each. They then say thats 4 times the recommended amount for a 6 year old. Just a little problem though, 6 year olds don't each as much as adults so are unlikely to have a quarter of the meal deal.
It is interesting to note that McDonalds came out reasonably well (shock: bag of apple and grapes has less salt than a chicken wrap). McDonalds being so big and the stereotype of fast food, has meant they need to be careful with everything now. It all tastes different now. They know where their meat comes from - and are proud to tell everyone. Pizza Hut on the other hand hasn't really been picked on, so has so far managed to get away with what they want - but maybe it will change. Slowly we are changing. When I started they said the chargrilled chicken would be changing to "real 100% chicken breast", a year on and they are still babbling on about how it will be "real" soon. Just how does it take to stop putting the entire carcass in the mincer.
Well after that small moan and definitely not a company advert - I will just mention - PHQ! A new delivery only format has launched in two cities (forget which). They have explicitly stated in the 'Big 5' newsletter that it is to rival Dominos and target a younger market. They do have a website, but it doesn't work. Good start guys.
But...they used the Pizza Plus meal deal for 4. They divided the salt content into 4 and got as 12.3g of salt each. They then say thats 4 times the recommended amount for a 6 year old. Just a little problem though, 6 year olds don't each as much as adults so are unlikely to have a quarter of the meal deal.
It is interesting to note that McDonalds came out reasonably well (shock: bag of apple and grapes has less salt than a chicken wrap). McDonalds being so big and the stereotype of fast food, has meant they need to be careful with everything now. It all tastes different now. They know where their meat comes from - and are proud to tell everyone. Pizza Hut on the other hand hasn't really been picked on, so has so far managed to get away with what they want - but maybe it will change. Slowly we are changing. When I started they said the chargrilled chicken would be changing to "real 100% chicken breast", a year on and they are still babbling on about how it will be "real" soon. Just how does it take to stop putting the entire carcass in the mincer.
Well after that small moan and definitely not a company advert - I will just mention - PHQ! A new delivery only format has launched in two cities (forget which). They have explicitly stated in the 'Big 5' newsletter that it is to rival Dominos and target a younger market. They do have a website, but it doesn't work. Good start guys.
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Donations
So for 4 weeks we can now ask for a 20p donation to be added to a customers bill.
I really don't mind whether someone donates or not, but it does draw your attention to them a bit more if a customer does not agree to the donation.
Two which stuck out for me were:
One who looked at the cause poster (we got them now as well as badges), and said a cold "No, don't care bout that". Fine. Then went on to moan about everything: Ice, Tango, gas, having to wait, the straws being 2 steps away from the machine, me turning off the Tango because he complained (not much else I could do!) and anything else. He also spat the top of the straw wrapper onto the floor and left the rest on the counter. He also made a huge trail of Tango. What a chav.
The next person who didn't donate, had a daughter, about 15 I reckon accompanied by a friend.. We have self service drinks which you get after you have paid. You either have hot or cold. You don't have cold and then come back with a McDonalds hot cup and use that for hot because you thought it was free refills.
I had this conversation with the daughter:
"Are you alright there?"
"Err yes" - reveals the McDonalds cup.
"That's £1.39 please"
"What?"
"The coffee...you have to pay for it, it's £1.39"
"But my friend had a drink, I thought it was refills!?"
"Yeah, but that is a McDonalds cup."
"And?"
"You can't use that here, and your friend had a cold drink anyway"
"Oh right"
"Can you tip that coffee away please?" - I'd rather them tip it away and waste it than back down and let them get it for free!
"Ok.."
She was nice and did it.
So these are the type of people who don't donate.
I really don't mind whether someone donates or not, but it does draw your attention to them a bit more if a customer does not agree to the donation.
Two which stuck out for me were:
One who looked at the cause poster (we got them now as well as badges), and said a cold "No, don't care bout that". Fine. Then went on to moan about everything: Ice, Tango, gas, having to wait, the straws being 2 steps away from the machine, me turning off the Tango because he complained (not much else I could do!) and anything else. He also spat the top of the straw wrapper onto the floor and left the rest on the counter. He also made a huge trail of Tango. What a chav.
The next person who didn't donate, had a daughter, about 15 I reckon accompanied by a friend.. We have self service drinks which you get after you have paid. You either have hot or cold. You don't have cold and then come back with a McDonalds hot cup and use that for hot because you thought it was free refills.
I had this conversation with the daughter:
"Are you alright there?"
"Err yes" - reveals the McDonalds cup.
"That's £1.39 please"
"What?"
"The coffee...you have to pay for it, it's £1.39"
"But my friend had a drink, I thought it was refills!?"
"Yeah, but that is a McDonalds cup."
"And?"
"You can't use that here, and your friend had a cold drink anyway"
"Oh right"
"Can you tip that coffee away please?" - I'd rather them tip it away and waste it than back down and let them get it for free!
"Ok.."
She was nice and did it.
So these are the type of people who don't donate.
Saturday, 13 October 2007
World Hunger Relief Week and YUMSOP
Next week is World Hunger Relief Week. If you visit a Pizza Hut or KFC restaurant anywhere in the world you should be asked if you would like to donate to the World Food Programme. Personally I'd prefer to raise more money for Starlight but that is just me. What is that interesting is that they are making a huge song and dance about it - but they won't provide any signage, or a small pot of money so we can organise something. If a store wants to do something they need to do it from someones pocket first. It is a worthwhile cause but I think more of a publicity thing for Yum!.
Yum! are giving all employees who have been with them over a year to participate in the Yum! Brands Inc. Share Ownership Programme, YUMSOP for short. It looks quite good to be honest, as Yum! is on the up overall. You save up for three years, and then at the end of the three years you have the option to get your savings + bonus, buy shares at the agreed price from this year and sell them on, or buy shares and keep them to sell at a later date. So even if Yum! begins to drop in share price, you won't lose.
I think this is a pretty standard share save thing but it is quite good anyway.
The example they give is:
36 monthly payments of £20 = £720
Bonus = £48
Total = £768
No of shares you can get at the agreed price = 46
The price is £16.67 so if they go up £2 you're about £150 better off plus you got all the money you saved. I might go for it...but I don't know much about shares. And I also doubt I'll be there in 3 years but you can still get the bonus if you leave but not buy shares.
Oh and by the way, I'm aching a lot because I've been on my feet for no less than 11 hours today (sympathy please?) and I'm doing it all again tomorrow.
Yum! are giving all employees who have been with them over a year to participate in the Yum! Brands Inc. Share Ownership Programme, YUMSOP for short. It looks quite good to be honest, as Yum! is on the up overall. You save up for three years, and then at the end of the three years you have the option to get your savings + bonus, buy shares at the agreed price from this year and sell them on, or buy shares and keep them to sell at a later date. So even if Yum! begins to drop in share price, you won't lose.
I think this is a pretty standard share save thing but it is quite good anyway.
The example they give is:
36 monthly payments of £20 = £720
Bonus = £48
Total = £768
No of shares you can get at the agreed price = 46
The price is £16.67 so if they go up £2 you're about £150 better off plus you got all the money you saved. I might go for it...but I don't know much about shares. And I also doubt I'll be there in 3 years but you can still get the bonus if you leave but not buy shares.
Oh and by the way, I'm aching a lot because I've been on my feet for no less than 11 hours today (sympathy please?) and I'm doing it all again tomorrow.
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
Loyalty cards and Micros
In July we got loyalty cards. They gave us 4000 of the things to hand out. I can give you the exact figure we have had back. It has been hard to keep track because of the sheer amount but we did manage it: 3.
Out of 4000 cards we have had 3 redemptions. Oh well, maybe head office will come up with a better promotion other than you need to spend £12 to get a 99p side free or £36 to get a £2.69 pizza, next time round.
Yesterday the new menu launched complete with Meatball Deli. All our previous paperwork told us it was called Mamas Meatballs but they changed their mind. I tried it, the meatballs are soft but a bit dry. They need some kind of sauce on top, and they are so big the cheese falls of them. We also got chicken goujons (chicken fillet in southern fried coating, new to all Pizza Hut formats) and I can conclude they are around 10 times nicer than chicken dippers - not bad for an extra 10p. We don't do dippers anymore thankfully.
We got new menu boards and they are incredibly ugly - instead of having the titles of the meals at the top, it is at the bottom. Maybe I'm being too fussy.
To accommodate the new menu the tills software has to be updated. A lovely company called Micros does this. They have altered some bits but it has mainly stayed the same. Except the final pay screen. There used to be a large CASH button in the bottom right with equally sized £50, £20, £10 and £5 buttons just below them. But in their fantastic upgrade, they'll half the size of the CASH button as well as the £10 and £5 buttons. They have kept the £50 and £20 buttons the original size. And now at the bottom of the screen there is just grey, empty space. So no longer can you tap the bottom right of the screen to go through. It is a pain and just makes the chance of change inaccuracies greater. Micros are the same great people who put a pop up saying "Have you completed the change?" button after the cash drawer has opened but before the receipt will print. The purpose of this I have no idea. If it was saying "Would the customer like a receipt?" I could understand - we could save paper on all the people who don't want one.
I think this post really requires a photograph to explain why this is such a pain. I'll have to get one soon, but I'm hoping the next time I go in they have realised their stupid mistakes.
Out of 4000 cards we have had 3 redemptions. Oh well, maybe head office will come up with a better promotion other than you need to spend £12 to get a 99p side free or £36 to get a £2.69 pizza, next time round.
Yesterday the new menu launched complete with Meatball Deli. All our previous paperwork told us it was called Mamas Meatballs but they changed their mind. I tried it, the meatballs are soft but a bit dry. They need some kind of sauce on top, and they are so big the cheese falls of them. We also got chicken goujons (chicken fillet in southern fried coating, new to all Pizza Hut formats) and I can conclude they are around 10 times nicer than chicken dippers - not bad for an extra 10p. We don't do dippers anymore thankfully.
We got new menu boards and they are incredibly ugly - instead of having the titles of the meals at the top, it is at the bottom. Maybe I'm being too fussy.
To accommodate the new menu the tills software has to be updated. A lovely company called Micros does this. They have altered some bits but it has mainly stayed the same. Except the final pay screen. There used to be a large CASH button in the bottom right with equally sized £50, £20, £10 and £5 buttons just below them. But in their fantastic upgrade, they'll half the size of the CASH button as well as the £10 and £5 buttons. They have kept the £50 and £20 buttons the original size. And now at the bottom of the screen there is just grey, empty space. So no longer can you tap the bottom right of the screen to go through. It is a pain and just makes the chance of change inaccuracies greater. Micros are the same great people who put a pop up saying "Have you completed the change?" button after the cash drawer has opened but before the receipt will print. The purpose of this I have no idea. If it was saying "Would the customer like a receipt?" I could understand - we could save paper on all the people who don't want one.
I think this post really requires a photograph to explain why this is such a pain. I'll have to get one soon, but I'm hoping the next time I go in they have realised their stupid mistakes.
Sunday, 23 September 2007
Clumsy and Heelys
At work I do not have a reputation for being delicate or having any particular control over my movements.
Today, I fell in full customer view on the tiled floor I had mopped just 5 seconds ago. I had even put out yellow warning signs, to tell people the floor is wet. I saved myself on the little door, but it then swung open and I flung to the floor. It didn't hurt but was not particularly nice. It was one of those moments when you just know you are going to fall straight down and begin laughing before you've even fell. I was being stared at so I just said "I did NOT just slip over" and walked into the back to hide.
The next accident was in the back. I was cleaning behind the make table (where pizza is topped). I was mopping it. Then I fell once again on the water I was using. My freshly cleaned stainless steel make table then had my hand prints on it where I again, saved myself from greater accident. The comment I got from the manager sitting down was "Water is wet you know". Thanks for that.
I then went to walk off again, but walked straight into an oven deck. They have nasty sharp corners on. The comment I got from the same manager was "There's an oven there you know". I called him a male body part and went to stand on the front where no one knew about my little accidents.
Then finally, I was cleaning the coffee machine (uses HOT water). I couldn't find the plastic container we normally use, so used a metal one. Stupidly I forgot that boiling water in a metal container will make that container very hot. I picked it up and it then became apparent that it was hot and that I also couldn't put it back down without spilling it. So I rushed through to the sink swearing (we were closed) and gave it a final insult when I dumped it in the sick by putting the fry hopper lid on top of it. The same manager walked round from the desk slowly and just went "Metal conducts heat by the way" and sat back down. Arrgh
Oh and good news, Heelys which I moaned about before have been banned by the shopping centre. They have a new automated announcement and signs and I think they are great! I can't wait to tell children not to skate round because "THEY'RE BANNED" and can tap the sign we have been supplied with if parents come over to moan.
And bad news if you are a Pizza Hut customer who likes the Ice Cream Factory chocolate sauce. Pizza Hut are trying to go "natural" on the ICF and so chocolate sauce has been replaced with Lemon! Neither are orderable though, so you'll have to make do with neither for a bit, or until they click "Yes I do want 700 stores to have ICF sauce". Chocolate buttons have been replaced with chocolate raisins (yum!).
Finally thanks to Keith for a mention on his blog - the chavs and gypos aren't that bad and only make up a small % of the total customers I serve so they actually provide a bit of amusement...most of the time.
Today, I fell in full customer view on the tiled floor I had mopped just 5 seconds ago. I had even put out yellow warning signs, to tell people the floor is wet. I saved myself on the little door, but it then swung open and I flung to the floor. It didn't hurt but was not particularly nice. It was one of those moments when you just know you are going to fall straight down and begin laughing before you've even fell. I was being stared at so I just said "I did NOT just slip over" and walked into the back to hide.
The next accident was in the back. I was cleaning behind the make table (where pizza is topped). I was mopping it. Then I fell once again on the water I was using. My freshly cleaned stainless steel make table then had my hand prints on it where I again, saved myself from greater accident. The comment I got from the manager sitting down was "Water is wet you know". Thanks for that.
I then went to walk off again, but walked straight into an oven deck. They have nasty sharp corners on. The comment I got from the same manager was "There's an oven there you know". I called him a male body part and went to stand on the front where no one knew about my little accidents.
Then finally, I was cleaning the coffee machine (uses HOT water). I couldn't find the plastic container we normally use, so used a metal one. Stupidly I forgot that boiling water in a metal container will make that container very hot. I picked it up and it then became apparent that it was hot and that I also couldn't put it back down without spilling it. So I rushed through to the sink swearing (we were closed) and gave it a final insult when I dumped it in the sick by putting the fry hopper lid on top of it. The same manager walked round from the desk slowly and just went "Metal conducts heat by the way" and sat back down. Arrgh
Oh and good news, Heelys which I moaned about before have been banned by the shopping centre. They have a new automated announcement and signs and I think they are great! I can't wait to tell children not to skate round because "THEY'RE BANNED" and can tap the sign we have been supplied with if parents come over to moan.
And bad news if you are a Pizza Hut customer who likes the Ice Cream Factory chocolate sauce. Pizza Hut are trying to go "natural" on the ICF and so chocolate sauce has been replaced with Lemon! Neither are orderable though, so you'll have to make do with neither for a bit, or until they click "Yes I do want 700 stores to have ICF sauce". Chocolate buttons have been replaced with chocolate raisins (yum!).
Finally thanks to Keith for a mention on his blog - the chavs and gypos aren't that bad and only make up a small % of the total customers I serve so they actually provide a bit of amusement...most of the time.
Sunday, 2 September 2007
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Good news...
July's Gapbuster (the agency used) CHAMPS came in, and it was one of the new recruits as the server! One I'd trained, and they got everything right = 96%. We lost 4% because apparently they weren't wearing correct uniform. That's not right so hopefully it will get changed.
I think I might have had a CHAMPS (we have 2 wildcards a year - ie. 2 mystery shoppers in a month) as well this month, because a woman decided to get her own receipt from the printer...I do hope not, as at the time I was distracted by a barking man giving the above new guy grief.
I think I might have had a CHAMPS (we have 2 wildcards a year - ie. 2 mystery shoppers in a month) as well this month, because a woman decided to get her own receipt from the printer...I do hope not, as at the time I was distracted by a barking man giving the above new guy grief.
Saturday, 28 July 2007
What happened while I was off
Unfortunately when I arrived at work I was send home straight away as there was a special task force dealing with the ice cream mix that was at knee height. They estimate it will be another week to get it fully cleaned up. No ok that didn't happen. But the ICF offenders are still there, I discovered about a foot of ice cream piled up on the machine. TURN IT OFF, duh.
The uniform was no issue, except the way I wore the shirt, I looked like a "clown" according to a support manager. I explained to that most men will tuck the shirt in and then bag it out a bit so you don't look like a fool, unlike you who looks like a woman in a blouse (he has grown his hair recently...hmm). He disagreed but the next time I looked he had it tucked in and put his apron on to cover it.
However the new credit card machines were a problem. They are of a cordless variety with like a docking station it stays on while not in use. There are metal prongs which fit into the handset which charge it while in the station. There is green LED light on the docking station which indicates power. Now when you put the handsets in to their docks, you would expect them to charge, right? Wrong and for the last week and a bit they've been baffled as to why they won't hold charge and are moaning about low battery. Being probably the most...technically minded there I pressed a few buttons and discovered the option "Charge battery? - Yes press ENT, No press CAN". So they had been leaving them turned on overnight, thinking they were charging in the docks but infact they were losing more power. A totally stupid idea having to go through a menu and ask it to charge. Hopefully they'll be nice and charged up tomorrow.
Al has a post discussing regulars and quite nicely today a regular customer (a man previously with very little hair, wearing a blindingly obvious wig - have I mentioned that before?) said "Oh I haven't seen you for a while!" I explained the reason for my absence, chronic diarrhea, and he was on his way - loyalty card in hand.
Oh and that's another thing, new loyalty cards. I'm going to have to do an entire post on them sometime.
I answered the phone three times today hoping for something interesting - maybe a prank call. All I got was 3 idiots wanting numbers for another store. One of them I had never even heard of, one I was able to give and the other I didn't know and was ranted at because "I'm from out of town and was recommended Pizza Hut!!!". Heading upto 700 stores I seriously doubt they don't have a Pizza Hut where they live.
The uniform was no issue, except the way I wore the shirt, I looked like a "clown" according to a support manager. I explained to that most men will tuck the shirt in and then bag it out a bit so you don't look like a fool, unlike you who looks like a woman in a blouse (he has grown his hair recently...hmm). He disagreed but the next time I looked he had it tucked in and put his apron on to cover it.
However the new credit card machines were a problem. They are of a cordless variety with like a docking station it stays on while not in use. There are metal prongs which fit into the handset which charge it while in the station. There is green LED light on the docking station which indicates power. Now when you put the handsets in to their docks, you would expect them to charge, right? Wrong and for the last week and a bit they've been baffled as to why they won't hold charge and are moaning about low battery. Being probably the most...technically minded there I pressed a few buttons and discovered the option "Charge battery? - Yes press ENT, No press CAN". So they had been leaving them turned on overnight, thinking they were charging in the docks but infact they were losing more power. A totally stupid idea having to go through a menu and ask it to charge. Hopefully they'll be nice and charged up tomorrow.
Al has a post discussing regulars and quite nicely today a regular customer (a man previously with very little hair, wearing a blindingly obvious wig - have I mentioned that before?) said "Oh I haven't seen you for a while!" I explained the reason for my absence, chronic diarrhea, and he was on his way - loyalty card in hand.
Oh and that's another thing, new loyalty cards. I'm going to have to do an entire post on them sometime.
I answered the phone three times today hoping for something interesting - maybe a prank call. All I got was 3 idiots wanting numbers for another store. One of them I had never even heard of, one I was able to give and the other I didn't know and was ranted at because "I'm from out of town and was recommended Pizza Hut!!!". Heading upto 700 stores I seriously doubt they don't have a Pizza Hut where they live.
Tuesday, 26 June 2007
No smoking
I find it quite funny that we now have No Smoking signs on the back door and in the kitchen. Like anyone is going to light up in a commercial kitchen!
Oh well at least we won't be fined.
Oh well at least we won't be fined.
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Training
Because I've worked at Pizza Hut for a while now, I'm fully trained (can do anything in store) and am now given the task of training new people. I do get a pay rise and different title to reflect this, but no one knows when that is going to happen.
I've been doing this for a little while and it seems to have gone ok. No one has fell in the fryer or got their skin trapped in a cash draw, which are standard measurements of how well you have trained someone. Then we got the results of our latest CHAMPS check (mystery shopper), it wasn't pretty. All the points lost though, were not because I'd not trained the person properly but they seemed to have left their manners behind when they left for work, and also served cold pizza. I couldn't understand it because this person is normally full of manners it is sickening. So either Mr/s Champ or the team member had a bad day. What we all now do is go well over top with all the please/thanks/come again because...you can lose upto 15 points for not doing them or 1 point for not being genuine. So you can take the p**s and lose one point, but if you just don't do it lose 15 points. The criteria are really quite hard but the harshness of the rating varies a lot. To get the full marks according to the book we should be saying something along the lines of this every time we serve a customer
"Thank for you for choosing Pizza Hut, I hope you enjoy your meal and visit again. Is there any further assistance I can provide you with today?".
I never do that much...but I have been known to get the odd 100% CHAMPS :-D !
On a totally separate note we will soon have a BBQ pizza and strawberry cheesecake. The BBQ pizza looks nice but the strawberry cheesecake is a bit of a weird one. It's plain cheesecake, with strawberry ice cream sauce poured over it. Its nice but not exactly "strawberry cheesecake".
I've been doing this for a little while and it seems to have gone ok. No one has fell in the fryer or got their skin trapped in a cash draw, which are standard measurements of how well you have trained someone. Then we got the results of our latest CHAMPS check (mystery shopper), it wasn't pretty. All the points lost though, were not because I'd not trained the person properly but they seemed to have left their manners behind when they left for work, and also served cold pizza. I couldn't understand it because this person is normally full of manners it is sickening. So either Mr/s Champ or the team member had a bad day. What we all now do is go well over top with all the please/thanks/come again because...you can lose upto 15 points for not doing them or 1 point for not being genuine. So you can take the p**s and lose one point, but if you just don't do it lose 15 points. The criteria are really quite hard but the harshness of the rating varies a lot. To get the full marks according to the book we should be saying something along the lines of this every time we serve a customer
"Thank for you for choosing Pizza Hut, I hope you enjoy your meal and visit again. Is there any further assistance I can provide you with today?".
I never do that much...but I have been known to get the odd 100% CHAMPS :-D !
On a totally separate note we will soon have a BBQ pizza and strawberry cheesecake. The BBQ pizza looks nice but the strawberry cheesecake is a bit of a weird one. It's plain cheesecake, with strawberry ice cream sauce poured over it. Its nice but not exactly "strawberry cheesecake".
Monday, 11 June 2007
Pizza Hut Express
If you do an image search for Pizza Hut Express you get this rather horrid looking...well I'd say it was a serving hatch. I'm not sure how many people have actually seen a Pizza Hut Express in the UK, never mind ate at one.
It is a lot different to that one above. We don't stand in a 6 inch gap to to serve you, or do you help yourself to pizza. I think the best way I can describe it is...like McDonalds - where they get your food, but with a lobby area (they come into the unit about 12ft x 6ft) where the self service machines are for drinks and ice cream. It is quite modern...in design - but a bit traditional too, curvy and colourful in order to be welcoming.
This one is a bit more like it but in the picture you can't see the full layout, and our counter is a lower...and we don't stand in a huddle (or wear sunglasses!) on the front.
I just thought I'd post this incase you were wondering...? Nah I don't think you were.
It is a lot different to that one above. We don't stand in a 6 inch gap to to serve you, or do you help yourself to pizza. I think the best way I can describe it is...like McDonalds - where they get your food, but with a lobby area (they come into the unit about 12ft x 6ft) where the self service machines are for drinks and ice cream. It is quite modern...in design - but a bit traditional too, curvy and colourful in order to be welcoming.
This one is a bit more like it but in the picture you can't see the full layout, and our counter is a lower...and we don't stand in a huddle (or wear sunglasses!) on the front.
I just thought I'd post this incase you were wondering...? Nah I don't think you were.
Monday, 30 April 2007
Yum!
I have had a visitor on this blog...from Yum! Brands Inc. in Texas. They were searching for 'Pizza Hut Free'
Should I be worried? Probably not.
Should I be worried? Probably not.
Sunday, 29 April 2007
Weeks
"Till isn't working"
"Ok engineer there next week"
Next week
"Yeah it needs replacing."
"Ok"
"Will take about 2 weeks to order it"
2 weeks later
"Has the new till come yet?"
"No someone in admin forgot to order it, it will be with you soon though"
One week later - man strolls into the Hut.
"Hi has a big brown box with EPOS written on the side arrived?"
"No"
"Ok I'll come back next week then but before I go can I get a drink?".
Efficient service I must say, they don't operate in days - just weeks. We are still waiting for this till.
"Ok engineer there next week"
Next week
"Yeah it needs replacing."
"Ok"
"Will take about 2 weeks to order it"
2 weeks later
"Has the new till come yet?"
"No someone in admin forgot to order it, it will be with you soon though"
One week later - man strolls into the Hut.
"Hi has a big brown box with EPOS written on the side arrived?"
"No"
"Ok I'll come back next week then but before I go can I get a drink?".
Efficient service I must say, they don't operate in days - just weeks. We are still waiting for this till.
Sunday, 22 April 2007
I like to be stubborn sometimes.
This woman (I wasn't keen on her) has just paid for her meal. Then "omg" she produces some vouchers from her handbag.
"Oh yes...and I want this free dessert"
"Ah well I needed that when you ordered and paid because now I can't put it through. Sorry"
"WHAT"
"I can't give you the dessert because it has already gone through"
"What has gone through?"
"The order, in the till"
"Oh that is everyone's excuse these days! The till, the computer - just give me the pudding!"
"Sorry, but it does say on the voucher present at time of ordering. You have already ordeded...ok..."
"Well get your manager because I'm sure he can sort this out"
I go and talk to the manager, who I explain the story to in the back with some derogatory comments as well as discussing my hours next week.
"I asked him, he said we couldn't give it out for audit reasons"
"Well can I speak to him myself!"
"Sure..!"
"Hello - _____ has explained the situation to you, so unless you want to buy another meal you cannot get the free dessert, ok."
"Hmm well that is a load of bollocks!"
She went to sit down with the rest of her gypo family.
The same woman later:
"Can I just get a cup?"
"Yeah"
"Ok thanks"
"£1.09 please"
"WHAT?!"
"We charge for the cups...you can have as many refills as you want after though"
"This whole place is a load of bollocks!"
She slammed the cup down on the counter and went off.
Later on, we had a man with a moustache in. His pizza wasn't ready - but he seemed fine to wait for it. So it was in the oven, on a conveyor, cooking - nothing we could do, and by chance 3 of us were talking at the front while he was waiting. Then he flipped:
The manager was the one replying...
"What are you lot doing??? I have been standing here waiting for 10 minutes"
"Your pizza is in the oven..they take 6 minutes.."
"WELL MAYBE IF YOU LOT WEREN'T JUST STANDING THERE IT WOULD BE READY"
"Ok....."
"It isn't just 'oookay' - stop chatting and get my pizza"
"Calm down"
"I AM CALM, but I am getting fed up of waiting"
"Ahhh it is out now"
This manager doesn't have the best customer service skills, but that makes it all the more amusing.
Also, we have all got Pizza Hut Discount Cards now. They have punctuation errors on them of course - head office produced them.
"Oh yes...and I want this free dessert"
"Ah well I needed that when you ordered and paid because now I can't put it through. Sorry"
"WHAT"
"I can't give you the dessert because it has already gone through"
"What has gone through?"
"The order, in the till"
"Oh that is everyone's excuse these days! The till, the computer - just give me the pudding!"
"Sorry, but it does say on the voucher present at time of ordering. You have already ordeded...ok..."
"Well get your manager because I'm sure he can sort this out"
I go and talk to the manager, who I explain the story to in the back with some derogatory comments as well as discussing my hours next week.
"I asked him, he said we couldn't give it out for audit reasons"
"Well can I speak to him myself!"
"Sure..!"
"Hello - _____ has explained the situation to you, so unless you want to buy another meal you cannot get the free dessert, ok."
"Hmm well that is a load of bollocks!"
She went to sit down with the rest of her gypo family.
The same woman later:
"Can I just get a cup?"
"Yeah"
"Ok thanks"
"£1.09 please"
"WHAT?!"
"We charge for the cups...you can have as many refills as you want after though"
"This whole place is a load of bollocks!"
She slammed the cup down on the counter and went off.
Later on, we had a man with a moustache in. His pizza wasn't ready - but he seemed fine to wait for it. So it was in the oven, on a conveyor, cooking - nothing we could do, and by chance 3 of us were talking at the front while he was waiting. Then he flipped:
The manager was the one replying...
"What are you lot doing??? I have been standing here waiting for 10 minutes"
"Your pizza is in the oven..they take 6 minutes.."
"WELL MAYBE IF YOU LOT WEREN'T JUST STANDING THERE IT WOULD BE READY"
"Ok....."
"It isn't just 'oookay' - stop chatting and get my pizza"
"Calm down"
"I AM CALM, but I am getting fed up of waiting"
"Ahhh it is out now"
This manager doesn't have the best customer service skills, but that makes it all the more amusing.
Also, we have all got Pizza Hut Discount Cards now. They have punctuation errors on them of course - head office produced them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
