Karuna Coffee House closed
This world is full of idiots distributed strategically so you can meet at least one per day. — Paulo Coelho
I had passed by Karuna Coffee House on Saturday, found closed, a notice stating many days closed. Not that I had time for a coffee, as I was on my way to Farnham for a coffee.
Today, to save a wasted journey, I checked Facebook, no opening hours, no mention of the days closed.
I tried calling.
Next I posted a query on their Facebook page.
Coffee shop open today?
No opening hours on facebook page.
Nor mention of days closed.
I noticed passing by Saturday, closed and many days closed.
Their response a diatribe, when all required a simple answer to a simple question. Hours open, when open if closed.
As you point out in your post you saw on the door the notice letting you know when we are back to our regular working times. Detail is important, skipping it can create a biased posted.
Regular opening times can be found on the door. also a simple Google search will let you know too. Give it a go.
As an independent business we get to choose when we are open. As you would have seen the notice on the door states that we are taking annual leave. This is important to us, to ensure our team are at their best and that our regular customers get the service and quality they have grown to expect.
Furthermore, our regular customers knew weeks before when we were closing and when we reopen, we look forward to welcoming them.
My calm measured response to their diatribe.
Correct. When passing by noticed there were days when closed. Hence the question as could not find information in Facebook page. An obvious place to post, both opening hours and if additional days when closed.
A simple question requiring a simple answer. I had also tried calling.
The response an unbelievable diatribe.
Customer relations obviously not a strong point. Or how to make effective use of social media.
Maybe learn both, and more to the point answer a simple question on opening , not engage in a diatribe.
I have shown the response to where I am eating and they were incredulous.
I can only hope the coffee is not a reflection of the diatribe.
All that was required was their opening hours, when they are next open if days closed. Maybe having drawn to their attention, they post this information on their faceboook page for all to see.
Aldershot is somewhere to be avoided, boarded-up shops, rarely see anyone on the streets.
Not somewhere to open a coffee shop when no footfall on the street. Coffee shops open, serve undrinkable coffee, do not last long, then close.
Not therefore the way to treat an inquiry about opening hours.
They give their staff a holiday. What do they want, applause?
Do they pay their staff a real living wage? What are they paying the growers of the coffee, what premium above commodity price?
When think cannot get any worse, later in the evening using their facebook account to post abuse and personal attacks. Something going very very wrong with this coffee shop.
And the coffee? I do not know, have not tried.
update
Late night when think can get no worse, yet more attacks, this time with a name attached. Hard to believe all I did was ask when open.
Keith Parkins this is a very sad sad situation you have gotten yourself into here (AGAIN). At least we all know that you know the meaning of the word ‘diatribe’, except that perhaps you could learn were to direct it…. (yourself would be a good start).
Sorry you haven’t enjoyed our exchanges today. We have little patience (actually none) for you as we have gone around this mountain with you a few years ago, twice, and you simply don’t see the world the way most people do (not your fault). We’ll pass on you offering your opinion of us, we are doing just fine and our customers tell us so.
As mentioned before, your blogs/tweets/posts are something quite spiteful (but at least i’m reading them…. i mean, who else is???), when you see something you don’t like you just trash it publically (something you don’t like in return) without the business owner being given a choice or chance, although you do seem to be a hard man to please so i dare say it would be a wasted effort.
Although I am probably taking this way too far, Keith, I actually enjoy this, because no one else sees this the way you do. I have built this little coffee business up from the ground with my own hands, I have sweat, blood and tears invested into it and you taking issue with it really gets me going. Whats more, as a charity director, is that I don’t profit from this business, our community get coffee & cake of a good (to high) standard and reasonably priced. AND a community hub that is free to use, we simply try to be a force for good in the town that you have nothing good to say about (i know, it’s hard to believe i’m a good person after all this, i do try). On-top of that the profit that does come from our coffee and from the shop all goes to our charity that has provided education and healthcare to people all over the globe and we have done this for over 30 years. (WELL DONE US)
So, in closing, forgive me if the only words I ever utter to you in the future are not what you want to hear but my world is much bigger than your small opinions. And again please don’t come to our shop!! And have a nice day
Simon
Once again a reasonable measured response from myself.
Once again missing the point.
A simple question when open to save a wasted trip to Aldershot.
Easy enough to answer, but instead a diatribe.
I am not the one launching personal attacks, but at least we now have a name to the person launching the attacks.
I have said nothing about the coffee shop, I have not a view as was not open when I passed by.
I have highlighted your appalling lack of people skills, merely re-posted what you posted.
I am not sure how asking a perfectly reasonable question on opening hours is getting oneself into a situation. And it would not have even been necessary to ask, if posted on on facebook page, plus of course mention closed for several days for whatever reason.
This coffee shop claims to be a charity, though I have not seen a charity registration number listed as required.
If a charity, would require a board of trustees. The trustees need to be asking questions what is being posted in their name.
No one reads? Followed by a very eclectic mix of NGOS, leading writers, journalists, politicians, champion baristas.
No one reads? E-mail from google maps, locations added, added not already pinned on google maps, over 500,000 views.
- reviews over 55,000 views
- photos over 13 million views
Each post more and more bizarre. And let us not lose sight that this is in response to a query when open.
Attacks on the business? None. I have not found open, I do not have a view.
If they served bad coffee I would say so, if good coffee I would say so. I am merely highlighting the increasingly bizarre posts. If nothing else, highly unprofessional.
further thoughts
The day Coffee House opened, a picture was posted on Facebook to say they were open, open regular hours. Er, still no mention of what these regular hours were, their facebook page showed temporarily closed.
Talking to several small businesses, I asked, what would the response be if I found not open, asked when open, and noted no hours listed on their facebook page:
- an apology for not being open
- thanks for drawing attention to hours not listed on facebook page
- opening hours
They found unbelievable the response.
What the coffee is like I do not know, as were closed when I passed by last Saturday. But, as general rule, if the service is bad, the coffee usually bad too.
Coffee shops that serve excellent coffee, care about coffee, care about service, take a pride in what they do also care about their reputation. Greasy spoon cafes masquerading as coffee shops do not care.
Passing by on a market day, coffee shop not busy, Costa was busier. Inquiring of Costa: ‘We are busier, we are serving better coffee’.
