Don't keep quiet. Demand your due..

28^th July 2013

Scene at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi

Time: 3.30 pm

During our  transit time at the GMR created airport, we dashed for a cup of coffee at a food court. The menu displayed ‘Espresso’- our favourite since we  first got the taste of coffee. It had other  offerings, as well. For the sake of understanding, when I asked about their ingredients, espresso had only coffee and hot water- no milk. So, we settled for ‘Coppuccino’.

@ Rs85 each cup, it turned out to be a bad bargain, with a tasteless liquid.

We decided to complain  the young man behind the billing desk. He had a stock reply, “This is made by machine and nothing could be done about it”.

Not ready to give up, I told him that he may try adjusting  machine for a better taste.

He took the cue and took back the cups. This time the order was served in a proper tray (with tissue paper) and the Coppuccino tasted very well.

 Took the tissue paper.

Wrote, “Good coffee. THANKS. This was as expected. Please keep it up.”

Finished our coffee, went to the bill desk to personally deliver the appreciation note.  Left the note with another man, now sitting behind the cash register. He was amused to read the short note. I took time to explain the incident that led to this and got to know that the concerned billing guy was Anand. By that time, Anand returned back. My note was handed over to him by his amused colleague.

I was leaving the counter and Anand was all smiles, with some confident resolve reflecting on his face.

I was wondering. Had I kept quiet and sipped the insipid liquid without a word of protest, we all would have been losers.

A little, but effective communication made it win-win situation….