What do you think would be an appropriate response/rectification to this email?

[intheguf]

Hello,

I’d like to make a complaint. I booked a table for ten people at your establishment for 8pm - Saturday, 18th June. I paid the 50 pound deposit over the phone and I asked the woman how the deposit is paid back, she replied that it would be paid back in vouchers to be spent in your establishment. I’d asked if there was any chance I could get it back in cash as would be simpler for me. She replied that she would ask her manager, which she did whilst I was on the phone, and the manager said that it was fine to pay me back cash.

Turned up on the night, all fine, table was fine etc. Went to the bar and asked about deposit at which point was given vouchers. I explained to the girl behind the bar that I was to get cash. She said she remembered speaking to me on the phone and fetched the manager.

I’m not sure of the managers name, but he was wearing a white shirt and had an ear piece in and I think his name begins with ‘A’ but could be wrong - he stated he was the only manager of your establishment. The manager came over in a really aggressive manner and denied that he had ever agreed to give me my deposit back in cash even though the girl behind the bar confirmed that she had taken the phone call and he had authorised that. I said to the manager that if he didn’t authorise it then he needs to speak to his staff about giving out misinformation. At this point he came close to my face and said ‘what do I need to tell my staff?’ and repeated this several times in a really aggressive manner. I felt very intimidated and uncomfortable to the point I just agreed to take the vouchers as I dislike confrontation and just wanted the situation to be over. I used 30 pounds of the vouchers and am now left with a 20 pound voucher which I won’t get the use out of due to the fact that I won’t be returning to your establishment after this experience.

If your policy is to return deposits via vouchers then that is fair enough, but it should have never been agreed to if that is the case. Your manager made out that I was a liar along with his member of staff that was serving behind the bar. That along with his aggressive mannerisms and the way in which he dealt with a paying customer is totally unacceptable. I left shortly afterwards as I felt so uncomfortable. If cash deposit return hadn’t been agreed then I could have booked elsewhere or worked something out with my group. However, I’ve now been left £50 out of pocket due to this.

It was my 30th birthday and I really just wanted to celebrate with my friends and this really put a dampener on the night. I am so disappointed as I have only ever had great experiences with your establishment but the customer service I received last night is the worst I have ever experienced unfortunately.

Kind regards

What does your written down policy on deposits say? I assume the policy is to prevent no shows, the customer wasn’t a no show so I can’t understand what part of the terms and conditions they have broken to not have their deposit returned properly.
How the manager treated them is irrelevant in this instance as they met the terms required therefore should be refunded, I also don’t see how they are scamming you out of free drinks when you are holding their money hostage. Although you might want to address the managers behaviour if you are after your business being successful.

Just give her £20 cash. It’s not ‘free’, they paid the deposit and didn’t use that part of it. They’ve paid for the drinks they had.

Offering to refund a deposit in vouchers is pretty rubbish tbh.

Although this probably could’ve been avoided if the customer just bought drinks for their party using the vouchers, and got friends to give her cash.

So you're basically saying there's a minimum spend of £50 for the table. Do you advertise that as being the case?

I think you really need to look up the definition of a "deposit". Because this customer has not paid a "deposit". She has given you £50 in advance, and you give her £50 in vouchers to pay for drinks. If she doesn't spend £50 she's out of pocket.

Shit system, if you ask me.

@LadyFlumpalot very well said.

Surely if the person has turned up at the table and only having drinks you just give back their cash deposit. Sounds like an absolute con if you ask me. You also need to send your manager on a customer service course. You need to apologise to the customer and refund their deposit.

OP

I'd be surprised that a business owner really has to resort to Mumsnet to double check the correct protocol in any situation, let alone this one.

This isn't a normal way to run a business. Either customers reserve a table (for free) or you take card details and bill them if they're a no show. I wouldn't dream of going somewhere that does this and I suspect unless you sort this out neither will all the people this customer tells.

This I have eaten in all manner of cafes bars and hotels all over the world - never heard of this.if it is a despiser take it off the bloody bill for food

Can you say where you are so I can never visit?

You question was how to respond to a perfectly reasonable, well written email.

Wish a huge apology, bunch of flowers and an offer for a free meal. And £20 cash for the voucher they won't use.

Seems a lot of effort they put into writing such a well constructed email if it is a load of lies.

The only one gaining anything by lying is your manager. Get rid asap.

Actually answering your question though.. check the cctv, it was only yesterday and it will show if he did get in her face or screamed at her .. either way it sounds like he needs retraining

Well really how the manager behaved and if he is lying about what he said is irrelevant - your policy is unacceptable and, I suspect, not legal. Give her her £20, apologise, and change your policy sharpish.

If you're the owner, what you should take from this is that it's a terrible policy. I'd not book at a place that demanded my cash, but refunded me in vouchers. Especially when you have a manager manager s a rude sexist liar. Why haven't you spoken to your other employee?

Your manager sounds awful and your policy is tantamount to cheating your customers.

Odds on when the OP asks for this thread to be removed?

This.

I was also wondering about the legality of requiring a cash deposit, but refunding it in vouchers.

Sounds like a dodgy business practice to me. Is it legal?

Leaving aside the sheer lunacy in dreaming up this unwieldy, unfair, and quite possible illegal system, it must make account reconciliation extremely difficult too. Unlike the easy system of taking a credit/debit card deposit which is returned back through the same card when the punters have turned up. Works perfectly well for meals and drinks.

But to go back to how you respond to the complaint in question, the answer is simple. With an apology and a full cash refund. And then you change your policy on deposits and refunds while hoping that your business has already been comprehensively rubbished on Trip Advisor.

...hasn't already been comprehensively rubbished....

Thats not a deposit though is it-its a down payment for their drinks-and im not sure you can offer vouchers back either

Why didn't OP buy £50 worth of drinks she didn't want? Now there's a difficult question to answer ...

Why does she write that she’s left £50 out of pocket when she also said she had a £20 voucher left? Wouldn’t that make her £20 out?

I agree it’s a weird way and customer unfriendly way of handling the deposit. I’m just skeptical about her version of events. Perhaps because I think it’s weird to reserve a table then only have drinks. And also a strange setup in which everyone pays for individually, one drink at a time, at the bar. Is there no table service? No tab?

If indeed the manager acted aggressively and other staff corroborate this, I’d fire him.

So you make people reserve a table, that they have to pay a deposit for, but you don't give them table service?

Do you apply a service charge to their bill too 🤨

I'm amazed that you think this deposit system is in any way acceptable! It's not a deposit, you should stop calling it that. It's a charge for getting a table.

Sounds like a front for money laundering to me. Any chance you can share the name of the business so we all know to avoid it?

Dear customer

Thank you for your email. I’m very sorry to hear that you had a poor experience at our bar on X night and would like to apologise for any confusion that may have arisen from the table deposit policy. It is our usual practice that the deposit is paid back in vouchers that can be spent on bar drinks - we find that most customers requiring a table will spend more than £50 during the night. On this occasion our customer service clearly wasn’t up to scratch and I’ll be speaking with all members of staff to ensure this scenario is a one-off.

If you would like to come in again with your friends, we’d be happy to add another £30 of vouchers to compensate. Do let me know if you’d like to take me up on this offer and I’ll make the necessary arrangements personally.

Best wishes blah blah

Sorry, just realised OP manages the place.

I think this system is utterly ridiculous. Why don't you do what everyone else does and take credit card details? If it's a deposit to secure the table and the party duly turns up and uses it, then you return the deposit. You can't seriously suggest offering vouchers is an adequate response. If I booked a restaurant or bar and was told this was the only way I would get my deposit back, I would cancel the booking immediately and put an adverse review on Trip Advisor.

In your case, I would also sack the rude manager.