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Toilets reveal both attitude and action

I pulled into a bakery/restaurant on the Sunday evening in the middle of the long weekend. It was busy, but I’ve seen the place busier. It’s a popular bakery and it is right next to the freeway.

I decided to head to the bathroom before ordering, and it was the start of a shocking experience. The smell as I stepped in nearly made me gag. Chances are the smell is the result of a recent inhabitant, but it was enough to throw me into food safety mode. I did a quick inspection and the toilets were dirty, toilet paper on the floor, and the usual demonstration of men’s inability to aim.

It was like stepping into a trucky stop from the eighties.

I may exaggerate a bit, but let’s get this really, really clear – people on social media exaggerate A LOT.

So at this stage it was clear that the toilets had not been cleaned recently. Not a good start.

Remember –

“Want to know what a restaurant’s attention to food safety is without entering the kitchen?

Look at the toilets and rubbish bins.

If staff take the time to keep them neat and clean then they will probably be looking after everything with the same care.

If they are a disgusting mess then consider eating elsewhere.”

(The Rotten Food Cookbook – Page 56)

But it gets worse

I take the safe option and buy just a coffee.

As I get my coffee from the barista, I ask to see the manager. No manager in, but there is a supervisor. Can I see the supervisor? No problem…

And that’s when this bakery really bombed out – this young guy standing nearby said he would handle it. The barista says OK. I assume this is someone with a bit of authority.

I hand over a copy of The Rotten Food Cookbook, dog eared to page 56, and tell him that the condition of the toilets is a shocker. His response was priceless

“It doesn’t surprise me, it’s been busy.”

But wait, there’s more

I created the video above when I stepped out. I wasn’t going to post it if they responded to my complaint. I rang up on Wednesday to talk to management. They had no idea that I complained. The complaint was not passed onto the supervisor. They actually have a complaint book, and it wasn’t entered in the complaint book.

This guy ignored the complaint.

And so I am posting the video.

As a direct result of this guy’s actions and inactions, I am posting a public comment on the business. My goal is to make a point, not shame the bakery. If I wanted to shame the bakery I would head straight to Facebook.

What does it say about food safety at the bakery?

In theory, the management at this bakery is doing everything right. They have a complaints book and contacted me again after I called them on Wednesday. They are about to renovate the toilets. They have food safety procedures in place.

Except they have at least one staff member who just doesn’t give a toss.

And is prepared to hide complaints about food safety.

Is that a culture within the bakery, a recruitment issue, a one-off dud, or just a kid who has had a long day?

What is covered with our shipping insurance?

Our normal terms and conditions (like most businesses) is that you take possession the moment an order ships. If the order is lost or damaged in transit then, in theory, it’s your problem. In reality we will have a conversation and try to work out a good way to resolve the issue where we are both happy (or not too upset).

Shipping insurance is there to remove the drama. If an order is lost or damaged in transit, we will simply send out a replacement, and we will then deal with the courier directly to resolve the original problem.

Our shipping insurance also means that if an order is delayed beyond what is normal and reasonable then we will send you another shipment (stock levels permitting). Then you should receive one of them sooner, and when the second one arrives you simply Return To Sender.

How much is shipping insurance?

Shipping insurance is 5% of the cost of the goods.

Is it worth it? Practically we have had far less than 5% of shipments have problems. It is, however, what Australia Post and other couriers charge. Ultimately insurance is about peace of mind and less hassle when something does go wrong.

Shipping insurance as an option

Shipping insurance is offered as an option on all our web sites. You can select it at the checkout.

For large orders our staff may also ask if you would like shipping insurance.

If you would like shipping insurance on an order you are placing with us, just ask.

Mandatory shipping insurance

Unfortunately we have had a couple of large orders not make it and then the customer refused to pay. A friend suggested that the easy way to avoid the dispute is to insure any shipments where we have a significant risk.

If you would like an immediate line of credit (30 days to pay) and have the goods ship immediately (no credit check delays) and are purchasing over $500 then we will add shipping insurance to your order.

The shipping insurance can be waived if the order is between $500 and $2,000 and you provide us with a formal confirmation that you accept responsibility of the goods once they ship.

Alternatively you can prepay by direct deposit or credit card.

What is not covered?

If there is a clear proof of delivery to the shipping address provided then we class that as delivered. Unfortunately there are cases where it is lost somewhere between the loading dock or receptionist and ending up in your hands. But we also know that a photo of the bag against a generic grey background is not proof of delivery, it is just proof of existence! It needs to be a reasonable proof of delivery.

It also doesn’t cover the expectation of overnight delivery. For example, if we were to ship to Melbourne (we are in Sydney) then we would expect it to be delivered within about 3 days. Most of the time it is overnight, but there are enough floods and other issues that regularly cause minor delays. Sending a second order the next day tends to not fix the problem. If it is super urgent, talk to us about how we can minimise the risk.

For damage claims we ask that you contact us immediately and we will probably ask for photos or some proof. The shipping insurance doesn’t cover claims weeks later. We do have warranty covering our items, but it excludes physical damage (e.g. being dropped). If the goods are damaged in transit then please let us know ASAP so we can cover it under the shipping insurance.