The Pizza Company in Udorn - good story

[chuckd]

Permit me to pass on what happened last night at The Pizza Company in Central Plaza Shopping Center in Udon Thani.

I took my wife and her friend to Udorn to meet for dinner with a couple of old friends that were passing through on their way back to Pattaya from Laos.

We met at Central Plaza and decided to eat at The Pizza Company.

After being seated we studied the menus and my wife placed the order of two large pizzas, one caesar salad and assorted drinks.

The drinks arrived fairly quickly with the salad not long behind. We continued our catching up and got rather lost in the conversation.

After perhaps half an hour or longer, one of the guys asked where the food was, so we called the waitress over. She explained that was all we ordered. We then reordered.

She told the Manager of the problem, who immediately came over to the table to inform us the waitress was new and she would take care of our order as quickly as possible.

Within five minutes came a large tossed salad, the waitress saying it was at no cost and compliments of the manager.

Shortly after that, the two pizzas arrived exactly as originally ordered.

When the bill arrived, they charged us for one caesar salad, various drinks and ONE large pizza.

The manager explained the bill was correct and giving us one free pizza and tossed salad was their way of saying..."sorry".

A very good experience in the long run.

[gerry123]

truly amazing but really no more than expected if the staff are new starts the management should take extra care with their training

[bino]

Nice experience and story, but I would have only accepted the extra salad and sincere apology as rederess for the mistake.

I would have insisted on paying for everything that I had originally ordered, for fear of them docking the free items from the employees salary.

[chuckd]

We left a 200 baht tip.

[SantiSuk]

Just had a similar experience with True Visions today. Flew up from Ubon to Bangkok this AM with wife specially to meet a pre-arranged appointment to get their television services installed at our condo. [several friends and relatives staying over coming months but all the early ones will be with us in BKK over weekends - hence the need for a special dedicated trip].

Should have thought about Thailand's notorious reputation for meeting appointments and reconfirmed the appointment before we flew, but only did so on arrival in BKK this am with the appointment having been set up for this afternoon. When we called the True Visions installation organiser lady she said (you guessed it), 'no we are coming on Monday now'. The reasons behind the change were confusing but my wife did the now well-trained 'don't kowtow to assumed authority' thing and laid into her with feeling - we spent 5 grand to get here especially and you do this to us? What kind of company ... etc etc

Found out that extending our stay a few hours tomorrow to meet a hastily convened suggested alternative appointment would cost 2,500 baht and decided sod that and sod True Visions we're going to go elsewhere (TOT IPTV) and I'm going to rip out True Visions at our Isaan home too as well as find the name and contact details of the sales director to make sure he knows what goes on at the installation end. Told my wife to ask for the installer lady's full name.

My wife's falang-training in complaining reached a baulking point at that instance, but it was not necessary to go for the complete jugular job. My wife had already told the lady we were not prepared to throw 2,500 good money after bad to stay on for a hastily rearranged appointment for tomorrow.

One hour later back came the call that the office was prepared to pay us the 2,500 baht 'overstay' fare adjustment and the money was in our account 2 hours later. I noticed that the money appears to have come from the lady's personal account.

Thailand is slowly changing into a customer service culture after all!

[WheresWaldo]

You re astounded at this level of service because this is Thailand. This sort of customer service is typical of businesses in competition with one another in the United States, because business owners know instinctively that customer service is the one area that can tip the scales in their favor in a price competitive environment.

Most, not all, Thai business people seem to have no concept of customer service.

Now, back to Pizza Company. It was founded in 2001 by American William Heinecke. Pizza Company is the wholly owned subsidiary of Minor Corporation of which Mr.Heinecke is Chairman and CEO. As an American businessman, he is protected under the Amity Treaty. He brought the American style of customer service to his business, and it pays.

So now you know the rest of the story . . .

This is probably one of the reasons Thais restrict foreigners in business so much. Can you imagine what would happen to all the Thai shop owners if foreigners were allowed to open up competing shops right next door?

Edited January 22, 2015 by WheresWaldo

[thrilled]

I believe if your an owner of A business,if there is some kind of A mistake on your business part,you need to do whatever

You can do to make it right with the customer.It's better to lose a few baht from that one customer than losing many

Many would be customers that will never go there.Mistakes happen.Fix them quickly no,harm done.Thats my take.

[Smurkster]

nice to hear something like this...

[Estrada]

You re astounded at this level of service because this is Thailand. This sort of customer service is typical of businesses in competition with one another in the United States, because business owners know instinctively that customer service is the one area that can tip the scales in their favor in a price competitive environment.

Most, not all, Thai business people seem to have no concept of customer service.

Now, back to Pizza Company. It was founded in 2001 by American William Heinecke. Pizza Company is the wholly owned subsidiary of Minor Corporation of which Mr.Heinecke is Chairman and CEO. As an American businessman, he is protected under the Amity Treaty. He brought the American style of customer service to his business, and it pays.

So now you know the rest of the story . . .

This is probably one of the reasons Thais restrict foreigners in business so much. Can you imagine what would happen to all the Thai shop owners if foreigners were allowed to open up competing shops right next door?

Bill's an old friend of mine so I have known him for years. He actually came here aged 14 and went to International School here. He renounced his dual American Citizenship in 1991 so he should really be considered as a Thai Business man, not American. He used to be in our Rotary Club and still supports our projects. It is the Rotary Ideals that he brought to his business.

We always remember Bill telling a school mate that he was going to start a Pizza Hut Franchise and his friend told him that he would never get Thais to eat cheese on toast. The Pizza Hut restaurant chain grew like crazy until in 1991 Pizza Hut tried to increase the fees, so Bill started Pizza Company. I jokingly suggested he name them "Pizza The Action". You will note that Pizza Hut run under American way of doing business does not do so well, whereas Pizza Company runs better under Bill's Thai management style.

[hkt83100]

I have been twice to The Pizza Company, once in Phuket and once in Pitsanulok. Both times the pizza was horrible, in taste and texture. They will never see me back again.

[kerrysum]

I'm glad he did because Pizza Hut always sucked years ago..... It was just dough, cheese, and yes... A bottle of Ketchup... Really sucked, and found many better pizzas in Thailand.

[lopburi3]

I noticed that the money appears to have come from the lady's personal account.

Thailand is slowly changing into a customer service culture after all!

That the lowest level employee is being charged for a management error makes this a customer service culture?

[sunshine51]

I agree...this is a good story. Why slag it off?

This isn't America or Europe or Australia or wherever.

This is LOS and things will be managed the Thai way.

If a dual national returns & brings other managerial

tricks of the trade to apply here & they work...so

much for the betterment of everybody IMO.

I have had bad pizzas in LOS. I have also had

many more good ones than bad. That said I have

also had bad pizzas in America, Europe, Aussie

and many more places on this planet...and I have

had really good ones in the places I have listed,

more good than bad matter of factly.

[Smurkster]

the pizza company isn't very good, I am very lucky, in a town like Nongbualamphu the thing people would least expect is authentic Italian food...well for any of those in the region, they might know about "Pinocchio Pizza" Davide and his wife have a brick oven pizza and turn out an amazing menu from Pastas to Pizza and nice specials, plus good wine....

if you are ever in the area GO, its worth it....btw, I am in no way affiliated with the restaurant, just trying to spread the word

[chuckd]

You re astounded at this level of service because this is Thailand. This sort of customer service is typical of businesses in competition with one another in the United States, because business owners know instinctively that customer service is the one area that can tip the scales in their favor in a price competitive environment.

Most, not all, Thai business people seem to have no concept of customer service.

Now, back to Pizza Company. It was founded in 2001 by American William Heinecke. Pizza Company is the wholly owned subsidiary of Minor Corporation of which Mr.Heinecke is Chairman and CEO. As an American businessman, he is protected under the Amity Treaty. He brought the American style of customer service to his business, and it pays.

So now you know the rest of the story . . .

This is probably one of the reasons Thais restrict foreigners in business so much. Can you imagine what would happen to all the Thai shop owners if foreigners were allowed to open up competing shops right next door?

I've met Bill several times over the past 25 years or so.

Used to play cards daily with the guy that loaned him the money to start his office cleaning business.

Bill is a good business man and he can be proud of the manager of his Udorn operation.

[chuckd]

the pizza company isn't very good, I am very lucky, in a town like Nongbualamphu the thing people would least expect is authentic Italian food...well for any of those in the region, they might know about "Pinocchio Pizza" Davide and his wife have a brick oven pizza and turn out an amazing menu from Pastas to Pizza and nice specials, plus good wine....

if you are ever in the area GO, its worth it....btw, I am in no way affiliated with the restaurant, just trying to spread the word

How about some directions to his place. We are some 40 kilometers from NBL and my wife loves pizza.

Developed the taste while we were living in Riyadh.

[Nemesis7]

Nice of them, indeed

[sprq]

You re astounded at this level of service because this is Thailand. This sort of customer service is typical of businesses in competition with one another in the United States, because business owners know instinctively that customer service is the one area that can tip the scales in their favor in a price competitive environment.

Most, not all, Thai business people seem to have no concept of customer service.

Now, back to Pizza Company. It was founded in 2001 by American William Heinecke. Pizza Company is the wholly owned subsidiary of Minor Corporation of which Mr.Heinecke is Chairman and CEO. As an American businessman, he is protected under the Amity Treaty. He brought the American style of customer service to his business, and it pays.

So now you know the rest of the story . . .

This is probably one of the reasons Thais restrict foreigners in business so much. Can you imagine what would happen to all the Thai shop owners if foreigners were allowed to open up competing shops right next door?

Unfortunately he also brought the American style of food. The most revolting piece of cuisine I can remember having in Thailand in three decades was served to me at one of his joints. I have carefully avoided them ever since. Let me say, though, that Pizza Hut -- which Heinecke based his chain on after losing, or dropping, his Pizza Hut concession in Thailand -- is probably no better.

[hanuman2543]

You re astounded at this level of service because this is Thailand. This sort of customer service is typical of businesses in competition with one another in the United States, because business owners know instinctively that customer service is the one area that can tip the scales in their favor in a price competitive environment.

Most, not all, Thai business people seem to have no concept of customer service.

Now, back to Pizza Company. It was founded in 2001 by American William Heinecke. Pizza Company is the wholly owned subsidiary of Minor Corporation of which Mr.Heinecke is Chairman and CEO. As an American businessman, he is protected under the Amity Treaty. He brought the American style of customer service to his business, and it pays.

So now you know the rest of the story . . .

This is probably one of the reasons Thais restrict foreigners in business so much. Can you imagine what would happen to all the Thai shop owners if foreigners were allowed to open up competing shops right next door?

Everything's correct, only Mr Heinicke is a Thai citizen for a long time already so he is free to own businesses and own land without restrictions. Same applies for visa and work permit. Edited January 23, 2015 by hanuman2543

[inzman]

You re astounded at this level of service because this is Thailand. This sort of customer service is typical of businesses in competition with one another in the United States, because business owners know instinctively that customer service is the one area that can tip the scales in their favor in a price competitive environment.

Most, not all, Thai business people seem to have no concept of customer service.

Now, back to Pizza Company. It was founded in 2001 by American William Heinecke. Pizza Company is the wholly owned subsidiary of Minor Corporation of which Mr.Heinecke is Chairman and CEO. As an American businessman, he is protected under the Amity Treaty. He brought the American style of customer service to his business, and it pays.

So now you know the rest of the story . . .

This is probably one of the reasons Thais restrict foreigners in business so much. Can you imagine what would happen to all the Thai shop owners if foreigners were allowed to open up competing shops right next door?

Actually, Mr. Heinecke is not protected by the treaty of Amity. He is a Thai citizen and as such, enjoys running his own business here. He obtained Thai citizenship at the ripe age of 18.

[hanuman2543]

You re astounded at this level of service because this is Thailand. This sort of customer service is typical of businesses in competition with one another in the United States, because business owners know instinctively that customer service is the one area that can tip the scales in their favor in a price competitive environment.

Most, not all, Thai business people seem to have no concept of customer service.

Now, back to Pizza Company. It was founded in 2001 by American William Heinecke. Pizza Company is the wholly owned subsidiary of Minor Corporation of which Mr.Heinecke is Chairman and CEO. As an American businessman, he is protected under the Amity Treaty. He brought the American style of customer service to his business, and it pays.

So now you know the rest of the story . . .

This is probably one of the reasons Thais restrict foreigners in business so much. Can you imagine what would happen to all the Thai shop owners if foreigners were allowed to open up competing shops right next door?

Actually, Mr. Heinecke is not protected by the treaty of Amity. He is a Thai citizen and as such, enjoys running his own business here. He obtained Thai citizenship at the ripe age of 18.

Actually he obtained Thai citizenship 1991 when he was no longer 18.

[attrayant]

This thread warms the cockles of my heart.

[gudtymchuk]

To continue on with praise for Pizza Company my wife and I recently went to the Pizza Company restaurant at Tesco Lotus in Khonkaen. We ordered, got our drinks and salads and a few minutes later the server brought a plate of french fries. I told the server we did not order french fries but she explained that the manager sent the fries because he considered it was taking too long for our pizza to be delivered to our table. I have never had a bad experience with any Pizza Company restaurant in Thailand. Wish I could say the same for other chain outlets.

[Travelman868]

truly amazing but really no more than expected if the staff are new starts the management should take extra care with their training

Pizza Company in Udon have always been good, if they make a mistake they generally give a 500 baht voucher

[Issangeorge]

Mr. Heinecke, used to have the Pizza Hut franchise in Thailand. He had some sort of disagreement with Pizza Hut, so started the Pizza Company, but it was a long time before 2001, maybe in the early nineties.

[inzman]

Mr. Heinecke, used to have the Pizza Hut franchise in Thailand. He had some sort of disagreement with Pizza Hut, so started the Pizza Company, but it was a long time before 2001, maybe in the early nineties.

basically borrowed the idea, very successful business man.

[elgenon]

Ordered tacos at Sunrise on Sukumvit around Soi 12. 45 minutes and nothing. Anoither 15 minutes and they brought something I didn't order. Another 30 minutes I got my order and the meat was tough and not properly cooked. Emailed the owner and he was iinsulted and told me they had been busy. Why didn't they at least tell me so I could go somewhere else? By the time I got my order I was late to meet my friends. The food inedible.

The OP's experience was the way it should be.

[lostinisaan]

Indeed a great and heartwarming story about a new employee who'd maybe just lost her job, she was so proud of.

And the amount of money for the pizza, plus a salad was deducted of her 3,500 baht salary.

BTW, the only good pizzas in Thailand are those who're homemade by Italians. Spago in Ubon might be a good example.

Edited January 25, 2015 by lostinisaan

[Smurkster]

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Indeed a great and heartwarming story about a new employee who'd maybe just lost her job, she was so proud of.

And the amount of money for the pizza, plus a salad was deducted of her 3,500 baht salary.

BTW, the only good pizzas in Thailand are those who're homemade by Italians. Spago in Ubon might be a good example. alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

I already mentioned it but I'll do it again, Pinocchio in Nongbualamphu is fantastic..people drive from an hour or so out of town to eat there. His pizza "Napoli" with olives, capers and anchovies is great and I think a large is like 200 baht

[SunsetT]

I believe if your an owner of A business,if there is some kind of A mistake on your business part,you need to do whatever

You can do to make it right with the customer.It's better to lose a few baht from that one customer than losing many

Many would be customers that will never go there.Mistakes happen.Fix them quickly no,harm done.Thats my take.

Yes u r so right but most This just dont get this! Lack of education.....Sure..........But the business owners should know better...........Usually if u complain about something in a restaurant u just get an inane grin.............Not even an apology! .............Infuriating.............In essence it is the 'Losing face' issue again.....holding Thailand back in so many ways.

...........So it is really encouraging to hear a story like this.