D&D Brewery is one of the main attractions at Lago de Yojoa. Honduras' only (I think) micro brewery / hostel. This is the place most backpackers gravitate to because it's listed on travel books. I didn't get many pictures because I was busy having fun!
I only have two observations to make about this place. 1.) The beer is excellent and 2.) I was very pleased (and surprised) by the staff and their service. The difference between good beer and mediocre beer is obvious to even a novice beer drinker. The quality of beer didn't surprise me, I had already been made aware by 90% of backpackers traveling north through the hostel I managed in La Ceiba. The latter though, that was a shocker. I did not expect the owner and assistant to be as attentive and engaging as they were. I also don't expect to be handed a drink while I shop at Diunsa, or a shoulder massage after a haircut, (not anymore anyways) but it's nice to know that your patronage is appreciated.
Excellent customer service will increase repeat customers, it also allows you to gain insight from the customer's perspective. More importantly, the quality of service is a decisive factor in the Returning Catracho Report 5 baleada rating.
D&D Brewery: 5 out of 5 Baleadas
I only have two observations to make about this place. 1.) The beer is excellent and 2.) I was very pleased (and surprised) by the staff and their service. The difference between good beer and mediocre beer is obvious to even a novice beer drinker. The quality of beer didn't surprise me, I had already been made aware by 90% of backpackers traveling north through the hostel I managed in La Ceiba. The latter though, that was a shocker. I did not expect the owner and assistant to be as attentive and engaging as they were. I also don't expect to be handed a drink while I shop at Diunsa, or a shoulder massage after a haircut, (not anymore anyways) but it's nice to know that your patronage is appreciated.
Excellent customer service will increase repeat customers, it also allows you to gain insight from the customer's perspective. More importantly, the quality of service is a decisive factor in the Returning Catracho Report 5 baleada rating.
D&D Brewery: 5 out of 5 Baleadas
Blueberry soda, their dark brew (pictured twice) , and the pale
Pale and Dark
Thick onion rings
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3 comments:
I haven't been to D & D Brewery but I wanted to comment on your remarks about customer service. I was recently reading the Trip Advisor Reviews of D&D -- they were great for awhile, then terrible for awhile (while the owner was away), and now are great again (after the owner returned). It reinforces the point that I make that owners need to be involved in their business.
Just in general, I think too often owners don't know what is going on or how their employees are treating customers. At too many restaurants, the manager is not there or is hiding in a back room somewhere, thinking himself too important to be bothered with pesky customers. Those businesses will fail!
That is probably less true on the islands where tourists are their meat and potatoes, but is definitely a problem on the mainland in hotels, restaurants, and stores. I crave hellos, smiles, and thank yous and when I get them, I'm much more likely to go back.
The other option to having an owner present 100% of the time is developing and implementing procedures and standards for the employees and business. Having the owner present 100% of the time rarely leads to long term and/ or consistent success. The owners either burn out, or fail to grow because the business lacks a solid foundation.
Employee handbooks, training manuals, accurate accounting, or the concept of "training" employees are unheard of in most businesses. We can't expect a server to greet a customers with a, "Good evening, my name is Catracho. I will be your server, please feel free to let me know if you need anything." unless a manager trains him to do that, and you can't expect a manager to do that if he's not trained or experienced enough to know that himself.
I've seen 18 year old kids being employed as "Teachers," at the private school they just graduated from. These kids are teaching other kids without any formal or informal training in education. I'm not even talking about Honor Roll students, these were C average students after all the "recuperation" and "favors".
On the bright side, it can only get better.
Hmmm. I posted a second comment on this a week or so ago. I guess it didn't take. Nevermind! I don't remember what I said.
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