The Sweet Service Award goes to the Cape Town International Convention Centre and to Sollie van Wyk, the manager of its coffee shop.  Yesterday afternoon, just before 17h00, I asked for a cappuccino and water at the restaurant, waiting for Fine Brandy Fusion to open at 17h30, and couldn’t believe seeing the ‘Closed‘ sign, as a number of patrons were still sitting at the tables and chairs, and a large collection of staff still being on duty.  A waitress had promised that a coffee could be made, but it did not arrive.  Sollie told me that the restaurant had closed, that the coffee could not be made, and that I should go to Marimba on the other end of the building.  When I asked him for the name of his manager and Tweeted my frustration at not being able to order coffee (there was nothing to order to eat or drink inside the Hostex exhibition, ironic as it is a show for the hospitality industry), the cappuccino arrived.  Two further groups of patrons were eventually served coffees after they too had to beg for them!   My friend Bettie joined me after 17h00, and Sollie made her a coffee too.   We were chatting so much that we did not notice that the staff had departed and had not charged for the coffees.  The Convention Centre did follow up via Twitter. Continue reading →