18/10/2026
Good customer service isn’t about perfection; it’s about listening.
As a fellow business owner, I welcome any feedback, good or constructive, to ensure I am providing the best customer experience for my clients and, in extension, my clients' clients. Hence, I am always open to providing the same for services I pay for professionally and personally.
So, recently I gave Holey Moley/Hijinx Hotel Canberra (Funlab) some honest feedback after a teenager’s birthday party didn’t quite hit the mark, and their response was hands‑down the best example of customer care I’ve seen in a very long time.
They listened, asked questions, took responsibility, and actually fixed things. A masterclass in how to turn feedback into loyalty. Shout out to Brendan for the personal touches and connection.
And just quietly… this behaviour is in stark contrast to a major nationwide restaurant chain (Townsville-based 'prime rib' location) that, whilst on holiday, recently served raw meat to our table, served inconsistent dishes, ignored the issues, added me to their marketing list and sent multiple 'offers' whilst taking multiple contact attempts before eventually sending an unemotional, "We're sorry that was your experience.”
Even after informing the restaurant manager that we were visiting from out of state and that there was not a local restaurant for us, they simply stated a $50 voucher would be added to our next booking. Showing they hadn't even read the provided feedback, let alone wanted to address the issues. Some of which held very serious health and safety issues. So no, we won't be returning, and in turn, we will let anyone who asks know about the terrible experience so they can make an informed decision (as goes the 'WOM' referral) on their next dine-out night.
Businesses like Holey Moley/Hijinx Hotel Canberra remind me why feedback matters and why I’ll always advocate for speaking up; not to complain, but to advise a business owner of the issues and help improve the experience for everyone.
