Zingerman's switches to digital complaint filing system
Want to complain that Zingerman's is over priced? Now your comments will be stored digitally.
The Ann Arbor gourmet food destination is now keeping all of its customer complaints and comments in a digital database, according to a New York Times story detailing ways that small businesses use technology to improve customer service.
Zingerman's — which operates a deli, restaurant, bakery and executive training program, among other services — generally categorizes customer comments "as either code red (complaints) or code green (compliments), but until recently they were captured on paper form," NYT reported.
But now, they're all stored digitally to make for easier analysis.
“We can now sort by types of complaints, customer name or period of time,” Maggie Bayless, managing partner of executive training program ZingTrain, told the NYT. “For example, as we go into the holidays, it’s possible to pull the data for the holiday season a year ago and see what problems we were having and identify: What do we need to remind people to watch for this year?”
Contact AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's newsletters.
Comments
ab92bake
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 7:31 p.m.
To a2taxpro-I'd like to apologize for never having gotten back to you about what you found in your pretzel. Our system clearly is not without flaws and this is the first that I've heard of it. I can imagine how you feel after thinking that you have been ignored for over a year. I would like to make this right for you. Please contact me here at the Bakehouse. Frank Carollo 734.761.7255
Thomas
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 12:23 p.m.
They are overpriced because you can sample everything in the building so they have to recoup the cost somehow.
John B.
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 11:33 p.m.
Folks can whine all they want about Zingerman's prices, but frankly, it doesn't really mean diddly (and I like to eat there occasionally, but don't do it often). They know their market, their core customers, and their competition. Who really eats there? Who really pays the tab most of the time? Think about it - it is primarily East Coast UM students, and their 'rents are picking up the bill, either directly when they come to visit, or indirectly through their big checks that they send their kids each month or semester. Compared to NYC prices for equivalent quality, Zingerman's is a bargain! If you don't like it, don't eat there, as others have stated, but this constant whining has really gotten old at this point. Live and let live. And the Roadhouse is quite different than the downtown facility. Two completely different concepts. I am not particularly a fan of the Roadhouse, but I like the 'original-recipe' business downtown.
leezee
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 1:39 p.m.
I think the point really is that they are overpriced and the food is adequate (with exception of the baked good), yet the majority of people in the area are like sheep....just going to Zingerman's because everyone says it's so good. I've tried the Roadhouse a few times and was not impressed, so I won't go back. At Christmas, I delve into my savings and buy my mother a loaf of their bread. And when I want a good deli sandwich, I go to Amer's. Great food, good service and lower price.
RunsWithScissors
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 1:34 a.m.
I'm a wee bit confused. The article didn't mention squat about "pricing" complaints. So why the knee-jerk reaction to pricing??? Any good company should track all customer comments (good/bad/ugly). And from what I've heard, Zingerman's is a good company.
John B.
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 11:22 p.m.
Because it's controversial, and a2.com hopes controversy will generate page hits. And, well, you get the point at this point, oui, mon gar?
citrus
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 1:05 a.m.
Let's hope that with Zingerman's new complaint system in place, people will stop posting their endless complaints about Zingerman's prices on AA.com.
a2taxpro
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 11:56 p.m.
Wish they had one over a year ago. Made an official complaint regarding metal wire in my pretzel (bakehouse). It cut my mouth and got caught in my teeth. Brought wirepiece to bakehouse manager. I was told someone would get back to me. Spent quite a bit of time listening. NEVER HEARD FROM ANYONE. Stopped buying pretzels. Got tired of waiting for a resposnse. Checked back and again was told someone would get back to me. Nothing. Guess they need some type of system. I can't be the only person with a complaint. Not very good customer service.
John B.
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 11:21 p.m.
Yeah, they'll surely be out of business soon. Are you sure that wasn't a razor blade?
kissthecobra
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 11:08 p.m.
Yeah, I know there are more important issues in the world, but this is serious stuff: the price of Zingerman's Chocolate Cherry Bread. It is now priced at $16.50/loaf, up from approximately $6/loaf some 10-12 years ago, and the loaf currently is about half the size that was sold 10-12 years ago. On top of this, Zingerman's has also quit using Callebaut chocolate in the bread, settling for a lesser priced substitute. Come on, $16+ for a small loaf of chocolate cherry bread??? My wife and I love the stuff but we quit buying it two years ago. OK, my rant is over.
John B.
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 11:38 p.m.
And you shouldn't really be eating the chocolate-cherry bread anyways. It's not really bread, more like candy, and it's probably illegal in some countries...!
John B.
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 11:36 p.m.
No bread at Zingerman's is $16.50 per loaf. Please try again.
Donald Wilson
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 3:51 a.m.
Actually, the Chocolate Cherry bread is $9 a loaf, UNLESS you're having it shipped by Zingerman's Mail Order. If you get it at the Deli, or at the Bakehouse, you won't pay that premium.
SM
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 11:03 p.m.
They are overpriced. Generally their employes will say "you get what you pay for" which is very misleading. You can eat good, tasty, local food without putting a hole in your pocket. On our recent ventures to Chicago & Traverse City we were able to eat at amazing local/organic type restaurants which were very affordable... I wish there were more restaurants in AA that were comparable. I do think that most of their sandwiches are tasty. Our family would visit them more often if they were affordable. One of the most laughable things I find about Zingerman's is that they use local milk from Calder's Dairy (which is DIRT CHEAP with the bottle return) and act like their selling premium grass fed/organic dairy products.
Linda
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 11:48 p.m.
Just a note..Calder's Dairy is located in Carleton and is not inexpensive..I had a store and sold Calder's ...people complained that the milk was good but the price was too high..I only could bump the price about $.45 a gallon...no profit there..and the bottle deposits are $1.25 each...
sigdiamond
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 8:25 p.m.
What is the point of "complaining" that a restaurant is overpriced? Who is forcing people to eat at expensive restaurants?
Charlie Brown's Ghost
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 1:39 p.m.
What is the point of complaining that people are complaining? Who is forcing people to read their complaints? Good Night and Good Grief
Atticus F.
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 1:18 p.m.
Have you ever considered that the sandwiches might be $18 if people didn't complain about the prices. Because seriously, if nobody ever comlained about their prices, zingermans might be inclined to raise their prices even higher.
sigdiamond
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 9:27 p.m.
I guarantee they're losing customers because of their prices. I'm sure the owners know that. They charge what people are willing to pay them and they're an extremely profitable business. You think they're overpriced, so you don't eat there. Problem solved. End of story. I mean...what else is there? Seriously, I'm not trying to be obtuse here, but I honestly don't understand why Zingerman's prices upset people so much. I think Von Maur is overpriced, so I don't buy my clothes there. I don't get angry about the fact that they're expensive. What's the point of that? What do I care what Von Maur charges for their clothes? Why is Zingerman's different somehow? Because they sell food?
Atticus F.
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 9:16 p.m.
The point of complaining, is to bring to the attention of the owners that they may be losing customers.
Bertha Venation
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 : 8:23 p.m.
oooo goodie! Now the $12.00 sandwich will cost $15.00 in order to fund the digital comment database. Great idea! ;)