The Sweet Service Award goes to Huguenot Fine Chocolates in Franschhoek, for its guided tour of chocolate-making at its premises last week. Whale Cottage has been a long-standing client, but has never visited the production facility, which is upstairs, above the shop. We were allowed to sample the chocolates made especially for us, and also received a sample pack to take home. We receive excellent service from the Huguenot Fine Chocolates team, and no deadline is too short for them to make up a new order.
The Sour Service Award goes to Nedbank, for not being “on the ball” with its VISA Pre-Paid card promotion, sent to clients this month, but dated “December 2010” and using the deader-than-dead World Cup visual on the card, as well as wording that plays on the event that finished almost seven months ago – “Pay with your card and be part of the game” and “Before, during and after the Games”! The card was sent to Nedbank credit cardholders, and encourages them to transfer their Greenback points across to the new Prepaid Card. The subtle catch is that one must pay R30 to activate the card (why would one need another credit card if one is a Nedbank cardholder already?) and 2,5 % on the value one loads onto the card. All withdrawals are free of charge, except those done at Nedbank branches. Mr Graeme Holmes, Nedbank Head of Consumer Cards, encourages one to keep the card if one does not want to add the Greenbacks earned to it, “as a momento of the 2010 FIFA World Cup!”. What a joke!
The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog. Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com. Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.