Cue Card

Describe a time you received horrible service

You should say:

• When it happened
• Where it happened
• Who you were with
• What happened
• And why the service was horrible

Sample Part 3 Questions

1. What kinds of service counts as bad service? / What would you consider to be bad service?
2. Why do some people choose to remain silent when they receive bad service?
3. Who should be responsible for bad service?
4. As a boss, what would you do to prevent bad service?

Sample Cue Card Answer

I'm still fuming about the worst customer service experience I had at a trendy brunch spot last weekend. I walked in, excited for a Sunday Funday with friends, and was immediately greeted by a hostess who seemed like she'd rather be anywhere else. I asked for a table for four, and she grudgingly handed me a buzzer, telling me it'd be a 30-minute wait. No smile, no apology, just a monotone 'we're slammed'. I get it, restaurants get busy, but a little courtesy goes a long way.

We waited for 45 minutes, not 30, and when we finally got seated, our server seemed completely uninterested in our presence. I asked for a coffee, and she rolled her eyes, like I was asking for the moon. I mean, I've worked in customer-facing jobs before, I know it can be tough, but this was on another level. When I politely asked for a refill, she sighed audibly and muttered under her breath. At this point, I'm wondering if I'm in some kind of social experiment.

The food took forever to arrive, and when it did, it was wrong. I ordered scrambled eggs, got an omelette instead. My friend asked for no gluten, got a gluten-filled dish. We politely told the server, who shrugged and said 'oh well'. No offer to fix it, no apology, just a shrug. At this point, we're all just staring at each other, mouths agape. We asked to speak to a manager, who finally arrived, apologetic and embarrassed, offering us a discount and a complimentary dessert. Too little, too late.

As we left, I realized that horrible service isn't just about one bad employee – it's about a systemic problem. If a restaurant can't be bothered to train their staff to be friendly and attentive, that's a top-down issue. And as customers, we deserve better. We deserve to be treated with respect, even when things go wrong. So, to all the servers, hosts, and managers out there, take note: a little kindness and courtesy can make all the difference.

Cue Card Answer Key Phrases and Idioms

Sunday Funday

a casual, relaxed Sunday spent socializing with friends

We're going to brunch for Sunday Funday

I'm so down for Sunday Funday this weekend

slammed

extremely busy

The restaurant was slammed on Friday night

I'm slammed with work right now, can we talk later?

on another level

exceptionally bad or extreme

This traffic is on another level

That movie was on another level of scary

too little, too late

something that is done or offered when it is no longer useful or effective

I got a refund, but it was too little, too late

The apology came too little, too late, the damage was done

Sample Part 3 Answers

What kinds of service counts as bad service? / What would you consider to be bad service? To me, bad service is when the person providing the service is completely uninterested in helping you. Like, I went to a coffee shop the other day and the barista just seemed so put off by my presence. She was sighing and rolling her eyes, and it took her forever to make my drink. I mean, I get it, we all have bad days, but as a customer, I'm expecting a certain level of friendliness and attentiveness. When that's not there, it's just a bad experience. And it's not just about the person's attitude, it's also about the quality of the service. If someone is supposed to be helping you with something and they're not doing their job, that's bad service too. Like, if you go to a restaurant and the waiter forgets your order, that's not just a mistake, that's bad service.

Why do some people choose to remain silent when they receive bad service? I think some people choose to remain silent when they receive bad service because they don't want to make a scene or cause a confrontation. Maybe they're just not comfortable speaking up or they don't want to be perceived as being difficult. But I think that's a shame because if nobody speaks up, then the bad service is just going to continue. I mean, think about it, if nobody ever complained about bad service, then companies would just keep on providing bad service because they wouldn't know any better. By speaking up, we're actually helping to create better service for everyone. Plus, it's just not fair to the people who are providing good service. I mean, if someone is doing a great job and providing excellent service, they should be recognized for it. And if someone is doing a bad job, they should be held accountable. By speaking up, we're helping to create a more balanced and fair system.

Who should be responsible for bad service? I think the person providing the service is ultimately responsible for bad service. I mean, they're the ones who are supposed to be helping you, so if they're not doing their job, that's on them. But I also think that the company they work for is responsible too. I mean, if a company is consistently providing bad service, then there's a problem with the way they're training their employees or the way they're managing their business. So, it's not just the individual's fault, it's also the company's fault for not providing the right support and resources. And maybe even the customer is a little bit responsible too. I mean, if we're not speaking up and telling the company that their service is bad, then we're not helping to create change.

As a boss, what would you do to prevent bad service? If I were a boss, I would make sure that my employees were properly trained and equipped to provide good service. That means giving them the resources they need to do their job, like training and support, and also giving them the autonomy to make decisions and take care of customers on their own. I would also make sure that my employees were happy and fulfilled in their jobs, because when people are happy, they're more likely to provide good service. And I would also make sure that I was leading by example, you know, showing my employees what good service looks like and holding them to high standards. And if someone was providing bad service, I would address it right away, not just for the customer's sake, but also for the employee's sake. I would want to help them understand what they did wrong and how they can improve. And finally, I would make sure that I was listening to customer feedback and using it to make changes and improvements to our service.

Part 3 Key Phrases and Idioms

lead by example

to show others what to do by doing it yourself

As a boss, I would lead by example and show my employees what good service looks like.