Esme the Guide Dog chased out of Haagen-Dazs HV
-
from Esme The Guide Dog facebook
Continuation to the Diary Of A Guide Dog
I'm sitting here, sucking my toe and thinking to myself how I can make the NEA legislation and the MSF card more effective. Many people appear not to care two hoots about both nor the basic human respect towards another human being who is a paying customer and who also happens to suffer a visual impairment.
This is especially disheartening for me as my adopted country had just recently celebrated the achievements of blind PHD holders but yet the people on the ground appear not to be ready to accept the blind community in all its shapes and size.
It is so frustrating for me a bona fide guide dog who was scientifically bred, went through two years of vigorous training and who holds a photo ID which is supported by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). There is no respect for the countless kind hearted people that made me possible for people like Mama.
On 8th September, I guided Mama and a few blind friends to the Haagen-Dazs outlet at Holland Village at about 6.35pm. This is what I heard after guiding Mama inside the door.
HV staff: Would you like a table inside or not?
Mama: Inside please.
HV staff: But Mdm, no pets. Can you leave the dog outside?
Mama: I'm blind, and this is my guide dog that guides me around.
HV staff: Wait, I call my manager.
**Lady Manager standing at the door not talking, facing away from Mama
Mama: Are you the manager? Please take a look at this legislation from NEA, excluding guide dogs from the no pets policy to the Public Environmental Health Act. This is also a card with MSF's support allowing guide dogs into all public spaces.
Lady Manager: No pets, mdm.
Mama: This is not a pet as I have explained, it's my guide dog, and I need it as I am blind.
Lady Manager : I only the assistant manager.
Mama: Where is your manager?
** Gentlemen clearing throat: I am the manager!
Mama: Yes, as I was telling both your staff, I am blind and this is my guide dog. Please take a look at this legislation from NEA excluding guide dogs from the no pets policy to the Public Environmental Health Act. This is also a card with MSF's support allowing guide dogs into all public places.
Male Manager : No pets, mdm.
Mama: Are you saying you would not allow my guide dog and I to sit inside Haagen Dazs?
Male Manager: No mdm, not you, just the dog.
Mama: What about the white canes of my friends, do they need to be parked outside as well?
Male Manager: Mdm, my company policy is no pets. Please understand.
Mama: As I have said before, this is not a pet! it is a working dog for a blind person.
Male Manager: Mdm, my company policy is no pets. Please understand.
Mama: All right. In that case, I am happy to take my business elsewhere.
**Mama standing outside the store facebooking about the rejection.
Male Manager **stepping outside the store: Mdm, I never say cannot, you never gave me a chance to read the paper.
Mama: I showed it both to you and the lady manager, and I have been holding it in my hands all the 10 minutes in the store. Why are you only concern now that I am facebooking?
Male Manager: But it's Sunday and my head office is closed!
Mama: It's all right, because on Sundays blind people also don't need to eat ice-cream. We'll go elsewhere.
*Disclaimer:
These are some musings of a very clever 4 legged being, and by no means am I questioning the good intentions of any entities or the happenings mentioned in this journal entry. -
The list goes on, not only HD are ignorant to the fact about guide dogs.
It falls back on the communication between the ground staff, and upper management. When your ground staff are not given the discretion to make decisions, then they stick to what they have been told.
The episode would not have boiled up, if the manager had made a decision to let them in, and then settle with upper management if ANYTHING does pop up.
-
Originally posted by ditzy:
The list goes on, not only HD are ignorant to the fact about guide dogs.
It falls back on the communication between the ground staff, and upper management. When your ground staff are not given the discretion to make decisions, then they stick to what they have been told.
The episode would not have boiled up, if the manager had made a decision to let them in, and then settle with upper management if ANYTHING does pop up.
Well, the manager claims it's sunday and their HQ isn't open... Obviously this is a person who doesn't want/dare to take responsibility...A person who cant take responsibility isn't quite suited for management work since they are best suited to follow instruction...
Tat said, Haagen Das is also not quite doing a good job in keeping the flames down...
With the internet and social media nowadays, they have to settle this fast, if not the rate which the damage worsen is going to get worse...
-
no prob
bcos i go B&J and coldstone nia
-
Meh, Marvelous Cream was way better then coldstone... but Marvelous cream I think all jiak curry chicken liao...
The last branch at 303 has become garett popcorn or dunno wat le...
is there any other Marvelous Cream outlet around?
-
frankly, most service staff haven't a clue and most are "tidak apa" and have this attitude of "this shit is beyond my pay scale"
and their pay scale is pretty dismal as it is...
maybe it's also a total and utter lack of general knowledge too.. most of the staff at work don't even know there is such a thing as a guide dog
-
Originally posted by the Bear:
frankly, most service staff haven't a clue and most are "tidak apa" and have this attitude of "this shit is beyond my pay scale"
and their pay scale is pretty dismal as it is...
maybe it's also a total and utter lack of general knowledge too.. most of the staff at work don't even know there is such a thing as a guide dog
I would presume general knowledge is a problem too... for example, it was after this incident that I know that MUIS has allowed guide dogs in halal eatery...But of coz General Knowledge is not to blame when Cassandra showed the staff papers and documents and explain to them about guide dog. Even after explanation, the staff still referred guide dogs as pets.
Even last year when she was at forever 21 buy clothes, the staff also told her no dogs allowed, and when she was explaining halfway, the staff just left... end up she talk to empty air...
-
Inflexible staff much....
Not quite sure if its really HD's fault for having employees who cannot (do not) think a little? HD higher management might very well slap the shit out of the small manager for this fracas that need not be, if it had actually been communicated to him.
Maybe its the work culture.
Like bear pointed out: Tidak apa!
-
Maybe they cannot tell the difference from a Pet and a Guide Dog... so management should just spell it out with a sign.
:P
-
no official statement from HD Singapore. yet.
-
There was an official statement from Haagen-Dazs.......
...... in one tiny comment in one of the existing posts on their FB wall.
Shucks man, where did their PR department get their degrees from?
-
anyone to verify the drop in sales at the HV outlet? (and other outlets)
-
Majority of singaporeans are not connected to social media.
-
the sg gahmen on the news do some 'much' for the disabled. yet this time of things no follow up.
-
HD has come out to apologise in today's papers. With this issue, hopefully there is now greater awareness of guide dogs and more can be brought in to guide the visually impaired.
-
so the prob is partly bcos our govt no create and promote enuf awareness?
-
PAP 的错�
-
society's fault...
-
HD has called Cassandra, as well as emailed her their apology.
https://www.facebook.com/EsmeTheGuideDog/posts/559159287483818
I guess this episode has come to a close.
-
Originally posted by ditzy:
HD has called Cassandra, as well as emailed her their apology.
https://www.facebook.com/EsmeTheGuideDog/posts/559159287483818
I guess this episode has come to a close.
I was reading the page halfway then I notice vivian came out and comment also...he agrees that this is a chance to educate and promote awareness...
This wouldn't have happened if general awareness was promoted long ago...
Does anyone know if this falls into vivian's previous MCYS purview???
-
月亮惹的祸
-
jiak 1 ice cream got so much stories
-
din get to jiak leh.
-
jiak lak har jiak icecream somemore
-
This guy is saying being blind is a privilege.
http://www.todayonline.com/voices/eateries-decide-allowing-guide-dogs-premises#inside