Heavenly Desserts Derby — Restaurant in England

So I have been a long time customer of Heavenly Desert Derby when it opened back in 2008. The service used to be amazing food was great and overall I shared alot of amazing memories here with family and friends. And wanted to feel this nostalgic moment since I've seen a expansion and referb has taken place.

I wish I could give zero stars. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere was horrible and uninviting. The staff looked annoyed to even see customers. I sat at the dedicated booth that was given by the member of staff. My sister and me wanted to have a festive hot drink after a long day of shopping and cold weather. Once we were seated staff completely forgot about us at the table and didnt even come over to take our order,my sister had to get the attention of the staff which was very unprofessional. One thing I'd like to add the store was completely empty with no customers so I dont understand the level of glacial pace to take a hot drink order. The person who took our order acted like I was inconveniencing him by being there.

Upon further observation I could see the male staff member where more interested in hugging and congregating with each other than actually doing there jobs. A couple of booths where dirty with plates left behind and the main table in the middle was used to just dump all glasses,plates & cutlery. For a place that is supposed to be above the average this deserts parlour has lost its touch.

After waiting a total of 20 minutes for just two hot drinks. I noticed my hot dirty chai tasted like burnt milk more than a infusion of spices. After calling one of the staff over he was immediately defensive with me saying it's fine and that I ordered this drink this way. He did give a chance for me or my sister to explain what was wrong he immediately went mid way through conversation to get another made and call his manager over. He didn't give me a option to tell him what I'd like to do. When the manger came over he made me feel like a criminal for addressing the issue at hand, which could have been resolved with better communication and a smile. In the end I asked for the drink to be taken off my bill. I just wanted to pay and leave immediately as I didn't wanted further passive aggressive stares and vibes.

After all of this I still had to wait a further 10 minutes for someone to bring over my bill and staff made it there mission to ignore us and make us feel uncomfortable.

My sister was told to pay at the front till even though in the past a member of your team has come with the card machine to the table we were seated.

We payed and the staff in a very rude and passive aggressive way said "HAVE A NICE DAY SEE YOU SOON" honestly I was so angry and will not recommend people not to come here and waste money on bad service and dropped quality

This place has zero respect for its customers. Between the poor service and the unwelcoming atmosphere, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Save yourself the time and frustration—go somewhere else. I honestly won't be coming back at all after this horrible experience today,...

Nice place to go after shopping. Very hot drinks in cool styling cups.

Update 20/07/2024 Returned to have coffee. :

Today I returned to your café after being pleased with my previous experience, hoping it would remain just as delightful or even exceed my expectations. Unfortunately, that was not the case, which is a shame as you have a well-placed product with optimum potential.

I ordered a cappuccino at £3.75 at 16:43 and sat well within view of the staff. By 17:04, having waited long enough and with no time left to spare, I drew attention to the poor service and requested a refund. This caused a sense of collective embarrassment among the staff, and one lady apologized, admitting the oversight was hers.

Having managed a large hotel, I can tell you that at such a moment, you have an opportunity to rectify the situation and even enhance your reputation with a meaningful response. Contrition alone will not tip the scales in your favor. The goodwill of the customer is your most valuable asset, and without it, you have no business.

Here’s a blueprint for every customer interaction: as soon as a new person approaches, make eye contact, smile, and acknowledge their presence, even if you are busy. Treat every customer as you would your "mum." Once seated, keep them on your radar and notice them. Keep them updated on their order's progress. Some delays are inevitable, but it’s crucial that the customer feels esteemed and important to you.

It’s unrealistic to expect that nothing will ever go wrong. When it does, your focus should be on how to make it right. The response must be proportional to the damage or the risk of losing the customer and those they influence. A simple sorry and a refund is not enough because the customer may leave feeling let down and undervalued.

I would have appreciated a heartfelt apology followed by the question, "How can we put this right for you, sir?" Then, exceed the expectation, given what is at stake. Whether it be an apology, a refund, a free product, a voucher, or a promise of a complimentary experience on a future visit, it’s essential to go beyond mere words.

For instance, you might say, "We are so sorry, sir. Please come back another time, and we will offer you a complimentary experience at our expense."

In conclusion, my comments are offered in the spirit of wanting you to succeed and retain your customers. I do not wish to use this review to cause any negative consequences but rather to give you an opportunity to still "put things right."

Wishing you continued...

Really disappointed with the service today. It wasn't busy at all as there was only one other table occupied. I ordered straight away before I even sat down - the vegan Biscoff waffle and a cappuccino with oat milk and caramel. I was told that it would take 10 - 15 mins because the chef was downstairs. The waitress said she would try to make it but if it didn't turn out right she would get the chef to re-do it. I assumed she was new which is fine but she handed me the coffee and said it was my cappuccino with soy milk. I didn't tell her I asked for OAT instead SOY milk but I did question the amount of foam in my cappuccino considering the cup is so small. She tried to fob me off with an excuse about how the soy milk makes the foam like that. She was probably proud of it... A while later she comes to me with a waffle with pink sorbet and bananas. I said it wasn't what I ordered and she tells me I ordered a Banoffee waffle. I tell her I don't even like banana and after speaking with the 'chef' came and took my plate away without a word. I was confused but didn't believe her since she got my coffee wrong too. Later she says that they don't have any vegan ice cream and asks what other toppings I want instead. I asked for the coffee to replace the ice cream but was told no which was annoying since already felt like I didnt get a proper cup. Then after seeing the selection of toppings in the book I chose custard. I was given the waffle, then brought a knife and fork, and then the custard in a jug. She assured me it was vegan custard however she served it cold. By then I had given up. I quickly ate my waffle with the teaspoon that I had to request earlier with my coffee and left. I don't know if I'll be coming back but please train ALL your staff properly. Make sure they get the right order, they know how to make things properly before serving and provide napkins and the right cutlery because I don't know what that waitress expected me to do with a fork...