Health Center Submarina

Good enough for what ails you.

I recently created a review expressing just how bad this Submarina treats it’s patrons or customers. Unfortunately, I put it under the Volero Gas Station & Food Mart, Submarina is located inside the gas station food mart, because I couldn’t locate this actual location in the Unilocal directory. Since then, I deleted my review there to correctly make my point here, where it belongs! You see, I have been very pleased with Volero Gas Station & Food Mart. My issue is with this Submarina’s lack of concern for the customer. I have been in Customer Service and Promotions for many years. Mine, as well as friends’, family, and neighbors’ observation too, is the sandwich counter’s rude treatment to others from the older woman who works there and multiple complaints of the girls sometimes ignoring customers while they stand and talk amongst themselves or to friends, arguing with customers about discounts, etc.
My friend and I were in one day specifically. The owner was there and my friend proceeded to share with him how certain things had previously made her and many others stop coming. But, because of me dragging her there for another try, she was positive about giving them another chance and spreading the word. Instead of being appreciative of the customer, my friend, the manager proceeded to argue with her and defend his girls and claimed he wanted to do away with coupons. He acted like we should be grateful that he accepted our Submarina coupon. He didn’t even hear her. This was more than a disappointment.
I still love the owner’s Dad at the Volero Gas Counter! He is sweet and makes me smile every time! I just wish his son would be a little less defensive and learn to take constructive criticism. More than that, it would be nice to retrain some of the young ladies behind the Submarina counter with the true meaning of Customer Service.
I am sorry if I hurt anyone’s feelings. I just know this is a fixable situation and this would encourage myself, neighbors, friends & family (alot whom work at the Hospitals and Probation Department and/​or live in the area), to return. However, most who cannot take constructive criticism, usually allow their anger to block themselves from improvement.

I stopped by for a sandwich while my wife was at Mary Birch. The people here are friendly and polite. They seemed to care about the quality of the sandwich that they made for me. The team behind the counter seemed to be a family (mother and daughter?), but not certain about that. Also, they threw in a couple free cookies for Mommy in the hospital, and an exhausted looking Daddy.

This place is a case study in why franchising companies should regularly visit franchisees. The wheels have fallen off at the Health Center Submarina, and if our experience there yesterday was indicative of the quality of service this franchise provides on a regular basis, the suits at Submarina ‘s corporate offices would be smart to pull the plug on this place. At the very least, restaff it.
Two disheveled, caddy, and oddly plain-​clothed 20-​something sandwich makers stumbling through the motions, openly comparing/​complaining about the last tip they each received. In the 15 minutes it took me to get out of there with two (2!) sandwiches, my «server» complained nearly non-​stop, apparently to anyone who would listen, about how her last customer only tipped her a buck, while her counterpart got the «nice customers». I say non-​stop because she did pause briefly to crack herself up with a «that’s what she said» joke when my four year old daughter announced that she «couldn’t get it (her straw) in». Good times.
Meanwhile, the counter is three-​deep with hungry customers (two of three expecting fathers from the nearby Sharp Mary Birch) who now have absolutely no reason to ever come back to this, or any other Submarina.
Sad truth of the matter is that this place is high-​traffic, and has the potential to be a gold mine. With the current staff (at least the two who worked Saturday afternoon), you’re essentially waving good bye to the potential of repeat customers.
P. S. For these, and any other disgruntled service employees perplexed by the paucity of gratuities flowing into their makeshift tip jars, I’ve got some suggestions:
1. Smile. Your craptacular attitude may not be 100% responsible for your lack of cash flow, but it’s certainly not helping matters.
2. Understand the difference between «back of house» and «front of house». The former is where you vent about tightwads. The latter is where you serve them.
3. If your game plan is to pressure customers into over-​tipping with banter about the last bad tip, you’ve got a lot of long shifts ahead of you.
4. The difference between the shitty tip you just got and the next great one you get, is how focused you are on the current customer.

This place is called Valeros. They dont maintain pumps. 3 pumps I tried did not work. Lesson learned, drive with gas when you’re in the hospital area.