Last year I was in London for my partner’s birthday. I decided to treat him to an afternoon tea experience as he had never really experienced a fancy hotel Afternoon Tea before.
I did my research, I wanted something different and settled on a Dali-themed afternoon tea at the Rosewood London. It was a little different to the norm, with everything themed on Dali’s work (including the famous lobster telephone) and the pictures online looked amazing.
We got the sandwiches and all was good, plus some extras like a quiche and a tart. Then the cake section of the afternoon tea began. At first, I was blown away – the aesthetics of the desserts were amazing. They were delicate, intricate, unusual and looked too pretty to eat. It was only when I took some bites of the different cakes that my opinion changed. The intricate decoration of the cakes could not hide that these were just too sweet, mainly icing and just didn’t taste very nice.
Now at first, I thought this was me, as I am more of a savoury gal, and like my food and drink bitter like my soul, but my partner is a sugar fiend and even he was saying this is just too much. I realised I had fallen into a buyer’s nightmare. I had focused on just one factor (aesthetics) and not on the actual taste. I can admit now that I had made the mental shortcut of the afternoon tea is very expensive so the quality will be amazing.
These are all traps that we fall into as buyers both personally and professionally. Remember to look at all the factors, not just one, and just the best value across the key areas that matter to your organisation. This is why we spend so much time during the CIPS Level 4 Diploma, focusing on whole life costs and the need to gain value for money. In fact this is an area we never really stop talking about, from the CIPS advanced certification right through to the Professional Diploma.
I left that Afternoon tea feeling sick at both the overload of sugar, and the cost. Imagine that feeling times a thousand on an organisational scale if thousands or millions of pounds are wasted.
Heed my advice, and also if you can recommend any decent afternoon tea’s then please let me know!
