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Amid shifting consumer demands, the core expectation for warm service remains unchanged. Chan Woonfai, a restaurant general manager at McDonald’s Hong Kong with 26 years of service, and Neville Leung Chi-ming, assistant sales manager at TSL Jewellery with 15 years in fine jewelry, each upholds a people-centric philosophy, addressing diverse customer needs with consistent passion and meticulous care.
Beginning his career as a part-time employee in 1996, Chan rose to the position of general manager by 2009. He greets every one with a smile like a friend.
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He keeps telling his colleagues: “Magic happens when you treat customers as friends.”
From part-time employee to restaurant manager, Chan Woon-fai, McDonald’s Hong Kong Fortress Metro Tower Restaurant General Manager, has grown alongside the company and its customers.
Despite the monotonous daily operations, Chan serves his customers as if they are visiting for the very first time. A simple gesture such as checking on the customer , asking “what’s your order number?” or a sincere greeting is part of the warm impression he strives to leave.
“No matter how customers feel when they enter the restaurant, I hope they leave with a smile,” Chan said, as bringing joy to customers is his personal mission.
Regular customer Raymond said dining at Chan’s branch makes him feel welcome and at ease.
Chan’s responsibilities extend beyond managing the McDonald’s branch at Fortress Metro Tower in Fortress Hill – he also nurtures the service ethos of his 120-member team.
Even though ordering has changed from face-to-face counters to digital kiosks, he continues to offer a warm welcome and remains attentive to cues where assistance might be needed.
“No matter how spending trends change, what customers expect from the experience remains the same,” he observed.
Raymond, a regular who works at a nearby office, is impressed by the crew’s “soft skills” at Chan’s branch, as he enjoys friendly conversations that make him feel at home.
In another glittering world of jewelry, Leung believes the most radiant quality is heart-to-heart connections. He once assisted a mother from Wuhan looking for a gift for her daughter studying in Hong Kong.
He recommended a necklace with a rotating pendant for the daughter who lived away from her hometown alone, addressing the mother and daughter that a pendant, dangling on one’s chest, means “close to your heart always.” Leung also explained the design of the memento with the local customs, suggesting that it can bring the wearer good luck just like the pinwheels at the famous Che Kung Temple, allowing the daughter to feel the strengths and support from her mother.
With 15 years in jewelry retail, Neville Leung, TSL Jewellery Assistant Sales Manager , believes that “service” is a matter of heart-to-heart connection.
Touched by Leung’s thoughtfulness, the mother purchased the necklace and later visited the Che Kung Temple herself.
To Leung, jewelry is not merely a product but a vessel for memories and life experiences. As he notices that customers nowadays enjoy gifting pieces with auspicious nicknames such as “Necklace of Joy” and “Instant Fortune,” he works with his team to pay extra attention to introducing the meaning behind each piece to patrons.
What motivates Chan and Leung comes beyond performance – it is the profound satisfaction that originates from helping others. They live by the principle: “Never hesitate to do a good deed, no matter how small.”
A decade ago, Chan made countless calls to locate a Minions toy for a child, and the family’s delight remains unforgettable.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Leung chatted daily with an elderly woman who passed his store, later learning she was grieving a loss.
His simple greetings and companionship provided the woman with solace. “Was it just for sales? No,” Leung reflected firmly.
Leung believes that delivering services is like cooking up a “bowl of chicken soup” for the soul, for customers and staff alike.
He encourages his team to discern a customer’s characteristics through their outfit and body language, to accumulate experience.
Leung recommended a necklace with a rotating pendant, drawing on the local pinwheel custom to express a mother’s love and connection with her daughter.
After every transaction, he prompts his colleagues to reflect on their service: “Why did the customer choose you?” He also emphasizes that “service transcends sales.”
Chan, meanwhile, empowers each of his team member with their individual expertise, thereby fostering synergy within the team.
This year, Chan and Leung were honored at the 2025 Outstanding QTS Merchant Service Staff Awards (Supervisory) under the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Quality Tourism Services Scheme. Chan was awarded a gold award in the Deli category and Leung a bronze award in Fashion & Lifestyle.
When consumer needs constantly evolve, their belief in heartfelt service remains unshaken: true quality service is not just service techniques – it is understanding of the importance of a personal touch.
Echoing the “New Outstanding Services Award Scheme” jointly introduced by the Tourism Commission and the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the “Praise Quest — Hospitable Hong Kong” series will share stories of frontline service practitioners in tourism-related sectors with the trade and the public to promote the spirit of hospitality by “going the extra mile” together.
