By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Feb 21: After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the friendly, petite, and charming 58-year-old handmade noodles maker Lim Su Ng, also known as Anna, made her ‘comeback’ to do what she does best.
With over 20 years in the culinary trade, Anna revealed that one of her key secrets to success is always greeting her customers with a warm welcome.
“A good greeting is the key to building rapport with your customers. It’s how you make friends, and that’s how people remember you,” she told DayakDaily with a chuckle.
Anna opined that many noodle vendors she knew would focus solely on making the noodles at the stall after receiving orders.
“I find that a bit ‘boring’ in their approach. I want to be different, so I always greet my customers. For over 20 years, I’ve sustained my business with simple greetings,” she said.
“I’m lucky to be an extrovert. We can’t be shy when providing culinary services, or else no one will get to try what we’ve prepared at our stall,” she said.
Anna opined that dishes can’t be sold or become popular if you don’t have a personal rapport with your customers.
“Customers are essential, and building that connection has helped me hone my dishes.
“My customers became acquainted with me through the close rapport I built with them. When people are happy, they’ll return to your stall. In the end, they became my friends, too.
“For me, as a small trader, it provides extra satisfaction and a way to earn a decent living,” she said.
Hailing from Kuching, Anna revealed that she learned the culinary trade from her mother after quitting her nine-to-five job and joining her at the stall.
“My mother was selling handmade noodles because many people were already into kolo mee, and she wanted to offer customers an alternative texture,” she said.
Anna revealed that after she got married and had no one to help her mother, they decided to close their stall.
“Being a housewife was also a challenge, but I wanted to provide more for my family and be independent. After my two children grew up, I returned to selling noodles again,” she said.
Anna further revealed that the location of her current stall is her second in over two decades of business, as she used to operate at a café along Jalan Pending for over 20 years.
“During the pandemic, for almost three years, I ‘hung’ my apron before moving here. I believe in ‘feng shui,’ so I found a new place to start fresh.
“Fortunately, my customers came and looked for me. I have been here for almost two years now.”
Besides her popular handmade noodles with ‘char siew,’ she also offers seven other varieties of noodle dishes—‘wantan’ noodles, seafood noodles, ‘tang hoon’ soup, pork liver soup, and seafood soup.
Although she doesn’t have a helper, she is not worried about managing her stall alone.
“Customers know I’m a ‘one-woman show’ and are willing to wait for their orders. I’m not bothered by having many dishes on the menu, as there are options to suit every customer’s palate,” she said.
Anna hoped to continue building her rapport with a wider audience.
She expressed her desire to keep going as long as she could, making more friends along the way as long as people continued to love her noodles.
“You should always say thank you as much as you wish these people a great day after they leave your eatery,” she grinned with a cheeky smile.
Anna’s stall is at Qiao Zhong Kopitiam along Ang Cheng Ho Lorong 7. She operates from 6am to 1pm daily except on Sundays. For more information, call 016 522 7552. — DayakDaily
