Improve Customer Service with 8 Simple Habits
Sadly, too many restaurant owners believe that their success relies upon their menu alone and this only leads to failure. Why? Because they forget one of the main reasons customers return – the great service. Since this factor is so important, we have 8 simple habits for customer service that will have your diners coming back time and time again.
Provide the Tools – Firstly, you need to provide the right tools, as the owner, for the team to go out there and succeed. If you throw inexperienced workers out into the dining room, you cannot expect them to be good with customer service because most people need to be trained. Once your staff have been trained effectively, you will immediately see a return on your investment so we even recommend closing for the day if needed just to get it right.
In addition to this, there are some other factors that will harm your chances of good customer service including dirty facilities, poor cooking tools, poor equipment, and lack of ingredients. If the staff aren’t given the tools to succeed, they will struggle so it is up to you to be in control and help them step up.
Be an Example – As a leader, you should always be the perfect example for how you want your team to treat customers. If you walk around ignoring customers and not really being willing to help them in any way, your employees are only going to do the same because it looks as though you don’t really care.
As well as yourself as the owner, all managers should have the right attitude and this means being willing to talk to customers rather than thinking themselves ‘above’ this. If you have hired a manager to work in the kitchen, they should still have customer service training because what happens when they are the only manager working on a certain day? You can’t have your reputation tarnished just because a manager doesn’t have experience in talking to people because this will lose you valuable customers.
As soon as your managers know how to treat customers in the right way, the rest of the staff will follow suit and this can be something your restaurant will be remembered by for all the right reasons. Remember, customer service doesn’t just end after the training so keep up-to-date with all staff and answer any questions they may have.
Hire Carefully – Next, the easiest way to have a great customer service team is to hire people that either have experience in the hospitality industry or naturally know how to talk to people. As a restaurant, you will undoubtedly receive applications from young people and students looking to pay their way through college. Now, there is nothing wrong with this but they need to have the right worth ethic and the hospitality mindset because it isn’t all about experience. As long as you hire well, you will save on training and it will make you more efficient.
Respect Complaints – Not all reviews from customers will be good so knowing how to deal with negativity is an important step all staff members should know – again, this comes from the very top. If you have an unhappy customer, staff should be respectful, understanding, and seek a solution right away if the customer is to have their experience turned around.
Sometimes, the complaints will come after the customer has left the restaurant in the shape of an internet review. If this is the case, use your reply to show everybody watching that you care about their comments and explain that you take whatever it was that they have complained about seriously.
Teach Service – Although you can train and prepare your staff well, nothing beats direct experience so let your staff get out there. Just like a sportsman needs time on the field, staff need time with customers and you will soon see whether or not they have the tools to succeed. Every week, talk with them and highlight areas for improvement and essentially hone their skill set to your liking.
Watch Carefully – Just because you are the owner, it doesn’t mean that you have to be locked away in an office somewhere worrying about bills. Instead, take some time to walk around the restaurant and see your team in action. Even if you pull on an apron and get serving yourself, you can be an admirable presence whilst give tips to your waiters at the same time.
Love Your Employees – Ultimately, your staff will always be the face of your brand because they are what the customers see most during their experience. With this in mind, you should be looking to treat all staff members well. When staff are happy, they pass this on to the customer who gets a feel-good feeling from the atmosphere and will already be thinking about coming back before they even leave.
Create a Rewards System – At times, tips just aren’t enough when staff put their all into their work so you need something to show how much you appreciate their help. Whether it is a monetary rewards system, group days out, or some paid time off, this is a great way to keep morale high and show all staff you care. Furthermore, compliments are completely free so give them out whenever they are deserved.
Summary – Once you have customer service perfected, your diners are more likely to enjoy their experience, your staff are more likely to stay, and you are more likely to have an efficient business. At all times, it should be one of the great focuses of your restaurant and we have provided a few key tips today!