Restaurant Customer Service Is Everyone’s Job Number One

Restaurant customer service is extremely important whether you’re just starting out in the business or are a veteran. Success or failure hinges on the quality of service and starts when a customer physically walks into your establishment to the time that they leave.

You will find that if your restaurant customer service goes beyond the pale, word of mouth will help you to attract new customers and also see your existing customers return. The service will set the tone for your restaurant and what is to come, as don’t forget that first impressions everything.

In a restaurant, it’s the little things that count. Small touches, such as providing a complimentary drink for a special occasion, presenting a mint with the bill — the small things leave a lasting impression. Servers should be smiling, friendly and striving to please. The owner or manager should open the door and greet each customer, chat with them during the service and, of course, thank them as they leave.

Some restaurant customer service tips that are often overlooked are answering the phone within two rings, providing diners with the servers name, establishing a rapport by asking customers open ended questions, inquiring about any food allergies and knowing area information for out-of-town guests.

There are a number of ideas that restaurants use to go that extra mile when it comes to customer service. Here are some creative ideas – how about giving a rose to female visitors, having extra layers of clothes on hand in case the guest is chilly, giving out popular menu requests on recipe cards, or giving a box of chocolates as a parting gift.

Providing restaurant customer service that stands out from all the rest takes creativity and initiative among all employees. It might mean simply enhancing an already existing practice. For example, in addition to singing and presenting a cake to guests celebrating a birthday, have the entire staff sign a birthday card that includes your restaurants gift certificate. Or if reservations are being made to celebrate a special occasion at your restaurant, offer to supply balloons and disposable cameras.

For a restaurant to excel in customer service, the management needs to express its definition of service. The staff must be empowered to do what is needed to exceed the needs. This could be as simple as providing an umbrella as they leave, or recommending after dinner entertainment.

Everyone from the back of the house to the front of the house is important when it comes to great restaurant customer service. If the waitstaff and greeters do the best, their efforts would be for nothing if the presentation of food or attention to detail is not up to par. Therefore, employees must be aware of how their performance impacts the overall client experience, regardless of whether they interact directly with the customer or not.

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