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Customer Service Information |
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Improving Customer Service
Improving customer service starts at the top - with us owners and managers. We need to be living pictures of how we want our staff to treat customers. Having 10 plus years operating, owning and working in the food business and being a customer myself, I know what good customer service looks like. If I don't place a high value on the best customer service possible, then my staff won't make it a priority either. From the time a customer walks into our establishment until the time he or she leaves, we need to treat them as guests in a mature, professional manner, regardless of their demeanor or our good or bad day. We are there to serve them and meet their needs as best we can. They are buying our service. The following are some great tips I have picked up from different sources over the years. Atmosphere: This is the way your establishment looks and feels . Is your music too loud? If it is, it creates a confusing atmosphere where you and your customers could have problems hearing and understanding each other. The music needs to be tasteful and relaxing. Clean: There have been many surveys by market research companies revealing that customers place cleanliness at the top when deciding where to dine. We did a survey and seventy five percent said if the restaurant was not clean, they would leave. Having a clean kitchen is great, but the customer doesn't usually see it. It starts from the moment they drive or walk into your establishment. Is it free from litter, gum, and cigarette butts, and is the front door clean and sparkly? Are your windows clean and free from tacky signs or posters? Are your floors and floor boards clean? A customer in our business recently pointed out to me that the return air vents was dusty and dirty. Since I'm not in the habit at looking up at the ceiling, I was glad for her input and took care of it right away! How about those menu boards and menus, if they are dirty your customers may lose their appetites. Are you using a smelly rag to wash the tables with that leaves an odor on the table? Customers think it is more sanitary if you use a spray cleaner and paper towels, but make sure you use one paper towel to clean the seats with and a separate one for the tables. Check with your health department to see what cleaning solution is required for your area. The restrooms need to be clean, stocked, free from odor, have no graffiti on the stalls or doors, and have proper lighting. Train yourself and your staff to check these often during the day. Staff: Good manners are a must! Saying please, thank you , and may I help you should be a requirement. . Also make it a rule that they need to be professional and not use foul or offensive language. Remember, this starts with you and the way you treat your staff. Body language is another part of good manners. Never stare, look past a customer, roll your eyes. Instead smile, ( no smile indicates indifference) make eye contact, and greet your customer as soon as possible. Customers are less likely to leave when you're busy if they are acknowledged right away. Accuracy: Give the customer your undivided attention and repeat their order to them. We all make mistakes, including the customer and this will help insure that they get what they want. Even doing this, sometimes the customer will tell you their order is not right, but never get defensive even though you know that they were the ones at fault. Just apologize and tell them you want to make the order right. Proper Staffing: If your employees are overworked, they won't be concerned with accuracy or good customer service and there will be no time for stocking or cleaning. Employees tend to burn out faster if they are overworked. Finally, thank the customer and bid them farewell. This will leave them with an overall sense of a positive dining experience. About The Author Luana Owns the web-site, allfoodbusiness.com. She has, along with her husband, owned and operated restaurants for over ten years. lemmons@allfoodbusiness.com
MORE RESOURCES: Pricing, AI, DPA, Customer Service Tools; Bill Emerson Interview; Training This Week; STRATMOR CD Workshop Mortgage News Daily AI Chatbots Are Ready to Talk to Customers. Sort of. The Wall Street Journal Samsung Electronics Canada Customer Service Wins Bronze in ‘Best Use of Omni Channel' at International CX Awards 2024 Yahoo Finance Qme secures $3M funding to streamline customer service across Africa Techpoint Africa Building Competitive Advantage in Customer Care Through AI The Business of Fashion 311 Customer Service Center City and County of San Francisco FTC Finalizes Order with H&R Block Requiring Them to Pay $7 Million and Overhaul Advertising and Customer Service Practices for 2025 and 2026 Tax Seasons Federal Trade Commission News Ikea expands integration with assembly services platform Chain Store Age JEA is inviting bids for 19-story downtown tower that used to be its headquarters The Florida Times-Union Consumers Demand Enterprises Modernize to Improve Ailing Customer Experience, Says Research Business Wire American Lamprecht Enhances Visibility for Air and Ocean Shipments Using Descartes Solution Supply Chain Dive Women in Fintech: A Conversation About Loyalty Ecosystems in Financial Services with Becky Hill Finovate Neterra Enhances Its Customer Service Monitoring System Total Telecom Gladly Named a Leader in Constellation ShortList™ for Digital Customer Service and Support PR Newswire QueueKiosk™: Saving Thousands of Active-Duty Man Hours & Improving Customer Service at the MPF Office Kiosk Marketplace Finally, hard data on a real-world AI business use case: It’s huge for customer service Sherwood News Liverpool reinvents customer service through digital platform ComputerWeekly.com CSPI & Nutrition Action Customer Service CSPI Newsroom Firm to expand customer service in Yorkshire with new service centre Golf Business News Textron Aviation to Open New Service Facility at Essendon Fields Airport, Expanding Capabilities in Australia Pittsburg Morning Sun Help Department of Taxation and Finance Six Game-Changing AI Customer Service and CX Strategies Hospitality Net Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) New York State Department of Health Cigna's customer-centric strategy could ripple across the sector Modern Healthcare Major AI Success Story: Giftify Achieves 40% Faster Customer Response Times with Enterprise AI StockTitan Contact Us About Your Bill myclearwater.com Customer Service Center apps.tampagov.net Customer Support | Department of Corrections Governor Tom Wolf 311 - Birmingham’s Customer Service Center City of Birmingham (.gov) DESCO's meeting held to enhance customer service and power reliability The Business Standard 70% of customer service to rely on AI by 2028: Gartner Outsource Accelerator Customer Service & Support Hillsborough County (.gov) My experience as a Customer Service and Sales Intern Toby Shapiro's Experience at A.D. Sutton and Sons Chapman University 3 Ways To Quickly Make $50 GOBankingRates Delta’s annual profit-sharing day spotlights ‘people first’ strategy The Atlanta Journal Constitution Welcome to Riverside Public Utilities City of Riverside (.gov) Celebrate Customer Service Week City of Riverside (.gov) Which companies have the best customer service? Amazon, Shein, Costco among top-rated brands USA TODAY Con Edison Proposes Investments to Meet Growing Demand for Clean Energy, Enhance Customer Support T&D World Fulton County Recognized as a 2024 National Customer Service All Star Fulton County Government Contact Reverb Support Reverb America's Best Customer Service 2025 Newsweek 8 strategies for using AI for customer service in 2025 Sprout Social Attorney General Bonta Demands Better Customer Service for Californians California Department of Justice AI for Customer Service Market worth $47.82 Billion by 2030 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™ PR Newswire Can artificial intelligence rescue customer service? The Economist Permits–customer services King County Lifeline Support for Affordable Communications Federal Communications Commission Department of Transportation Governor Tom Wolf 11 key elements of excellent customer service Business.com Shep Hyken, HPU Customer Service Expert, Mentors Students and Staff High Point University Summer EBT | Department of Human Services Governor Tom Wolf How Intercom Achieves 86% Resolution Rates with Claude AI: A Customer Service Revolution - Anthropic Office of Developmental Programs Governor Tom Wolf Our Contact Centre achieves national recognition for excellence in customer service Royal Borough of Greenwich |
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