I seem to keep running into BAD restaurant service time and time again. It’s sad because providing BAD service can be easily avoided. And just one bad experience with one staff member will impact a customer’s entire visit and perception of the whole establishment. You can also be sure that if BAD restaurant service is happening to me on a regular basis, it’s most likely also happening to you. So why would any one of use want to spend our money in such a place?

Real World Story: My wheelchair bound mother, my brother and I pulled into a restaurant parking lot on our way to lunch. The parking attendant was very kind and friendly, and he told us our parking fee was complimentary due to my mother’s mobility status. He told us where to pick up the transport van after we parked and also said to have a nice lunch. Our restaurant visit had started out great.123 unhappy lady-crop

We walked into the restaurant and headed to the host/hostess stand. There was no one there. We could see three wait staff and a bartender, but no one acknowledged us. We stood where we were for a few minutes longer and got no recognition from any of the restaurant staff. Finally, my mother and brother walked into one of the restaurant’s dining rooms to look for a table at which to sit. There were many open tables facing a lovely view of the ocean and racetrack. I flagged down a waitress, who was trying to ignore me, to ask if we are supposed to seat ourselves or wait. She said, “You can only sit on this side of the restaurant. That side is closed.” Of course, ”that side” is the side where my mother and brother were sitting.

Here now was the main problem: the “open” side was in the bar area, and it was crowded and filled with bar-height tables and stools. My mother’s motorized wheelchair is low and cannot maneuver into crowded areas. We were confused and frustrated because this problem was so obvious to us. Finally, the hostess returned to her “post.” She tells me that we cannot sit where we are, and the only place to sit is in the bar. At this point, I am hungry, tired and ANGRY. I want to leave immediately. However, a different restaurant staffer notices our dilemma, so this gentleman allows us to sit at the table we had already selected. As I explained what had happened, he listened, apologize and sent over the best waitress he could find. Before he left, I did ask him if his staff had ever been trained on customer service. He seemed perplexed and I was astonished when he answered “yes.”

The rest of our meal went well, but we still had a BAD feeling about this restaurant. Nobody likes to be ignored and left to feel insignificant, but that is exactly how most of the staff made us feel!

Strategies that Turn it Around:

  1. Teach ALL your team members the importance of acknowledging customers within the first 10-20 seconds after they walk through your doors. Customers do NOT like to be ignored. Remember: it’s hard to change a BAD first impression.
  2. Teach ALL your team members that EVERY customer is important. Don’t ever make rash judgments about customers based on how they talk, look, are dressed, or how much money they appear to have or not have.
  3. Routinely and honestly evaluate your team members’ performance. You can also implement “mystery shopper” visits and calls. You just may be surprised about the good and bad behaviors revealed.

Remember: Every customer needs and wants to feel important. A simple smile and acknowledgment go a long way in creating that feeling of importance. And those simple gestures are sure to leave a good taste in anyone’s mouth.

What do YOU do to acknowledge customers immediately? Please share in the comments section below.

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