Following on from our articles on how to deal with complaints effectively and how to retain your customers, we have hand-picked some really practical tips to ensure that your level of customer service is world-class.
These tips are taken from Bruce Buschel’s article “100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do (Part 1)” on the New York Times blog, which is a must-read for anyone who owns, manages or works in a restaurant!
Top customer service tips from Buschel’s list:
4. If a table is not ready within a reasonable length of time, offer a free drink and/or amuse-bouche. The guests may be tired and hungry and thirsty, and they did everything right.
5. Tables should be level without anyone asking. Fix it before guests are seated.
14. When you ask, “How’s everything?” or “How was the meal?” listen to the answer and fix whatever is not right.
15. Never say “I don’t know” to any question without following with, “I’ll find out.”
17. Do not take an empty plate from one guest while others are still eating the same course. Wait, wait, wait.
31. Never remove a plate full of food without asking what went wrong. Obviously, something went wrong.
