Complaint Handling in Restaurants - How to Achieve Customer Satisfaction in 6 Easy Steps

From both working in and more recently owningoutset.
and running restaurants, I quickly learnt the valueListen
of handling complaints both effectively andListening is one of the most undervalued and
ineffectively. Quite apart from the damagingunderused interpersonal skill humans possess.
statistics about unhappy customers, who will tellHearing what a diner has to say not only gives
on average 10 people about a poor restaurantyou a better understand of the situation it allows
experience (and that figure can now be magnifiedthe customer to exorcise their frustrations and to
by a factor of 100 if posted on a socialknow that you value their opinion.
networking site or blog), there is the personalEmpower the Customer
anguish of angering a customer during a busyOnce you've listened to the customer's complaint
service time.ask them the question, 'how would you like to
As my experience as a restaurant manager grewproceed with the matter?' This may seem like
so too did my ability to turn unsatisfied customersyou're handing them a loaded gun and they will be
into satisfied ones. And all it takes is 6 very easyunreasonable with their demands but if you have
steps to ensure even most difficult diner willsuccessfully carried out sets 1-3, in my
return.experience, the diner will be encouraged to act
Be Proactiverationally.
Perhaps the most vital faculty you need in dealingFurthermore, if you initiate the solution and it is
with complaints effectively is the ability to bedoes not satisfy the plaintiff, you then become
proactive. Sensing when a table is not receiving anembroiled in a public negotiation which then
adequate level of service before they evenimpacts negatively on the experience of the other
complain is a fantastic quality in any member of acustomers.
restaurant staff and can nip a complaint in theConfirm what has been agreed
bud.Reinforcing the plan of action will help both parties
However, we cannot all be blessed Jedi senses, soclarify the solution and can avoid any further
it is important that when a compliant does occur,disagreement.
you as the restaurant manger are instantlyLeave on a High
informed by a member of your waiting staff.Finally, when you bid farewell to the customer,
From that point you should take no long than 1give them an incentive to come back to your
minute to approach the table, introduce yourselfrestaurant. Thank them for being so
and find out what you can do to help.understanding with the whole situation and offer
Avoid Negative Languagethem a discount voucher to use, if they decide to
Once you've introduced yourself to the unhappyvisit you again. The use of the word 'if' rather
customer begin the conversation with positivethan 'when' is vital here as 'when' implies a level of
language, so rather than saying:arrogance that you will return and will leave the
'What seems to be the problem?'customer with a sour taste in their mouth.
Say: 'can I be of assistance?'So there you have it 6 simple and practical steps
Not only does this avoid the use of the negativeto help diffuse the most difficult of restaurant
word 'problem' it encourages the plaintiff to saycomplaints. Do what you want with them;
'yes'. In Professor Harry Overstreet's bookmemorise them, post them on your staff notice
Influencing Human Behaviour, it states that whenboard but most importantly... put them into action
a person says 'yes' his/her mindset becomesbecause 7/10 customer return to a restaurant
accepting and open-mined. Therefore it iswhen they have experienced good customer
important to induce as many yeses from theservice. Now that's worth remembering.