Food & Beverage - Toughen Up: How to Be Firm with Demanding Customers - By Ken Burgin

As well as customer service training, we need'customer training': firm and friendly guidance so they're less annoying, unreasonable or forgetful. Be too firm and they go elsewhere; be too accommodating and you're running a zoo. Here's your action list:

• Crystal Clear Instructions:are directions or conditions easy to understand? Set out no-go areas with symbols, not just words, for those who don't speak English - good signs back up staff who have to enforce the rules. Add information to menus and drink lists on what's not allowed with variations, special requests, payment methods etc.
  Does your Functions Booking Confirmation clearly set out the deposit and final number deadlines? I've seen good Agreements with headings: 'What We Allow' and 'What We Don't Allow' - it's unmistakable. Use the Catering Agreements in the Functions Download Library.

• Give Reasons:'so that we can accommodate everyone on busy nights, we don't take bookings for more than 6 people: ask about our party rooms if you have a large group'. If you don't provide a reason, people will make up their own…and often get it wrong. The same applies for staff - if the reasons makes sense to them, they will do a better job enforcing and defending them. People expect more transparency in 2010, even from a small business - it's no longer enough to say 'because I said so!' 
• No with a Smile:it's easy to forget what your face looks like when it's busy! A pub had signs in the non-smoking area threatening '100 years jail for anyone smoking on the terrace' - it's no, with a twinkle in the eye.
• Offer an Alternative:'we can't seat you at 6.30 but would be very happy to make a booking for 9pm'. This shows that we really do want the business, but have a capacity problem - we wish we could help! Every time you say No, there should be an alternative Yes option.
• If Payment is needed, make it easy:can people pay online or over the phone? Most consumers don't have fax machines, so how else can they pay a deposit at 11pm? Paypal to the rescue - online deposit payment is normal for hotels but still hard to find for restaurants.
• Use Text Messaging:a leading Sydney restaurant confirms bookings on the day and asks for a reply of YES, NO or CALL to make a change. It's had a 90% success rate and saves a lot of lost tables [thanks Sally]. The lesson - make it easy for customers to do the right thing. Similarly, a manager showed me the text message he sends job applicants. It confirms time, place and address, and has doubled the interview attendance rate. 95% of text messages are read!
• Be Clever with Time Rules:at our Italian restaurant the phone script was very clear: 'we hold the table for 10 minutes - please phone if you're running late' - the level of compliance was very satisfying, and if they were late and rang, of course we accommodated them! When Australian airline Jetstar started, they were criticised for their ruthless 30 minute checkin policy. They stuck firm and now customers know it's part of the deal for low fares: passengers need training too!
• Inconsistency creates problems:it's basic psychology - if you have rules that only some staff enforce, or don't apply to attractive women (!), it won't take long until the complaints start.
• Some rules will always annoy:eg 'cash only, no credit cards', 'no split bills' or in Australia, no BYO bottles in a casual restaurant. If you go down this route, you will be saying No a lot…any changes worth making?

OK, so now you're being tougher with customers…how many of these could apply to staff?!

Profitable Hospitality offers management and cost-control systems (Manuals & CD-ROMs) for restaurants, cafes, hotels, bars and clubs. The systems are based on the extensive consulting and operating experience of CEO Ken Burgin, and enable busy owners and managers to set up complete operating and cost-control systems in minutes, not months. Profitable Hospitality also runs regular management training workshops in the areas of kitchen profit & efficiency, restaurant marketing and functions management. A free monthly e-newsletter keeps you up to date on the latest industry management issues. www.profitablehospitality.com.


Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Reader Comments:

Be the first to leave a comment for this article

Tweet