Five Steps to Improve Customer Service

So are you ready to do five things to ensure your customers return to your restaurant and spread positive word-of-mouth advertising for you? It might be as simple as learning and following this five-step circular process:

1. Analyze.

2. Train.

3. Teamwork.

4. Follow up.

5. Do it again.

Step One: Analyze

To improve, you need to know what needs improving. First, you need to know your customers. You don't need to know them individually, although you should if they are loyal customers. Get to know them collectively and what they expect when they walk through your door. If you open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you know that your morning rush-hour crowd and business lunch crowd have expectations different from your evening dinner crowd.

Remember that it is all about your customers so think about them, what they need from you, and then how you can meet their needs. Knowing that your morning and lunch customers are working people who need to be served quickly is important. Only after you get to know your customers will you be ready to analyze how you can best meet their needs.

Start by doing a walk-through of the physical layout of your restaurant, from your customers' perspective. Begin by walking through your front door. When you do your walk-through, pretend you are seeing your restaurant for the first time. Take a good look at what your customers see when they come into your restaurant. Pay attention to the details. Does the color scheme match the ambience you are trying to create? Do you have an interesting focal point for your customers to see when they come in? How easy is it to move about, particularly through the waiting area into the dining area? Do you have a sensible traffic flow pattern? Is the lighting right for your atmosphere? Most importantly, is everything clean, especially bathrooms? Pay close attention to all the details; your customers will. Change what needs to be changed to create a memorable look and feel to your restaurant. Showcase your business personality through the décor and design of your business. Just make sure that your business personality matches that of your customers.

Do a "walk-through" of a typical customer transaction. Start again by walking through your door. Does someone greet you when you come in, whether it is a host, hostess or one of your waitstaff? Does your waitstaff appear friendly, efficient and helpful? When you are seated at your table, what happens? Does a server come to your table quickly to take your drink order and to tell you about specials? Does the server pay attention to you and make eye contact with you? How does the pace of the meal flow? Does everything flow according to the type of customer and meal you are serving? Remember to put yourself in your customers' shoes when you do your walk-through. It may help to have a friend do the walk-through for you. Have him or her play the role of the type of customer you serve and ask for feedback on each step of the experience.

Now focus on your areas of improvement. Suppose when you did your walk-through you noticed that things get crowded when customers are coming in and customers are trying to pay their bills. What can you do to change the traffic flow? During your busy times, perhaps you can have an employee greet customers at the door to take their names to ease the congestion for diners who are trying to pay their bills and leave. Getting customers in and out more efficiently will make for a more relaxed atmosphere, even during your rush hours. Make a list of each item that needs improving. Now come up with suggestions for improvement. If you can, present the items to your employees in a group meeting and have them brainstorm with you to come up with the best solutions.

Step Two: Train

Some of your areas of improvement can be easily carried out, but for those areas where training will be needed, take adequate time to work with your employees on any changes that affect them and their jobs.

Perhaps your analysis turned up that your waitstaff does things differently. Some bring bread to the table before taking drink orders, while others wait until they serve salads. Consistency is crucial. Don't assume that employees know how to meet your expectations. Schedule time to properly train each of your employees how to do the job you hired them to do.

After you train your employees on your procedures, train them how to interact with customers. Again, don't assume that your employees will automatically know how to talk with your customers. First, teach them the general steps that every employee in every restaurant should learn: how to present themselves to make a great first impression; how to project a positive, upbeat attitude; how to communicate effectively; and how to build the type of relationships with customers that will make them want to come back. Before training, make a list of the important components that you want them to master, such as smiling, making eye contact, maintaining interest in the customers, listening well, speaking clearly, and being reliable and efficient. Explain to employees how to interact. For example, tell them, "Smile when you greet customers and make eye contact when you tell them about specials." Now your employees know exactly what you expect.

Next, think about your particular operation and, very specifically, the steps and pacing your waitstaff should take when serving your customers. Think about how you want your employees to greet customers and make them feel welcome; handle the ordering and serving process (including when to bring the bread basket); and end the transaction in a way that satisfies customers. Your focus on the training steps should include all steps of the process, such as what they should say to customers when they first come to the table, how to take orders, how to serve the food, how to pace the meal, how and when to clean the tables, how to offer desserts, and how to present the check and take payment. These steps will be different depending on your type of restaurant, but it is crucial that you train your employees on each step for your operation.

Step Three: Teamwork

The importance of developing a team, where all employees work together, cannot be understated. Even in the restaurant business where employees work independently for tips, they can learn to work as a team by helping and supporting each other. If you don't understand the need for teamwork in a restaurant, think about this: What happens when you have an unexpected rush or two of your servers call out sick? When you develop a team spirit and coach your employees to work as a team, unexpected events won't seem as daunting because they will be used to pulling together.

The best way to develop a strong team is to spend time with your employees and to lead by example. Even if you can only spend a short time each day, when you are there be fully there. Give your full attention and listen to your employees.

Hold team meetings, even if only for a few minutes. Keep employees informed of goals and how you are meeting those goals. Help every member of your team to feel important by encouraging participation. Pay attention to their feedback and suggestions. Never laugh or ridicule someone's idea, comment or question. When problems arise, take care of them before they get out of hand. And whenever you need something done, ask, rather than tell.

Develop a team spirit by including your employees in solving problems and making decisions, and by encouraging them to voice their opinions and suggestions. When employees feel involved and that their opinions matter, you are on your way to developing a committed, loyal and united group.

Create an atmosphere of support and cooperation. Promote teamwork by expecting your employees to look out for each other and to help each other. Diners can tell when your employees work together as a team. I can't tell you how much we, the customers, appreciate when other servers notice when we need something and get it for us. Praise employees when they help each other out. Always focus on "We" rather than on "I" or "You."

Step Four: Follow Up

Now that you have analyzed what you can do better, trained your employees to do the job well, and developed a spirit of teamwork, your most important job begins. The only way for you to make sure all your employees are doing their jobs correctly is to follow up.

It is critical that when you follow up, you observe that everyone is working together to provide the level of service you expect. Remember that your employees look to you to set the level of expectation. Whatever you are willing to accept is what you are going to get, so set the bar high.

To follow up means to be there. You can't observe your operation unless you are a hands-on manager. Make the commitment to be part of the day-to-day operation. Pay close attention to your entire operation.

Provide both positive and corrective feedback to your team. Give feedback that is focused and specific. Rather than saying, "You did a great job," say "I liked the way you explained the specials and then followed up to make sure everyone at Table 9 understood. That was great!" Now the server knows what you liked and is more apt to repeat the behavior. It is all right to praise in public but always give corrective feedback in private. Take the employee aside and say, "I overheard how you offered the specials to Table 9. I thought you sounded rushed and when you walked away right after listing them, the customers looked confused. Next time, focus on slowing down when you speak, make eye contact with the customers, and then follow up by asking if they have any questions. After you do this a few times I'm sure you'll gain more confidence." By talking in private you not only maintain the employee's dignity, your customers won't feel uncomfortable by overhearing negative feedback.

Step Five: Do it Again

Finally, never become complacent. Performance that was outstanding yesterday may only be satisfactory today and inadequate tomorrow. Remember always to ask your customers how you can serve them better. Ask them to tell you what you are doing right and what you can do to improve. Tune in and listen closely to their replies. Be prepared to act on viable suggestions for improvement.

Your waitstaff is your direct line to your customers so train employees to focus on and listen closely to what your customers say they need and then to communicate those needs to you. When customers see you act on suggestions for improvement, you will develop a loyal customer base. Appreciate each customer and do everything you can to make sure they are happy with the entire dining experience, whether you manage a coffee shop, a diner or a white-tablecloth restaurant.

Remember that happy customers become loyal customers. Loyal customers come back. They'll bring their friends. They'll tell others. Always make sure your customers know they matter to you. After all, your customers really are your best marketing tool.

√ Checklist

Five Steps to Customer Satisfaction

1. Analyze

Know your customers and what type of dining experience they expect when they walk through your door.
Do a walk-through of the physical layout of your restaurant from your customers' perspective.
Do a walk-through of a typical customer transaction from beginning to end.
Focus on areas of improvement. Make a list of things that need to be changed and ask your employees for suggestions.

2. Train

Take adequate time to train your employees to do the job you hired them to do.
Train employees step by step how to interact with customers including how to make a great first impression, project a positive and upbeat attitude, communicate effectively, and build relationships with customers to make them want to come back.
Train your employees how to serve your customers. Focus on greeting customers and making them feel welcome, handling the ordering and serving process, and ending the transaction in a way that ensures customer satisfaction.

3. Develop Teamwork

Spend time with your employees and lead by example.
Listen to your employees.
Keep employees informed.
Include employees in solving problems and making decisions.
Create an atmosphere of support and cooperation.

4. Follow Up

Be there. Commit to being a hands-on manager.
Provide both positive and corrective feedback.
Give feedback that is focused and specific.
Praise in public but criticize in private.

5. Do it Again

Never become complacent.
Ask your customers to tell you what you can do to improve.
Tune in and listen closely to their replies.
Act on suggestions for improvement.