Dealing With an Mad Consumer

Read More About Customer Service

Anyone who has operated a dining establishment for any length of time is well acquainted with customer complaints. While contentious customers are certainly not the norm, they are something that has to be addressed. Whether it is a complaint about service, quality, or cleanliness, it is important that you , your management and all staff members knows how to diffuse a potentially volatile situation and turn it into a positive dining experience that will have the customer coming back again.

Courteous Attentiveness
When a customer has a problem, your employees on the floor are your first line of defense (and often bear the brunt of the customer's displeasure). It is crucial that all serving staff is trained to listen and be courteously responsive to the customers concerns. The employee should be able to repeat the customer's complaint in a way that shows that he/she understands the problem and desires to rectify the situation. A prompt apology can help defuse a situation before it gets unnecessarily negative. On the other hand, a reactionary and temperamental employee can easily escalate a negative situation into a catastrophic one.

Employees should be trained to respectfully identify the customer's problem and be able to relay that concern to the management. It then falls to the management to address the concern and attempt to rectify the situation. It is vital that the management be able to address the concern in the same respectful and courteous manner. The chances are good that the offense to the customer was entirely unintentional, and the attention of a courteous and professional manager and a sincere apology will put the customer more at ease and is quite often sufficient to completely pacify and alleviate the concern.

Addressing the Issue

Once the problem has been identified and the customer has been made to feel that his/her concern is important to your establishment, it is time for the manager to take steps to rectify the situation. Though a sincere apology may be enough to smooth over the customer's injured feelings, going above and beyond is what will turn the situation around and bring the customer back. It is up to the manager on duty to decide on an action appropriate to the situation
Whatever this issue is, immediate action in the presence of the customer is best, if possible. If it is an issue of cleanliness, have a staff member clean the offense immediately. If it is a problem with the food preparation, remake the meal. Don't be afraid to comp. Though it is true that some customers will intentionally find fault for the express purpose of obtaining a free meal this is generally not the case and you cannot afford to assume the worst.

Do not chastise an offending employee in front of the customer. This may mollify your customer, but it will also demoralize your staff. If the problem is with a server, reassign a new server with the promise that the offending employee will be correct. Again, don't skimp on the apologies.

Give Thanks
Once the situation has been resolved and the customer satisfied with the service and attention that he/she has received, express gratitude. Thank the customer for being understanding and patient. Thank him/her for their business and let them know that they, personally, are appreciated by you and your business.

If handled properly, a potentially negative experience can be turned in to a public relations boon for your business. Not only can you win over the offended customer, but you will also impress any who have witnessed the disturbance with how professionally the situation was handled. I bit of finesse can make all the difference.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

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