Chapter 1 Successful Customer Relations

What is the importance of customer service to food service? Competition for customers makes good customer service a must. To keep customers coming back for more, excellent service is essential. Even if the food is great, customers will be disappointed if the service is poor.

What are the steps to providing friendly helpful service? 1.Greet customers with a smile and make eye contact. 2.Fulfill customers’ requests without appearing irritated or annoyed. 3.Thank customers sincerely and express pleasure in helping them. 4.Be cooperative when coworkers ask for assistance.

List the reasons and the ways to make a positive first impression in the food service industry. Dress appropriately Practice good hygiene Wear clean, wrinkle-free uniforms or clothing that is in good condition Maintain clean hair, held back or up Have clean hands and nails Do not wear strong fragrances Do not drink, eat, smoke or chew gum in front of customers

Describe a variety of customers that may have special needs. Older customers - difficulty seeing hearing, walking, carrying objects Customers with disabilities – seating accommodations Families with children - children’s food on menu, high chairs, snacks, crayons, Customer on a special diet - know menu, offer suggestions Customers with food allergies – know menu

Service Encounter Customer contact with an operation’s employees

Internal Customer Employees and coworkers who depend on one another to do a good job.

Rule of Ten Dissatisfied customers tell an average of 10 people about their bad experience.

Service Plan An organized, systematic method of handling customer service.

Outline the service planning process. Identify problems and their causes Set goals Consider available resources Develop policies and procedures Obtain feedback and monitor results

Mission Statement An operation’s philosophy of doing business.

In Summary: How does customer satisfaction directly affect a restaurant’s success? Customers get an overall impression of a foodservice operation from its employees. More than 80% of customers who do not return to a foodservice operation say that they were unhappy with employees’ attitudes, not with bad food. It costs five times more to advertise to attract new guests than it does to keep current ones coming back. Customer service is the greatest factor in a guest’s decision to either return to a restaurant or never come back.. Dissatisfied customers tell an average of 10 people about their bad experience.