Customer service and customer relations

Different foodservice operations Designed for: the needs people have at a particular time rather than for the type of people they are. The same customer may be: a business customer during the week a member of a family at the weekend quick lunch or snack while travelling organising a special event.

Main aim of food and beverage operations To achieve customer satisfaction by meeting the customers’ needs: physiological economic social psychological convenience. Customers may want to satisfy some or all of these needs.

Reasons for a customer’s choice These often determine the customer’s satisfaction or dissatisfaction (rather than the food or beverage itself). Dissatisfaction can come from: aspects of the food and beverage operation aspects that are beyond the operation’s control. Either way, the operation has to deal with it.

The five meal experience factors Food and beverages on offer. Level of service. Level of cleanliness and hygiene. Perceived value for money and price. Atmosphere of the establishment. The importance of these factors to the customer changes, depending on the needs they have at the time.

Value is a personal judgement Good value is where the worth is perceived as greater than the costs. Poor value is where the costs are perceived as greater than the worth. Cost is not just the price. It can also include: not being able to go somewhere else; transport; time; having to look and behave a certain way in the venue.

Providing customer service A combination of five characteristics: Service level Service availability Level of standards Service reliability Service flexibility. The ‘customer service specification’ takes account of these five customer service factors.

Level of customer service Written statements of: the technical specification (physical characteristics of the products) the service specification (procedures and the way they are carried out). Together, often called a ‘customer service specification’. Need for balance between maintaining customer service and resource productivity.

Level of service and standards of service The level of service may range from very limited to complex, with high levels of personal attention. Standards of service is a measure of how well the operation delivers the service level it is offering.

Ensuring good customer relations To achieve this, need to maintain good interpersonal relationships: between the customer and food and beverage service staff and between service staff and other departments (internal customers).

Dealing with all customers Good interpersonal skills include: being polite addressing customers properly showing genuine care about what customers want apologising when required. Take extra care when dealing with children or with customers with additional needs.

Customers with impaired sight Example of standard placement of food items

Dealing with incidents Follow policy of the establishment. Deal with incidents promptly and efficiently. Minimise disturbance of the other customers. Quick action will usually soothe an irate customer and create a good impression. Always make a record of incidents.

Process for covering spillages

Other incidents Returned food or beverages. Customer illness. Over-consumption of alcohol. Unsatisfactory appearance. Lost children. Lost property.

Handling complaints Valid complaints provide important feedback. Listen and do not interrupt the customer. Apologise. Briefly restate the complaint back to the customer to show you have listened and understood. Thank the customer for bringing the matter to your attention. Act quickly, quietly and professionally and follow the establishment’s procedures.

Never Lose your temper. Take it personally. Argue. Lie. Blame another member of staff or another department.

Recording incidents Keep records, including: place, date, time nature of incident and action taken customer details names of the staff involved individual, signed reports from those concerned. Legal requirement to record any accidents or near misses, even if no one is injured.