1. Customer service and customer relations

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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).

11. 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.

12. Customers with impaired sight
Example of standard placement of food items

13. 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.

14. Process for covering spillages

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

16. 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.

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

18. 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.