Even in the best restaurants, there are times when a guest may become unhappy, frustrated or angry. The secret to great service is to handle these situations with confidence and professionalism. Dealing with difficult situations is not something to fear, but something to be embraced as an opportunity to demonstrate your skills, empathy and control. Done properly, even a negative situation can be turned into a positive experience that will bond the guest to your restaurant.
Why Customers Become Difficult It is important to understand why a guest has become difficult before you respond to the situation. Was it because of a long wait for food? Was it because an order was incorrect? Was it because their expectations were not met? Or was it because of something unrelated to your restaurant that happened earlier in their day? In most cases, the problem is not the service itself, but the way the guest is feeling. They may be hungry, tired or upset because of a previous experience. If you understand that most guests become frustrated because of the situation and not the service, you will be able to respond with patience instead of becoming defensive yourself.
Staying Calm under the Pressure The most important part of dealing with a difficult customer is to remain calm. If you respond emotionally to the situation, you will only serve to escalate the problem. If you respond in a calm and professional manner, you will begin to de-escalate the situation immediately. Take a deep breath before you respond. Speak in an even tone. Make sure your body language is open and non-threatening.
Even if the customer is yelling at you, respond calmly. This sets the tone for the rest of the conversation and will help to diffuse the situation. Confidence is also an important part of dealing with a difficult customer. The guest needs to feel like you have the ability to take care of the problem and are confident that you can solve it. Listen and Empathize Perhaps the most powerful tool you have in dealing with difficult customers is your ability to listen. The guest wants to know that you hear what they are saying and understand their frustration. Do not interrupt them or minimize their complaint.
Give them your full attention and acknowledge their problem. There is nothing more powerful than letting a customer know that you understand how they feel. Make sure the customer knows that you understand their frustration by using empathy statements such as: I apologize that we were unable to get your food out to you in a timely manner. I can understand why you would be upset in this situation. I would have felt the same way. Empathy does not mean that you agree with everything the customer is saying, but you must let them know that you understand how they feel.
Once they feel like you understand them, they will begin to listen to your solution to the problem. Communicate Clearly and with Respect Communication with an upset customer must always be clear, respectful and professional. Avoid explanations that are too lengthy or too complicated. Do not become defensive in your communication. Speak clearly and professionally, avoiding jargon and overly technical terms whenever possible. Always use positive language when speaking with a customer. Instead of telling them what you cannot do for them, explain what you can do to solve their problem. Instead of minimizing their complaint, let them know what you are going to do to prevent it from happening in the future.
By following these simple steps, you should be able to effectively deal with any difficult customer situation. Remember to always stay calm, listen actively, communicate clearly and empathize with the customer’s frustration. Handling difficult customers is not fun, but it is a necessary part of providing good service. The key is to remain calm and professional while solving the customer’s problem. The more you practice, the easier it will become. Remaining respectful, even if the customer is not. This will maintain the reputation of the establishment and its employees.
Assuming Responsibility and Providing a Fix When the establishment has failed to meet the customer’s expectations, the server should take responsibility for the mistake, even if it was not his/her fault. By offering a solution as promptly as possible, the server will not only convey a sense of urgency but also a desire to please the customer. The fix might be as simple as correcting the mistake, or perhaps substituting an alternative. It may require bringing a manager to the table, but the ultimate objective is to resolve the problem to the customer’s liking while still maintaining the standards of the restaurant.
By presenting a clear-cut solution to the customer, the server will keep the conversation moving in the right direction and alleviate some of the tension that is often inherent to this sort of situation. Knowing When to Draw the Line While a server needs to be accommodating and deliver excellent customer service, there may be occasions where he/she needs to draw a line. For instance, if a customer is making unreasonable demands, using abusive language, or being purposely offensive or threatening, it is time to bring in a manager. While it is important to serve the customer, there is no call to tolerate abusive behavior, and it is the responsibility of the server to address this issue in a professional manner.
A calm demeanor and an explanation of what is considered acceptable behavior are essential to diffuse a volatile situation, and the server should know when to involve a manager to the situation. Serving the needs of the customer is important, but protecting the welfare of the server is equally important. The Positive Outcome of an Effective Compliant If a server handles a customer’s complaint in a professional and effective manner, it can often leave a more positive impression with the customer than if the server had delivered a perfect dining experience. While the customer may recall the mistake, he/she will remember more vividly how the server rectified it.
Going above and beyond to ensure that a customer is satisfied is one of the best ways to turn a negative experience into a positive one. By rebuilding the trust of a customer that has experienced a problem, the server may not only ensure that the customer will return to the establishment, but also that he/she will refer friends and family to the establishment. Many customers have been won over by a server who will stop at nothing to ensure that a customer is happy. Perhaps the server offers a complimentary dessert, or maybe he/she provides a sincere apology and follow up service to make certain that everything is to the customer’s liking. Whatever the action, it will be remembered by the customer if the server has handled the situation in a positive and professional manner.
No customer wants to feel as if his/her business is not valued, and if a server can effectively convey this message in the course of handling a complaint, the customer will not only appreciate the effort, he/she will likely respond to it as well. The Part that Teamwork Plays in Conflict Resolution While a server may be the only person who is directly involved with a customer’s complaint, he/she is not alone in its resolution. Teamwork plays an essential role in the process, from communicating with coworkers to calling in support from a supervisor. Effective teamwork will help to avoid confusion and help to facilitate the resolution of a customer’s complaint, as well as make the process much smoother.
Furthermore, teamwork helps to foster a positive work environment, which is an essential element for a server if he/she is to effectively manage a difficult customer. While it is necessary for a server to remain composed when dealing with a customer who is being difficult, if he/she knows that there is a support system in place, he/she will feel more confident in the ability to handle the situation. Learning from a Difficult Situation One of the most effective ways that a server can learn to deal with difficult situations is to learn from them. Whether it is by replaying what happened and how he/she responded, or by soliciting feedback from a supervisor or coworkers, there is much to be learned from difficult customers. It may also be helpful to keep a mental or written record of the types of complaints that customers have, as there may be a pattern to the complaints that can be used to improve the service that is being delivered.
Continuous learning is one of the best ways to hone the skills of a server, and learning from difficult situations is one of the best ways to develop the skills that are needed to resolve customer complaints. Creating a Confident Server Through Experience While learning from difficult customers will help a server to develop the skills that are needed to handle these types of situations, the most effective way to build the confidence of a server is to place him/her in situations where he/she will be required to handle difficult customers. The more experience a server has, the more confident he/she will become in the ability to handle a wide range of situations, and difficult customers are no exception.
By empowering a server with the skills that are needed to manage a difficult customer, an establishment will help to ensure that customers will not only have a positive dining experience, but that they will also return for another meal and refer friends and family to the establishment.
