When you are face-to face with a dissatisfied customer, try to put aside any feeling of anger, or hurt or embarrassment. Deal with the situation calmly and professionally.Don’t wait for the customer to actually use the word ‘Complain” or “complaint” before acting. You can recognise dissatisfaction from the general behaviour of customers, the words they use, the expressions on their face and their body language.Deal with well,unhappy customers can become your best customers. Instead of remembering the worst,staying away and telling other of their bad experiences these are some of the main dangers if the complain is not properly acted upon.
Handling customer complain
Many workplace have a complaints procedure and rules limiting the action you can take
SoListen to the complaint without interruptionShow that you are listening with focusOffer to help sort the problem outReport back on your results
Given this, we should alwaysPay attentionMake no assumptionsListen to all information (filter out the emotion)Acknowledge, respond and informNever defend, make excuses or ignore the customers point of view
Then you couldAppologise properly and sincerely, but do not admint that you or the bar is at faultDo not make axcuses or blame anyone elseNever argue or disagree. React as if the customers are right, even when you believe otherwiseKeep calm and remain politeIf appropriate, and it is the procedure in your workplace offer a replacementWhere you do provide a replacement or alternative, do so quickly, with another apology for the incovenience
Check later that the new drink is satifactoryComplate the special order or form, to avoid problems with stock or cash controlNever offer something you cannot provide- consider what would happen if the customers accepts your suggestion of another drink, but you find the bar have run outThank the customers for bringing the matter to your attention-said with feeling, this will show the customers that you are genuine in your efforts to put things right.
Spillages: a drink or food is spilled by a customer, by you or by one of your colleagues.Breakages: from a dropped plate, cup , glass, bottleLost property: customer claims to have left behind a bag , breifcase, coat, umbrellaEquipment faults: equipment provided for the customers use or comfort does not work properly
The customers incident
Wipe up the spill or breakage, call your manager, move the customers, or get another drinkPay attentiont to safety. Carefully remove or clear away broken glass, which might couse a cut, wipe up liquid spills which might couse people tto slip and fall,turn off and isolate equipment which might injure peopleWork towards the comfort and convenience of the customers. Tidy up the area affected by the breakage or spill, offer paper towels so spills on customers clothes can be dried, move the customers to another tables, get the detail of lost property and ask the customers to be seated while you check.Get things back normal by bringing another drinkAfter things are back normal, record the incident
Establishing priorities
Importent information would be:The date and timeNames of people involvedDescription of the incidentWhat action was takenAnd by whomAny follow-up action required, e.g to arrange repair of faulty equipmentA system for recording insidents helps deal with claims for compensation and investigations into the cause of accidents or injury.
How to report a customer incident
Managers can make decisions such as :Offering complimentary service , or making an allowance on their bill- because the incident was not their fault, or if it was as a gesture of goodwillDepending on genuineness of the claim regarding property left behind,or money lost in the vending machine, offer some kind of compensation/ arrange for insurance to cover incidencesPaying for dry cleaning of a customer’s clothes
Management initiative
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