When the customer is not always right
While the motto “The customer is always right” is generally believed and expected to be followed, such as in the hospitality industry, there are situations that prove otherwise. This is where the training of, for instance, a restaurant’s front of house (FOH) comes in as the customer-facing part of the operation.
“Yes, we do rely on instinct, but at the same time, as a restaurant, it’s on us to provide our staff with the tools and the equipment to deal with it,” said Jamie Garaci on dealing with what can be considered as difficult guests.
The consultant at The Standard Hospitality Group, which operates the restaurant franchises Yabu, Ippudo, Elephant Grounds, and Kiwani in the Philippines was among the panelists at last Monday’s informative conference on restaurant service. It was organized and hosted by Angelo Comsti, a food consultant and Inquirer Lifestyle columnist, and Isabel Lozano, owner and chief executive officer at Decorum.
Garaci was joined in the segment “Servers Speak Up: FOH Testimonials” by Paulo Achacoso, a reservations assistant at Toyo Eatery, and Erin Recto, a partner at Hapag restaurant, who doubles as operations director and sommelier.
Garaci continued: “From the very start, you have to embed escalation into your system. If it’s a guest that’s annoying or angry, give them something free. At the end of the day, what is the food cost of that compared to the social media hate that you will get, the ripple effect that will happen?”
On the other hand, she pointed out, there will be so much positive ripple effect if the food server or another staff member makes the guest happy. But if the guest remains angry, the protocol is for the staff to call the restaurant manager and, when the situation worsens with violence already involved, alert the security personnel of the mall or building where the eatery is located.
Have a system in place
Having a working system in place makes the FOH confident in handling the situation at the initial stage, in which the servers will try to pacify the irate guest by giving a freebie and not be worried that the management will reprimand them.
She described those servers as “empowered to be kind and to go the extra mile.” They will also remain level-headed and won’t “stoop down” to disrespectful guests’ level.
Garaci made it clear that there’s always a way to be assertive and state something like, “Sir, this is not respectful of our staff anymore.” Yes, even on social media.
If there’s an “unfair review” posted online, for instance, the head of FOH can send a private message to explain by listing down facts and offer to settle the matter. But if those efforts are futile and the guest continues the attack, then the head of FOH can follow up with a message, saying such behavior cannot be tolerated.
She made it clear that “no guest is worth any tarnish on your reputation,” but “try to win them back as best as you can, again with the systems embedded. But if they’re disrespectful or they disrespect your staff, that’s it. You don’t want them as guest.”
Good server
What makes a good server?
Garaci agreed with Achocoso and Recto that servers need not have an extroverted personality to be good at the job. She pointed out, “It’s more of people who have that natural tendency to execute acts of kindness. Extroverts have infectious energy but they tend to get emotional. You have to temper their being ma-chika (chatty). Unfazed naman ang introverts and more thoughtful.”
Achacoso offered, “One has to be naturally maalaga (caring),” as Recto added, “Extroverts have the natural ability to read the room, so to speak. But introverts can really observe and anticipate the needs of the guests.”
They were also in agreement that making the guests happy and satisfied are both the hardest and most gratifying aspects of their job. Achacoso recalled a young couple who walked into Toyo Eatery apparently in a not-so-jolly mood but soon, with his team’s efforts, eventually enjoyed their dining experience.
Recto also shared an anecdote about a guest from Denmark who requested for flavored fries from a popular chain, and the Hapag staff gave him that, but added their own touch by serving it with fermented catsup and garlic aioli.
Lozano, who has trained many servers under her consulting firm, stressed the importance of improving oneself when becoming a good server or being part of the hospitality industry. She admitted that she used to allow her emotions to take over; at one point, while working at a hotel, she couldn’t get the promotion she wanted because she was too emotional to take on the job. So, she read up on books about emotional intelligence and improved on herself, such that she can now train and advice people to become better versions of themselves.
