II. Guest Complaint
It is much easier to prevent problems before they occur than to fix them after they make a guest unhappy. The best way to prevent most complaints is to ensure that all jobs are done with care.
HANDLING COMPLAINTS
Traditionally: “The guest is always right.”
Practical: “Even when the guest is wrong, the guest is always the guest.”
This means that because guests are the only reason we are in business, they all deserve to be treated respectfully and professionally, even when their demands seem unreasonable.
You and your associates must be able to handle complaints effectively.
When a guest complains, it is an opportunity for us to exceed his or her expectations as well as those of other guests. This is a tremendous opportunity. Seeking out guest complaints and successfully resoling them is one of the most potentially profitable activities that a business can engage in.
What do complaints do for your business?
. Point out areas that need improvement.
. Give you a second chance to provide service and satisfaction to a dissatisfied guest.
. Strengthen guest loyalty.
. Provide an opportunity to exceed their expectations.
What do guests want?
. Most research suggests that guests simply want the service that they were promised in the first place, along with some personal attention and an apology.
What do guests not want?
. Their complaint to be treated as a nuisance.
. To be treated as if the problem was their fault---even if it was.
. Excuses.
BASIC COMPLAINT HANDLING RULES
a. Trust the Guest
Do not second-guess a guest, even if you suspect a complaint is not credible. How you treat the guest with a complaint reflects our service attitude. Associates and other guests will watch how you handle the situation.
b. React Positively
. Remember that the guest is not the enemy, the problem is.
. Instead of being defensive i.e. “Is there something wrong.” Turn the complaint into a suggestion i.e. “Thank you for pointing that out.”
. Understand that with everything we do, we may make mistake. It is only human. How we react will set the tone. Be Patient!
c. Listen, Empathize, Ask open-ended Questions
Listen
. Carefully and make eye contact with the guest.
. Let the guest finish what they have to say without interrupting.
. Listening is an active process.
. Repeat back in your own words what you understand the problem to be, to really understand what they are unhappy with.
. Allows you to gather the information you need to rebuild the relationship.
. Helps to diffuse their anger.
. Demonstrates your concern.
. Helps you to understand what the guest wants.
Empathize
. Be empathetic,
o Sympathy---ability to share another’s emotions.
o Empathy---intellectual or emotional identification with another.
. Shows that you understand what the guest is telling you.
. Shows you care.
. Helps to personalize the relationship and rebuild guest trust.
Use Open Ended Questions
. Begin with Who, What, Where, How.
. Use to gather information
. Use to be certain you understand what the problem is.
. Ask when the guest is finished expressing their complaint.
d. Apologize
. In general, guests are likely to get an apology less than 50% of the time.
. Apologize for the situation; you do not have to take the blame.
. Do not make excuses. Simply apologize to the guest.
. It is an acknowledgement that things are not going right in your guest’s eyes.
. Effective apologies are:
Sincere: If you do not care while you are saying it, guests will not care what you are saying.
Personal: Use “I” instead of “we”. Apologies are most powerful and believable when delivered in the first person.
Timely: Apologize as early as possible in your conversation with the guest. You do not have to wait until you have resolved the problem.
e. Remain Calm
. Even if the guest is upset, remain calm.
. If necessary, move the guest away form the dining area to vent.
f. Rectify, Don’t Justify
. Never argue or defend.
. Your guests do not want to hear why their food is cold; they just want their meal served hot.
. It is the guest’s perception that is important.
. Apologize and correct the problem quickly.
g. Think Long Term
. The short term loss of replacing a meal is better than losing that guest and the 10 friends he or she is likely to tell.
. Think about what is best for the business long term.
h. Solve the Problem Quickly and Fairly/Keep Your Promises
Solve the problem quickly and fairly
. Work with the guest to find the best solution. Ask them what they feel would be a fair resolution to the problem. Give them several options and let them choose.
. This will give control back to the guest and help you to understand what their expectations are.
. Tell the guest what you can do, not what you cannot do. This creates a partnership and helps to build trust.
. Remember, the longer it takes to resolve the problem, the less likely your guest will want to do business with you again.
(Remember the statistic from above: 95% of complaining guests will buy from you again if you resolve the problem on the spot.
. Share your solutions with other associates.
Keep your promises
. Guest expectations form a promise between you and the guest.
. When the promise is not kept, this causes a service breakdown.
. New promises are made in the service recovery. It is important to keep these promises.
. Do not make promises you cannot help, be realistic.
i. Follow-up
. This allows you to confirm that what was wrong is now right.
. It tells your guest that you really care.
Follow-up internally
o To be sure you know what you can offer to a guest or that what you promised is realistic.
o Encourage associates to inform you about complaint.
Follow up with the guest
o To make sure he/she is satisfied.
o Should be done in a timely manner.
