Serving success: how waiting tables can teach customer service
Originally published on eHotelier.
When Stephanie Hartigan joined Orgwide, she was nervous about her ‘business skills’. At the age of 22, she didn’t have much work experience, and had never held a position in a corporate environment. Her biggest concern was whether she could effectively communicate with, and provide for, the business’ customers.
What follows is her realisation of the customer service skills she’d acquired as a waitress…
Customer service skills from waiting tables
How could I confidently comfort the customer if I was not comfortably confident with my own capabilities? It was quite a surprise when I realized that I really did have experience in effectively communicating and providing customer service.”
They don’t teach customer service in schools and you’re unlikely to learn it from friends or family…
I had actually learned the basics of what I needed to be successful in my new job at Orgwide – and some valuable and lifelong skills from my first job: waiting tables! Yep, as it turns out, I had been developing my customer service skills for almost six years, and didn’t even know it! With additional consideration, I found many customer service parallels between serving food and providing customer support.”
Stephanie’s ABCs of customer service
A
nticipate the customer’s needs. Whether you’re taking their drink order or answering their call, it is really important to anticipate the needs of your customer. As soon as I see a guest walk in the door, I already know some key things they need: menus, silverware, and a warm smile with a friendly greeting. Then, it’s on to drink orders and so forth.
When it comes to customer support, you should carefully listen – really listen – to what the customer is saying to gain a better understanding of what is most important to them. The better you know your customers, the easier it will be to anticipate their needs. At the end of the day, it comes down to a simple truth: customers buy solutions to their problems, whether that’s food for their empty bellies or tech support for an eLearning course!”
B
e a team player. I’ve worked in three different successful restaurants (a family-owned local diner, a corporate chain, and a high-end French restaurant), and there was one specific unifying theme: teamwork. Some managers made it a point to call everyone together for a “team meeting” before the start of each shift. Others would acknowledge the team’s hard work by taking us out to dinner.
In the corporate world, it is equally important to be a team player and encourage others around you as well. When the entire support staff is functioning as a whole, you’ve built a solid foundation for the business to provide exceptional customer service and create raving fans!”
C
heck-in for feedback. It’s hard to believe that I asked for feedback close to a hundred times every shift I would work as a server, and never even knew it. An important aspect to how I take care of my customers is I am constantly asking if everything’s alright, if there’s anything additional I can get for them, what can I do to make their experience even better, etc.
By asking these questions, I was receiving immediate feedback on my performance, as well as learning about each individual customer’s needs.”
Remember special requests
One of my regulars always wanted Splenda with his coffee, and another wanted extra strawberry jam and REAL butter with her toast. It only takes once (ok, sometimes twice) before I remember to bring those special requests as soon as they sit down – without being asked!
When it comes to customer support, the key is to give more than expected. Elevate yourself above the competition by asking “how can I make it better for you?” Most of the time, the customer will tell you what it is he or she wants or needs. From there, it is up to you to make it a memorable, positive experience. Making the customer feel special will almost always result in repeat business.”
It’s not that surprising that Stephanie learnt so many transferrable skills in what she thought was a part-time job. Working in hospitality really does open you up to a variety of experiences and force you to interact with people of all different ages and background, and the skills you learn can be applied in just about any field…
Listen, learn and improve
It’s vital to listen to your customers and anticipate the things they will need. When you look out for your team mates, everyone will be working as a team and can exceed your customers’ expectations. Finally, it is essential to constantly and consistently improve your skills by asking for feedback. Following up with your customers will ensure the mission was accomplished, or provide you with an opportunity to improve.”
As Stephanie’s parting thought, she shared this quote from Bill Gates:
Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
So what have you learnt from working in hotels or the hospitality industry?
You can read Stephanie’s original article here: Serving Up Success: Waiting Tables Taught Me Customer Service
How could I confidently comfort the customer if I was not comfortably confident with my own capabilities? It was quite a surprise when I realized that I really did have experience in effectively communicating and providing customer service.”
They don’t teach customer service in schools and you’re unlikely to learn it from friends or family…
I had actually learned the basics of what I needed to be successful in my new job at Orgwide – and some valuable and lifelong skills from my first job: waiting tables! Yep, as it turns out, I had been developing my customer service skills for almost six years, and didn’t even know it! With additional consideration, I found many customer service parallels between serving food and providing customer support.”
Stephanie’s ABCs of customer service
A nticipate the customer’s needs. Whether you’re taking their drink order or answering their call, it is really important to anticipate the needs of your customer. As soon as I see a guest walk in the door, I already know some key things they need: menus, silverware, and a warm smile with a friendly greeting. Then, it’s on to drink orders and so forth.When it comes to customer support, you should carefully listen – really listen – to what the customer is saying to gain a better understanding of what is most important to them. The better you know your customers, the easier it will be to anticipate their needs. At the end of the day, it comes down to a simple truth: customers buy solutions to their problems, whether that’s food for their empty bellies or tech support for an eLearning course!”
B e a team player. I’ve worked in three different successful restaurants (a family-owned local diner, a corporate chain, and a high-end French restaurant), and there was one specific unifying theme: teamwork. Some managers made it a point to call everyone together for a “team meeting” before the start of each shift. Others would acknowledge the team’s hard work by taking us out to dinner.In the corporate world, it is equally important to be a team player and encourage others around you as well. When the entire support staff is functioning as a whole, you’ve built a solid foundation for the business to provide exceptional customer service and create raving fans!”
C heck-in for feedback. It’s hard to believe that I asked for feedback close to a hundred times every shift I would work as a server, and never even knew it. An important aspect to how I take care of my customers is I am constantly asking if everything’s alright, if there’s anything additional I can get for them, what can I do to make their experience even better, etc.By asking these questions, I was receiving immediate feedback on my performance, as well as learning about each individual customer’s needs.”
Remember special requests
One of my regulars always wanted Splenda with his coffee, and another wanted extra strawberry jam and REAL butter with her toast. It only takes once (ok, sometimes twice) before I remember to bring those special requests as soon as they sit down – without being asked!
When it comes to customer support, the key is to give more than expected. Elevate yourself above the competition by asking “how can I make it better for you?” Most of the time, the customer will tell you what it is he or she wants or needs. From there, it is up to you to make it a memorable, positive experience. Making the customer feel special will almost always result in repeat business.”
It’s not that surprising that Stephanie learnt so many transferrable skills in what she thought was a part-time job. Working in hospitality really does open you up to a variety of experiences and force you to interact with people of all different ages and background, and the skills you learn can be applied in just about any field…
Listen, learn and improve
It’s vital to listen to your customers and anticipate the things they will need. When you look out for your team mates, everyone will be working as a team and can exceed your customers’ expectations. Finally, it is essential to constantly and consistently improve your skills by asking for feedback. Following up with your customers will ensure the mission was accomplished, or provide you with an opportunity to improve.”
As Stephanie’s parting thought, she shared this quote from Bill Gates:
Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
So what have you learnt from working in hotels or the hospitality industry?
You can read Stephanie’s original article here: Serving Up Success: Waiting Tables Taught Me Customer Service
