Beside the 10 Steps of Customer Service, what else is there to being a Server?
Server Basics
Greet every customer the moment the door opens! While this goes back to step 1 of the10-steps, it's worth emphasizing again. Why? It lets customers know they've been seen, and gives them hope they will receive service quickly. Even when the store is super busy, don't work with blinders on as though you didn't see the new customer! Look up and greet, and point out a seat, or indicate where and when a seat may become available.
Nice Words
Talking nicely and using good language shows respect. Use these standard phrases with customers.
- Welcome to George Webb
- How may I help you?
- Are you ready to order?
- May I take your plate?
- Is there anything else I can get you?
- Thank you.
No "Sweetie, Honey, Hun, or Dear"
Unless it's your significant other, children, parents, friends, -- not a stranger at the table, never utter these mushy terms of endearment. Customers don't like it, and some are actually offended by it. What should you use? Nothing, or sir, or mam, or their name, if you know it.
Service with a Smile
- Smile
- Show kindness
- Be friendly
- Be quick about your service
- Keep an eye on the table whenever you pass by
- Collect the dishes as everyone has finished eating. This encourages tipping and helps to turn tables.
- Be prompt to collect. If the customer has to wait to pay, it discourages a tip.
Ten Steps of Customer Service
More Tips for Successful Customer Service
- Show kindness
- Let Customers Have Their Say
- Keep your cool. Never argue back to a customer! Getting angry will make the situation worse!
Examples:
Customer: "My ordered still hasn't arrived. I want my money back."
You: "I'm sorry, let me check on it immediately."
Getting a Complaint
Late in
getting to the customer? Food took too long? Forgot a beverage? It's not
the occasional lapse in service that results in us loosing customers,
it's failure to show sincere concern.
Recover from a Complaint
Follow this two-step process in order to "recover" the situation:
- Take Action. It doesn't matter whose fault
it is. Resolve it!
- "Thank you for waiting, how can I help you?"
- "I'm sorry about that, let me fix it!"
- Issue an Apology Card. Use the opportunity to drive home the point that we value our customers.
Is the Manager Here?
We don't always have a manager on duty. So if you get "I want to talk to a manager", ...know that you and others are capable of handling customer service issues. So rather than to say the manager isn't here right now, say: "I am capable of solving your problem. how may I help you?".
Coffee Refills
- Customers are unhappy when they're sitting with an empty cup!
- So keep an eye on their coffee, and offer refills
- When you refill one, go around with the pot and ask others
- Ask first, then pour. Some customers may have their coffee just to their liking or they may not want more.
Be a "Runner"
It takes longer to prepare the food than it takes to take the order. So the kitchen becomes a "bottleneck". So to expedite things, "run" back and assist and coordinate the activities of the cook. The faster the food comes out, the faster people are served and will more likely tip and turnover the table.
Pre-Clear Dishes
Does this look appealing --->?
This is what happens when the server doesn't "pre-clear" the customer's main dish while the customer is still seated. As you can see, pre-clearing is a a vital step to keeping the restaurant looking tidy.
Where to Pre-clear the Dishes
Don't clutter the sink with dirty
dishes. Pre-clear into a bus pan. Keep bus pans handy on the lower shelf
of the customer counter and at a nearby bus-cart.
Maintain the Sanitizing Solution Bucket
Use a clean wiping cloth and the bleach water in
the red bucket to wipe and sanitize the:
- tables and seating after each guest
- menus after each use
Check the Bleach Water Solution in the Red Bucket
All wiping cloths should be stored in the red bucket with chlorine/water sanitizing solution. Change the bucket often and test the solution, every 2 hours or more depending on usage. Use test strips found on the wall. It's a simple process of inserting a test strip as the water comes out of the dispenser. It should read between 50-100 ppm, and definitely not less than 50 ppm.
Reset Tables
Doesn't this look nice --->?
Clear and reset tables before anything else. Before doing dishes, before taking breaks. The place needs to look organized and presentable.
- Wipe the table
- Pull the condiments away from the menu holder and wipe underneath
- Arrange the setups
- Set out placemat and rolled silverware
- Table tent in the middle
All tables and the counter seats must have placemats and table tents at all times!
Like This!
Not this! 
Answering
the Phone and Phone Orders
Please make every effort to excuse yourself and answer the phone.
How to Answer the Phone
" Hello, George Webb's on __(street)___, _this is (name)_"
No Immediate Hold Please!
Also please, when you answer, don't immediately say "can you hold" and set the phone down. Allow the customer to state why they are calling. Then, if you must put them on hold, say: "I have another order, I'll be right back with you."
Phone Orders
The phone must be answered and orders taken. When an order roughly exceeds $40, politely inform the customer: "for orders over roughly $40 we ask you to come into the restaurant to place the order, or consider placing the order online at gwtogo.com. It's convenient and fast. Other options to suggest are Door Dash, Uber Eats, or Grub Hub which all have pick up service as well as delivery service.
Table Sections
When there are two or more servers on duty, and the restaurant is busy, you can loosely divide up the restaurant into sections so that each of you can focus on the customers in your section. However, you must continue to work as a team, helping each other as needed, and not avoid helping each other when there is an imbalance as to the number of customers in one section vs another section.
Customer Hand-Off at Change of Shift
The customers don't care about your end-of-shift getting ready to go home issues. Hand-off customers to the new shift with care:
- Continue to take orders, entering them into the POS system right up to the end of the shift.
- Point out to the next server where each customer is at in the10-steps to service
- Point out any pending orders on the POS or in the kitchen.
- Transfer pending orders in the POS to the new server.
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