Customer Service Has Moved Toward Customer Care
As I waited for an answer to my VCR inquiry from a stereo
company, the recording stated a "customer care" representative would
be available shortly. At that moment, I realized it's finally
catching on everywhere. With aging baby boomers, world events and
additional pressures in today's society; it is "customer care" that
has evolved in our economy. We have moved from a manufacturing
economy to a service economy and are currently leaning towards a "servicecare"
economy. As we live in a high tech-high button touch environment,
many personal contacts have been decreased making each customer
interaction more important than ever to corporate imagery. For
example, if you call for computer tech support, the representative
often makes it a point to address you by first name. If it's the
bank credit card company, they may ask "How are you doing today?"
This makes the customer feel less like a number and more like a
human being.
The successful restauranteurs always took service one step further
towards "care" because they understood restaurant customer service
literally involves the immediate health of the patron-- more so than
any other industry (except for healthcare industry itself). A recent
survey asked diners why they went out to eat and the main response
was "to feel good." (After all, the word "restaurant" has French
origins meaning "to restore"). As a waiter for many years, I felt my
job was to restore humanity, especially to diners arriving from a
stressed out day.
In my past dining room work experiences, I remember certain actions
lifting service to this higher level of "care." One time a customer
requested margarine that wasn't available in the restaurant. The
owner walked across the street to the grocery purchased the
margarine and brought it tableside. The patron was delighted. There
was a regular customer (diabetic) who always got immediate attention
with some kind of bread or crackers to keep from feeling feint
before her food arrived. If there was a baby present at a table, our
staff ensured their food would come out as soon as possible to
pacify. These kinds of actions create a lasting positive image for
any company or establishment. The owner cared about his guests and
it permeated thru the dining room and staff -- even after he left to
open other restaurants for the company.
Customer Service involves major 3 points:
1) Care and Concern for the Customer
2) Spontaneity and Flexibility of frontline workers which enhances
the ability for on-the-spot problem-solving.
3) Recovery- making things right with the customer when the process
has gone astray.
These 3 points should always be highlighted in any customer service
training program. If they are kept in mind, then quality service
will occur.
Bio:
Topserve Inc. is a Restaurant Service Consulting and Waiter Training
Company.
Richard Saporito, founder, has over 25yrs. of restaurant service
experience in many large, diverse and profitable establishments.
Since the age of 15, he has worked in more than 20 restaurants and
uses this past successful experience to help restaurants achieve
their desired customer service goals-understanding it may be the
difference between success and failure.
Richard Saporito, President, Topserve Inc.http://www.topserveconsulting.com
info@topserveconsulting.com 888-276-4808
Search for Customer Service Articles:
|
|
