There is no simpler pleasure for a young family than to escape the daily routine of cooking, eating and then cleaning up the kitchen after meals. Add a bad winter keeping family members captive in close quarters for weeks on end, any escape is welcome. With the challenges of a slow economy with increased costs for basics such as gas, electricity and food, it’s difficult to find a few extra dollars to take the family out at all.
My daughter and her family, after Atlanta’s last snowstorm and deep freeze kept them sequestered in their subdivision for over a week, decided to go out one sunny day last week to their favorite Mexican restaurant. They were regulars at Rio Grande in the Washington, DC area, and have found its match in Uncle Julio’s in Atlanta. With two adults and three children in tow, they were looking forward to a change of scenery and a delicious meal.
Since it was a beautiful day, they requested the near deserted, quiet upper level with its great view. To keep the cost down, the adults shared an entrée and the kids shared the children’s chicken finger dinner. While waiting for their orders, they feasted on piles of fresh chips and salsa and a bowl of queso. To celebrate the occasion, their one indulgence was a premium margarita.
They got the view and the food was great, but the service was slow. Was it being “out of sight, out of mind” on the upper level or the fact that they were sharing orders, which translates to a lower check total? They didn’t complain, but on the way home, my daughter noticed that the server had charged her over $9 for the margarita! A simple mistake or an opportunity to boost the check?
What had started out as a quest to de-stress and enjoy a day out was turning into a disappointment. A call to the manager got an apology and a promise to make things right. While they can process a credit to their bill and provide a coupon for a discount next time, they can’t guarantee another day when all the stars align and they can again arrange the calendar and ignore all the “to dos” that need to be done to go out again.
Things like a little slow service and a mistake on a bill may not seem earth shattering, but customer service is respecting your customer’s time and effort in choosing you over all the other restaurants or hotels to patronize. Customers come for your food, but they have their own agendas, not covered by your specials or killer dessert menu. When a family comes in with a bunch of little kids bouncing off the walls, remember what it took for their parents to get them through your doorway. Just the tasks of getting three kids dressed, buckled up, and packing the diaper bag with all the stuff needed for a short time away from home can be exhausting. Attention to the little things, a smile and a little extra attention is the stuff that makes pleasant memories and return customers.
My daughter and her family, after Atlanta’s last snowstorm and deep freeze kept them sequestered in their subdivision for over a week, decided to go out one sunny day last week to their favorite Mexican restaurant. They were regulars at Rio Grande in the Washington, DC area, and have found its match in Uncle Julio’s in Atlanta. With two adults and three children in tow, they were looking forward to a change of scenery and a delicious meal.
Since it was a beautiful day, they requested the near deserted, quiet upper level with its great view. To keep the cost down, the adults shared an entrée and the kids shared the children’s chicken finger dinner. While waiting for their orders, they feasted on piles of fresh chips and salsa and a bowl of queso. To celebrate the occasion, their one indulgence was a premium margarita.
They got the view and the food was great, but the service was slow. Was it being “out of sight, out of mind” on the upper level or the fact that they were sharing orders, which translates to a lower check total? They didn’t complain, but on the way home, my daughter noticed that the server had charged her over $9 for the margarita! A simple mistake or an opportunity to boost the check?
What had started out as a quest to de-stress and enjoy a day out was turning into a disappointment. A call to the manager got an apology and a promise to make things right. While they can process a credit to their bill and provide a coupon for a discount next time, they can’t guarantee another day when all the stars align and they can again arrange the calendar and ignore all the “to dos” that need to be done to go out again.
Things like a little slow service and a mistake on a bill may not seem earth shattering, but customer service is respecting your customer’s time and effort in choosing you over all the other restaurants or hotels to patronize. Customers come for your food, but they have their own agendas, not covered by your specials or killer dessert menu. When a family comes in with a bunch of little kids bouncing off the walls, remember what it took for their parents to get them through your doorway. Just the tasks of getting three kids dressed, buckled up, and packing the diaper bag with all the stuff needed for a short time away from home can be exhausting. Attention to the little things, a smile and a little extra attention is the stuff that makes pleasant memories and return customers.
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a workplace consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for CSJobs.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing Alto II with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and creating original gift items available on http://www.etsy.spoolhardy.com/ You can read more of her blogs at csjobsblog.com and view additional job postings on Nexxt
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