Server and Server Training – Restaurant Training Tips for Superior Customer Service
When eating out, how often have you heard restaurant employees make statements like:
“This is how you ordered it.”
“You arrived at six and I told you that the wait was going to be 45 minutes.”
“No, I can’t do that…you ate most of it.”
Training your team on effective communication skills will add to the overall experience for your guests. While we train our staff on how to sell menu items, set up and maintain equipment, operate the computer system, and practice safety and sanitation procedures, we often forget to teach them how to communicate effectively.
Don’t assume your staff knows how to properly speak to your guests; most people don’t know and must be trained. Your guests will judge your operation by the degree of “care” conveyed in the words and messages your team members send. Choosing the right words and conveying messages in a positive way can make the difference between repeat business and a one-time stop at your establishment.
When training your staff to communicate effectively, teach them these tips:
• Speak in a cheerful, well-modulated voice that conveys energy
• Use positive, flowing gestures and open body language.
• Maintain effective eye contact
• Use animated facial expressions
• Use team words that build associations such as all, we, together, our, let’s go/let’s. Avoid using the word “you” in a scolding or blaming manner, which puts the receiver in a defensive position (see examples below).
To illustrate this point, my sister and I recently visited a nearby Italian restaurant that was recommended to me by my neighbor. We were seated promptly by a friendly and upbeat hostess, a pleasant start. When the server arrived we ordered a pizza with extra sauce and light cheese.
When the pizza arrived, it had light sauce and extra cheese on it, the complete opposite of our request. When we realized the mistake, we mentioned it to the server in a very diplomatic way. He put his hands on his hips, rolled his eyes, and replied in a strained voice, “You didn’t tell me you wanted extra sauce.” We were sure we had ordered the pizza correctly, but even if we had been wrong, we certainly could have done without the scolding. We kept our comp and just ate it since we were on a tight schedule.
The whole situation could have been handled more professionally if the server had said, “I’m sorry for our mistake. Why don’t you go ahead and start nibbling on this one so you’ll have something to chew on…in the meantime, we’ll remake the pizza for you.” .
Take the time to review the following training tips for learning key words and phases for speaking positively with guests:
Don’t say: “We ran out of…”
Say, “We sold out of…”
(“Sold out” conveys a lack of preparation, while “out of stock” suggests your item was popular.)
Don’t say, “I don’t know.”
Say: That’s a great question…I’ll ask my owner/manager/co-worker and let them know.”
(Most of the time, someone will know the answer)
Don’t say, “Your credit card is bad.”
Say, “I’m sorry Mr./Ms. Carrera, we’re having trouble getting your credit card authorized… Do you have another form of payment?” We accept the following types of payment…
Do not say no”.
Say, “I’m sorry we don’t have___ on the menu, but the___ tastes very similar.”
or “Sorry, we can’t___, but here’s what we can do…”
(Always say “I’m sorry” when you can’t accommodate a guest)
Don’t say, “You forgot to sign this.”
Say, “Mr./Mrs. Hsu, could I have your signature?”
Don’t say: “You need to show me your ID”
Say, “Sorry for the inconvenience, would you mind showing me your ID?”
Don’t say, “We can’t do that.”
Say, “Let’s see what we can do.”
or if you absolutely cannot meet your specific request, then say “I’m sorry I can’t accommodate you, but here’s what we can do for you…”
Don’t say, “I don’t know, I’m new.”
Say: “I want to help you… I’m pretty new here, but I’ll be happy to give you an answer right away.”
Louis Pappas, president of Tarpon Springs, Florida-based Louis Pappas Market Café, says, “We teach our team to take the time to think before they speak. A little more effort on your part to choose the right words creates a “culture in our restaurant that encourages customer loyalty”.
Rephrasing sentences and rephrasing thoughts to convey a positive message to your guests may take a few more seconds, but the result is well worth it. As a result, you’ll stimulate repeat business, encourage positive word of mouth, and add more money to your bottom line.
