- Understanding that to uplift others is to uplift yourself – The best way to have a good business in the hospitality industry is to serve others. Having a staff that does this is essential and can transform your entire business. Your attitude when helping customers is contagious, and customers can tell when you are genuinely happy to serve them.
- Welcome customers as you would a friend in your home – Making customers feel as comfortable as possible is the first step in establishing an emotional connection. We should be striving to make our customer’s days just a bit better, especially in every way they interact with our company. We can be doing this in-person and virtually. Even doing something as simple as answering the phone with a smile will help the person on the other line feel your energy, even if they cannot see you.
- Listen – Understanding you may not fix things right away, but so many times when people are upset, all they want is to be heard. It is essential to try and solve problems as soon as they happen, but make sure you are doing everything you can first, to listen to the customer. Figure out what went wrong, and make your intentions clear that you are there to help and serve them.
- Avoid barriers – This is the most challenging one on the list in our world today, but do what you can to avoid as many barriers as possible. In our world today, people have a tough time understanding people’s intentions and emotions because masks cover so much of our facial expressions. Many in the service industry have even reported getting lower tips because people don’t see their faces. While we cannot always avoid wearing masks or taking other precautions due to covid, try to work around those barriers. Maybe put even more emphasis on making sure the care you have for the customer comes across in your voice.
- Get on eye level – Standing above or below someone creates an uneven power dynamic. I have talked about this experience before, but it is such a stellar example of getting on eye level that I am going to bring it up again. After complaining at a restaurant my family and I were frequent members of, the manager came out to speak with us, and rather than standing above us all at the table, he pulled a chair and sat with us. He then listened to our complaints as though he were a long-time friend listening to how he had let us down. I still do not remember exactly how much of the meal was taken off our bill or anything, but I do remember how validated and appreciated he made my family and I feel.
- Empathize – Offer them the best you can and understand that sometimes your best is not what the customer needs. Even if you are transferring a client to another person, make sure they know that you hear them- you may not be the one able to solve their problem at that moment. If you cannot do what they need, tell them. While it may feel like you are letting the customer down, honesty will get you much further than telling a white lie that may not be fulfilled. If the customer can sense your empathy, even if you are not solving their problem, it will go a long way.
- Follow up – Even if you have completely solved the customer’s problem and no longer have any issues, still go out of your way to follow up and see how they are doing. Take note of how you can improve and what you did well. When following up, these are the situations from which you will learn the most in customer service, and the customer knows you did not forget about them.
