While out to dinner this weekend, my husband, some friends and I had a bad customer service experience. I thought I would share it with the blog community as a means to help learn what your staff should not do when a customer/client is dissatisfied.

We went to dinner at a small, locally owned Italian restaurant that we had heard many good things about, but none of us had yet been to. The service was off to a rocky start as the waitress took quite awhile to get to us. But we tried to give her the benefit of the doubt.

While waiting for our salads, our friends’ seven month old son needed his diaper changed. Dad took him to the men’s restroom to change him. Upon his rather lengthy return he said that it took him so long because there was no where in the men’s restroom to change a baby. No table and not enough counter space. Strike number one.

The salads arrived and they were disappointing, to say the least. Not the “house salad” with the homemade Italian dressing as expected, that’s for sure. But we trudged on. By the time we finished the salads we all had empty drinks. The hostess came by to give us refills, while our waitress walked right past our table, without even acknowledging the need to check on us.

The entrees arrived. I had ordered a seafood ravioli, my husband a veal parmigiana (which was my second choice so we intended to share). When eating Italian food I am very picky because my grandfather is full-blooded Italian, so I know the basic standards for quality that authentic Italian food should meet. Unfortunately, the entrees we were served did not meet those standards, and certainly were not worth the prices were we paying for them. Strike two.

When the waitress came with our bill, and we saw the total, I mentioned to her that I was actually quite disappointed with my meal and did not feel it was worth the price we would be paying. I asked her to speak to the manager and see if anything could be done. I honestly wasn’t looking for my entire entree to be comped, but maybe some sort of gesture that said “we’re sorry you were disappointed, how can we make it up to you?” That is not what we received.

The waitress returned and said the manager could do nothing to help me because I ate 2/3 of my meal. When I asked if she would get the manager so that I could speak to him about it (and explain that my husband tried a bit of my ravioli to see if he liked it, and that would be why, what he claimed as 2/3, was eaten), she refused, saying the he was incredibly busy and did not have time to talk to me, insisting there was nothing more she could do. Strike three for the waitresses unhelpful response.

As we left, I stopped and asked the hostess if she would get the manager for me, because our waitress would not do so. She did. Now one would expect the manager, when providing good customer service, to immediately say “How can I help you?” or something to that effect. However, this manager took one look and me and said “I am too busy to talk to you.” Whoa, whoa, whoa! How is it that he can manage a restaurant but not be available to the customer when there is a problem or a complaint (and I asked him that)? That is not good management or good customer service by any means.

His response was that I ate 2/3 of my meal so there was absolutely nothing he could do for me. And, if I wanted to speak to someone about it, the owner would be in Tuesday. Okay, here’s the thing, I was a waitress all through high school and college. I worked in food service for years and I know what is expected for good customer service, especially from a manager. Placing blame and blowing me off was not it.

First, you need to be available for the customer. At least give them an opportunity to explain the problem. Though there may be nothing you can do for them (which is highly doubtful in the first place), you can at least hear them out so that, in the future, you can try to avoid the problem. Don’t blow them off as this manager did to me. I have never known any manager at any place I’ve worked (or eaten) to not immediately run to a customer’s table when there is a complaint. Because the last thing you want is for the customer to leave unhappy or, in our case, to never come back again.

Second, never point your finger at the customer. Again, give them an opportunity to explain. Had I been given that opportunity, the manager would have discovered that my husband tried my meal to see if we might want to trade, since I was not pleased. And, that I wouldn’t trade with him because his meal was worse. But I did not scarf down over half my own meal. In fact, I had very little of anything to eat at all. More or less, the manager was accusing me of falsifying my complaint to get something for free. Pointing the blame on the customer and making accusations, as this waitress and manager did, only makes the customer more upset and, frankly, insulted.

Yes, I’m taking this opportunity to vent a bit, but I know there are some good lessons in this situation that others can learn from. The old adage, that many of us can’t stand (especially those who work in food service) “the customer is always right,” well, there is a reason for that saying. The customer, in fact, is not always right, but good customer service is treating her as though she is. Making the customer feel appreciated, even when they are not pleased, is the goal. And that was not accomplished in our experience. What a shame.

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4 Responses to “A Bad Customer Service Experience”

1. ljnd says:
   

   Amazing. Locally-owned businesses need to be aware that word spreads quickly!

   You might also want to spread the word on MeasuredUp.com, a website for reviews of products and stores that you really like (or really hate). It’s at www.measuredup.com, and it’s very easy and rather cathartic.

   Posted September 17th, 2007 @ 12:15 pm
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2. MLM Guy says:
   

   Customer service is lacking in the US. I blame it on the owner directly. They should train employees in customer relations, then make sure their policies are carried out. Too many businesses hire kids that have no common business sense, and worse, are not empowered to give refunds or satisfy the customer.

   Posted July 20th, 2008 @ 12:33 pm
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3. GF says:
   

   First of all, taking your baby to any restaraunt expecting it to be baby friendly is strike one for you.

   Strike two if that child cried, or whined, or threw food on the floor, which ruins the dining experience of the people around you who know how to call a babysitter, and pisses off your waiter/waitress because they have to clean up after your child when you leave. Not to mention the unfortunate customer who may have had to witness the changing of the diaper and any foul smell that comes with it when they entered the restroom.

   Strike three for thinking that just because the food didn’t meet your picky standard of what itallian food should taste like, the restaurant should kiss your butt and adjust your check to what you thought it was worth.

   Tisk, tisk.

   Posted August 20th, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
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4. Michelle Cramer (original poster) says:
   

   In response to the previous post:

   Let me preface with the fact that I was a waitress myself for over 8 years. I am well aware of the standards a restaurant should meet, as well and the annoyances that customers can create.

   The child with us was very well behaved. He threw no fits and we made sure to clean up after him (what little there was). Not even an issue. The restaurant is supposed to be family oriented - therefore it is not beyond anyone’s expectations that it should be baby friendly. In fact, these days, all restaurants should have changing tables in both restrooms and most do. Anyone that has a child knows the importance of that and it is not beyond logic to expect such accommodations.

   As a comparison, the friends that accompanied us were not Italian and had no “picky standards.” My husband was not Italian either. However, ALL of us were displeased with our meals. This town has an influx of restaurants and we know good food when we taste it, regardless of our cultural background. They chose to not say anything, but I did not, simply because customer service cannot be fully applied if every customer who is displeased says nothing and just deals with out. How would a business grow and become more successful if the management was unaware of where improvement was needed.

   Most importantly, however, I dare you to find a restaurant, or any service industry location for that matter, where pleasing the customer is not the number one priority. The whole idea is to provide the customer with an enjoyable experience and, when the customer is not satisfied, to do anything you can to make it so. That ensures that the customer will return. It is the good practice of any business. Unfortunately, it is also what businesses in this country have begun to slack on, to their own detriment.

   It is my hope that every business owner will start raising his/her standards for quality customer service. It is the only way a small business can succeed in this competitive business world.

   Posted August 20th, 2008 @ 4:35 pm
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