16 February 2007
A short but interesting article from the website http://www.hcareers.co.uk more directed to entry level positions but very relevant and so reflecting the hospitality industry
Working in the hospitality industry, you will deal with people on a day-to-day basis. Some days they may really "irk" you and others they will be fabulous. Don't worry if you have days where nobody seems to be happy and all you can think about is getting out the door. This is a normal occurrence and you just have to take it in stride. You will begin to recognize that there are different types of customers and you will learn how to adapt your service to each accordingly. In hospitality and restaurant jobs you will also learn that there are different types of complainers as well.
According to the University of Florida's Superior Customer Performance program, there are five different types of complainers, but in the hospitality and foodservice industries we tend to deal with three of those types. Each type of complainer should be handled appropriately. By responding correctly to each type of complainer, you will reduce the chances of having to bring your manager into the situation.
** TYPES OF COMPLAINERS **
The quiet complainer is typically a customer who appears to be dissatisfied in some way, but you have a hard time getting them to speak up. You may ask the individual, "How was everything?" and the quiet complainer may answer, "Fine." If you are able to get the individual to speak up about what was bad about their experience eating or staying with you, you may be able to gain insight on a situation that needs to be changed or handled differently. This can be a learning experience for you as an employee and the customer will respect you for being diligent in determining the cause of their dissatisfaction.
An aggressive complainer is on the other end of the spectrum from the quiet complainer. This complainer may be loud and their complaints may be lengthy. They may even get loud and yell and scream. These people often stew until they have several things to comment and complain about. To handle this type of person you must follow three steps:
Remember that this type of complainer does not like someone to be aggressive toward them despite how they may be acting. They will not want to hear your excuses, but rather what you can do to fix the problem. If the complainer becomes too aggressive for you to handle, the best move you can make is to find a manager immediately and let them deal with the individual.
Somewhere in between these two complainers is a chronic complainer. No matter what you try to do for them, they seem to never be satisfied. There tea will be weak, their food will be lukewarm or there bed wasn't made properly and their room service was late. This customer can be very frustrating and it will seem like you are running all over the restaurant or doing everything you can to make them happy and it just isn't happening. In this situation you need to have the patience of a saint. List carefully and completely to their complaints and don't interrupt. Often they will be satisfied with an honest effort to solve their problem and a sincere apology. These customers appreciate when you listen and they will appreciate your apology.
** WHAT YOU CAN DO **
In the foodservice industry, your goal is to keep complaints to a minimum. Your customer's pay you for your service and in return you should do your best to give your customers the best service that you can provide. In the hospitality industry, you may have a little more leverage over what you can do for a customer in the event of a complaint than a server in a restaurant. Complaints are inevitable, but how you handle a complaint can build your respect in the workplace. Do your best to listen to the complaint and rectify the situation without involving a manager.
For example, if the customer's soup is cold then that is something that you can fix on your own. There will be some situations where you will require the assistance of your manager because you don't have the authority to take care of the problem yourself. If there is something wrong with the check, for example, then you may require the manager to fix the problem.
If you have a hospitality job, you may have a customer that is unhappy with their room in relationship to the noise of a highway or swimming pool, these types of complaints are easily rectifiable by simply moving the guest to another room. If you are responsible and handle the situation on your own to the best of your ability you will not only gain respect from your customer but also your manager. In either industry, the customer may see you as a helpful employee and may seek out your services in the future or leave a good note about you with the company or manager.
In every instance you must follow-up with the individual. Give them a little extra thanks or try to chat with a bit before they leave. Many people will feel that you are putting them "out of sight and out of mind," when in actuality you are just busy. This helps to give them a good note to go out on and they will appreciate your sincerity.