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 Forum Topics-Public
  Customer Service

Customer Service

A recent MasterCard poll suggests that 80% of all restaurant complaints are related to poor service, not inadequate products. 23% of those surveyed said they would never return to a restaurant where they were dissatisfied with the service they received.

Likewise, the National Association of Customer Service found that the biggest reason retail customers decide not to return to an establishment relates directly to the level of personal attention and treatment they receive from the service staff. There's no escaping it; service is very much a "hot button" today.

With more restaurants than ever to choose from, your customers are less likely to give you another chance than they were 10 years ago. And as these surveys imply, the easiest and most common way to lose customers, or to cause them to return less often, is by failing to deliver in the service area.

Our service section will go beyond just the prevailing view of "good service." Service can be approached as just a series of mechanical functions, serve from the left, clear from the right. Obviously the mechanics are important, but you won't gain a competitive advantage today by just being efficient.

Our resident service experts will present a series of ideas and approaches to focus and capitalize on the human dimension of service. They believe that successful foodservice is fundamentally and ultimately based on human relationships and personal connection. You'll get ideas you can use to create a personable and guest-friendly service staff, which is the most effective way of building a loyal customer base and growing your business.

What Do Customers Want?
What Do Customers Want? Sigmund Freud is often quoted as saying, "What do women want?" He never figured it out, but you may do better in figuring out what customers want. This list provides you with a list of customers' desires that you can emphasize in your restaurant. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Restaurant Checklists
DOWNLOAD: Restaurant Checklists Successful restaurants use checklists to ensure consistent execution throughout their operation. Includes opening, closing, shift change, purchasing, receiving, storage, preparation, cleaning checklists and our most popular download, the Customer Service Checklist. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: The Ultimate Customer Comment Card
DOWNLOAD: The Ultimate Customer Comment Card Customer loyalty is the key to sustainable profit and growth in the restaurant business and you can create more of it, IF, you respond to what your customers love and don't love about your restaurant. Use the Ultimate Customer Comment card to get the best feedback you'll ever get about how to improve the customer experience in your operation. . . . more >>
WEBCAST: The Hospitality Factor: Searching for the Silver Bullet - Part 1
WEBCAST: The Hospitality Factor: Searching for the Silver Bullet - Part 1 Bill Marvin 'The Restaurant Doctor' provides ideas and concepts that will help you implement a culture of hospitality in your restaurant. This webcast provides practical instructional tips on how to make hospitality the rule rather than the rare exception in your restaurant. . . . more >>
WEBCAST: The Hospitality Factor: Searching for the Silver Bullet - Part 2
WEBCAST: The Hospitality Factor: Searching for the Silver Bullet - Part 2 All the great ideas in the world are not going to put a dime in your pocket unless they are implemented ... and nothing will be implemented unless your staff embraces the results you are after. In Part 2, Bill explores a second key element, how to actually create and nurture a working environment where hospitality can bloom and thrive. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Customer Complaint/Response Letters
DOWNLOAD: Customer Complaint/Response Letters Nobody's perfect, so how a restaurant handles customer complaints can make a big difference to their future sales and profits. Whether you're responding letter, email or online, these templates can help you respond quickly and appropriately to show you care about your guests' experience and give you a shot at turning those disappointed diners into loyal customers. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Customer Service - Staff Evaluation Form
DOWNLOAD: Customer Service - Staff Evaluation Form Every restaurant owner wishes to deliver the highest level of customer service to their guests; and, they depend on their staff to do so. Have you ever wondered how your restaurant stacks up when it comes to attaining guest satisfaction? More importantly, what does your staff think about the level of customer service your restaurant offers? . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Kitchen Ticket Time Analysis Form
DOWNLOAD: Kitchen Ticket Time Analysis Form Consistent service time is one of the cornerstones of great customer service. Use this form to evaluate your restaurant's average order preparation time and to identify causes and solutions for excessive service times. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Customer Service Checklist
DOWNLOAD: Customer Service Checklist Every restaurant needs to create a large core of repeat customers and the most effect way to keep your guests coming back is by taking care of them with exceptional service. Use this checklist as a guide for deciding what your service staff should be doing to ensure your guests come back again and again. It will help you and your staff quickly become aware of basic service procedures and standards. . . . more >>
Survey Results: Customer Service Survey
Survey Results: Customer Service Survey In this survey operators reveal how customer service impacts their restaurant. Operators share valuable insight to the challenges and rewards to successfully maintaining high levels of customer service. . . . more >>
Five Steps to Improve Customer Service
by Renée Evenson
Five Steps to Improve Customer Service Are you ready to do five simple things to ensure your customers return to your restaurant? Getting customers to return to your restaurant requires more than serving good food and giving average service. Read, learn and follow this five-step process to keep your guests coming back for more . . . more >>
Scotty's Brewhouse: Innovative Marketing, Superior Service and a Little Magic in Indiana
by Chantal Weedman
Scotty's Brewhouse: Innovative Marketing, Superior Service and a Little Magic in Indiana Scott Wise opened his first restaurant in his college town of Muncie, Indiana. In describing the concept, he says, "I've just kind of created a place that I like to go." As Wise expanded from one to four restaurants, he made great efforts to kep the atmosphere largely the same and keep the practices of an independent operation. . . . more >>
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