The end of the line for bad service
Last week when I phoned my own pub, the Bay View Inn in Bude, Cornwall, a flat voice at the other end mumbled: "Hello can you hang on a minute...right".
A far cry from my training template insisting on staff saying "Hello, this is the Bay View Inn, how may I help you?", with a smile on their face that's evident to the person receiving the call.
Perhaps it was a blessing that the recipient of such an off-hand greeting was the mumbler's boss instead of a real customer - but not so lucky for the staff member concerned, who received immediate corrective training and a verbal warning to boot.
However, it did provide conclusive evidence - if any more proof is necessary - that staff training is a life-long journey. Just when we think we've finally arrived, another destination appears.
Whether a personal or telephone greeting is required, its quality is of the utmost importance. The old saying is true - you never do get a second chance to make a first impression. And the way customers are greeted is paramount. Last month I looked at the "customer journey", focusing on physical surroundings and the importance of combining a good-quality environment with a proper greeting in helping a pub gain an excellent reputation.
Meeting and greeting
Ensuring that your staff greet customers and say good-bye effectively is a crucial aspect of excellent customer service.
It's vital that staff acquire a clear understanding of customers' value to the business and learn to treat them as a core part of its existence rather than as outsiders.
Three main areas to look out for:
l Appearance: "Presentable" is probably the most appropriate word, given diverse pub styles. Clean hair, fingernails, clothes and good personal hygiene standards are paramount. Chewing gum or eating in front of customers is unacceptable.
l Welcome: The first interaction between you and your customers is non-verbal. The way you position your body tells them how interested you are in what they say.
Even if you are busy and customers have to wait before you serve them, it's important to acknowledge them immediately with "Hello, I'll be with you in a moment".
The tension melts away when customers are greeted in this way - they relax, knowing they've been noticed and will be served soon.
Teach your team about non-verbal communication and they will understand its important impact on their work.
l Smile: Smiling is the most important way you can signal your openness. If you don't smile, people will imagine you are uninterested in them or that you are cold and aloof. A warm smile is like displaying a welcome sign - it invites people to relate to you.
Have you noticed it's difficult to frown at someone who is genuinely smiling? Eye contact is important as it also lets a customer know they have been noticed. There are few things worse than being ignored.
l Affirm: In conversation, we signal our understanding and encouragement non-
verbally through nodding and affirmative vocal sounds. If you don't affirm the speaker in this way, they will probably assume that you disagree with them or are not interested in what they have to say.
l Lean inwards: Leaning towards someone indicates your desire to engage with him or her. But only lean slightly as leaning too far can indicate aggression.
l Open postures: Crossing your arms, closing your hands, holding your arm across your chest, clasping your hands together, or crossing your legs away from the other person are all "closed" positions. Closed postures signal that a person feels defensive, guarded or has a closed attitude to interacting. Unlock your posture to communicate openness.
l Eye contact: Eyes are the most expressive part of the body, so eye contact is a prerequisite for successful social interaction and is a powerful sign of respect and attention.
Making eye contact gives the message: "Right now, I am more interested in you than anything else."
If you avoid looking at someone, he or she will think you are anxious, dishonest or uninterested. In conversation, make eye contact for between one and ten seconds at a time, more frequently while listening than talking.
Staff checklist for greeting a customer
l Welcome with a big smile and eye contact
l Acknowledge customers even if they cannot be served immediately
l Speak clearly and politely - always say please and thank you
l Look interested in what the customer is saying
l Be patient with customers who dither with their order - try to help by being attentive and making suggestions, but not by being pushy
l Make the customer feel special by giving them your undivided attention
Thank-you and Goodbye
Imagine your customers have been treated to a perfect evening. What is the lasting
impression they will have if they simply leave without staff saying goodbye - or worse still, without being thanked? After all, you have just received their hard-earned cash, so the least you can do is acknowledge their contribution and thank them.
Treating customers with the same courtesy during their arrival and departure creates a positive image and reinforces their good experiences - and this attitude can soon help to transform them from occasional customers into regular customers. Saying good-bye is also a good opportunity to sell the next visit: "Thank-you, goodbye, don't forget Thursday's quiz!".
Saying "goodbye and thank-you" is often neglected by staff. It's late, they have clearing up to do and often feel embarrassed at clearly addressing customers across the bar as they get up to leave. To overcome this it's worth devising a standard "goodbye" - not as sickly as an American-style "Have a nice day" but simply "Thank-you, goodbye, see you again soon," which all staff can rehearse and use with confidence..
Licensee checklist
l Lead by example - smile, make eye
contact and acknowledge your staff as well as your customers
l Ensure all staff know what you expect from them when greeting customers -
look, smile, acknowledge, say please or thank-you
l Use simple memory-jogging techniques to reinforce this. Large signs saying "Smile!" displayed on the back of doors leading into bars from staff areas can be good reminders
l Reward and recognise staff members who consistently greet customers efficiently and in a welcoming manner
Ingredients of success
Reminders to help staff promote success:
l Customers are the vital ingredient to a pub's well-being - the business can't
function without them
l Customers are not dependent on staff - staff depend on customers
l Customers are not an interruption of work activities - they are the reason for working
l Customers do staff a favour by giving them the chance to serve them
l It is estimated that more than two-thirds of customers who don't return to a pub avoid it because of the attitude of its personnel - so valuing customers is vital
