As we already know, customers are the most important thing for any gastronomic place, everything is by and for them. Therefore, the exchange with them must always be careful and correct.
The reception is the first impression they have of the place; therefore, we must transmit a cordial image, of good predisposition and of course, give a warm welcome!
We are also the last person they see at the end of their visit, so the moment of farewell is ideal to invite them to return and thank them for coming.
Our participation should, ideally, extend beyond the welcome and farewell exclusively. In addition to placing people at the corresponding table we can give them the menu and tell them who is going to serve them, we can participate in the service by helping our coworkers to make sure that the service is complete and as personalized as possible. When it comes to solving problems, a complaint or dissatisfaction of a client we can help solve it (depending on the role and autonomy I have in my workplace). Always considering the type of customer and complaint we will be dealing with. In the face of an inconvenience, the maxim is to focus on the solution and not to magnify the problem.
Listen patiently and attentively as you tell your dissatisfaction and quickly offer a solution by demonstrating genuine interest in your well-being. When we have a long waiting list, we must arm ourselves with patience since we will be dealing with many anxious people. Ideally, the waiting room should be separated from the dining room and, if possible, without visual access to it. This prevents greater anxiety from being generated and avoids them asking every time a table is vacated, if they can already pass or why that table is empty and other variables. It also prevents them from being with their eyes resting on the diners who are being served, this becomes uncomfortable also for those who are sitting. If this is not possible in my workplace, patience! We will have to arm ourselves with tools to placate the anxiety of waiting. We can offer drinks while they wait, tell them about the menu so that they can imagine what they could ask for. It is also a good time to generate a more intimate relationship, we can talk about the restaurant, its history and naturally collect some information about our customers. Our dialogue should always be with discretion, we cannot ask very personal questions or comments that could be inappropriate, we must let the dialogue flow naturally and collect the information they give us voluntarily. We must always transmit tranquility. If we get nervous because we have too many people waiting, we transmit greater anxiety,and the result can be disastrous.
We are the ones in charge of the waiting, we have infinite patience and we know how to wait (at least that’s how it should be). We must communicate gently and with a calm attitude the waiting times and respond to all the demands of those who wait in the same way. We should not give very optimistic times, better to exaggerate a little and that the person is pleasantly surprised to sit down earlier than stipulated. Because if the waiting time promised passes, the client may get frustrated, or we could be affecting the plans they had organized for the day. Let’s consider priorities among those who wait: the elderly, children, people with disabilities, pregnant women. These groups must be especially comfortable while waiting and we must provide seats for them.