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Service with a smile
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Good service completes the dining experience in a restaurant
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RESTAURANTS AND pubs seem to be the big business to be in; you know, the most "in" thing to do. The cities are witnessing a mushrooming of restaurants. Fancy names, snazzy decor, and an attempt to give an international cuisine, are the rage. The gourmet in you, attracted by the promises in glossy advertisements, is eager to sample national and international flavours. Restaurant patrons are willing to pay for the quality of product, service and ambience.
Well, usually the product is there, the ambience is there, but where is the service? To be more explicit, where are the well- trained wait-staff? If restaurateurs put in half as much effort, money and thought to sprucing up the front line staff as they do in other aspects of the restaurant, it will translate to a memorable customer `experience' which goes above and beyond meeting just the `expectations'! Somehow at the end of it all, you come out with a flat feeling that you have been let down. Why?
The absolute basic for the restaurant staff is to be scrupulously clean — hair in place, clean hands and fingernails, no body odour and a stain-free, crisp and well fitting uniform. A neat, professional appearance means pride in oneself and one's job, which augments the guests' feeling of confidence in the establishment.
Most people, when they look at a menu are undecided as to what to order. Instead of hovering around quietly to take the order, how delightful it will be if the waiter came up and asked something like, "May I recommend this, or may be suggest that". For this to happen, he needs to be knowledgeable about the various foods and beverages being offered on the menu. The wait-staff is not just the `gofer' between the kitchen and the table; he should be the sales person who is actively involved in the product, answering customer queries.
Right attitude goes a long way. A courteous, respectful attitude (not servile) towards the guests and co-workers adds to the ambience of dining. When peppered with tact, professionalism, and a sense of humour (customers can be difficult), patrons are impressed. A good service is non-obtrusive, but observant, to anticipate the needs of the customer. Ideally wait-staff should greet diners with a cheerful smile that makes them feel welcome.
Give each diner a copy of the menu and not have one per table.
Know the menu, the daily specials and the details of preparation.
Offer suggestions, recommendations and give explanations.
If something is not available, let the guests know immediately, not after they have perused the menu for 15 minutes and are ready to place the order.
Check to make sure the meal ordered is to your guest's expectations.
Be courteous: "No problem" is not a substitute for "You're welcome."
Don't place your fingers inside the rim of the glass or your thumb on the plate.
Don't let the people wait long between courses.
Wait till all the guests are finished before you start to clear a course.
Be visible and available and not disappear after presenting the meal or the bill.
Ask the customer how they enjoyed the meal and thank them for their business.
Do recognise regular customers and make them feel special.
Finally, remember that good service is an expectation and might go unnoticed; but bad service is always noticed. Good service can rescue a bad meal, but nothing makes up for bad service.
CHITRA DANGER
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Visakhapatnam
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