Manager's work with a dissatisfied guest

Would you complain to the manager if the restaurant has a dirty toilet? Probably not. But why? It may be easier.

It's easier to leave and never come back. In what other cases would you do the same? Well, it probably depends on a few factors:
- Who you came with,
- your condition/mood,
- depending on how much free time you have,
- whether you're a regular guest at the restaurant,
Practice says that only 4% of dissatisfied guests complain.
96% just quietly leave and never come back!

Telling about a negative case is more expressive and the memory of it remains for a long time.
According to statistics, a guest who was poorly served in a restaurant will tell at least nine (!) of his acquaintances about it. And if he or she had this negative experience during lunch, he or she will probably tell the whole office about it.

Managers need to react very quickly to guest dissatisfaction. This is necessary to among other things:
- show the guest that they care;
- provide first-class service;
- use it as an opportunity to change the situation (in case of repeated complaints).

Think about it for a minute - what is the average number of complaints you hear during a shift? Two or three? Those are just the signals that reach you. As we noted above, most guests will rarely complain. This means that these are the cases where the alarms don't reach you.

Let's take 5%. These are the complaints that have reached you from all the dissatisfied guests. If an average of 1,000 guests pass through the restaurant in a month, then 5% of that is 50 people. If the average check is 25 euros per guest, then the revenue these guests bring us is 1,250 euros per month. Thus, if the guests who were poorly served do not come back to the restaurant, the restaurant will lose 1,250 euros in one month only! Multiply this amount by 12 months and we get 15,000 euros.

Remember how much effort was spent to attract a guest, to keep them in the restaurant. In the end, lost because they did not solve the conflict situation, or allow the possibility of its occurrence.

So what about the 96%? Are they lost to us? What opportunity is there to keep them from leaving?
It's quite simple and doable:
- avoid allowing the basis for complaints,
- make table visits,
- report difficult guest situations to managers promptly.

Do everything to make the guest enjoy their visit to your restaurant, and to make them want to come back to you again and again.

1. Welcome the guest's complaint (don't ignore it and respond). Treat it positively (a complaint is a chance to grow and develop, get better, and provide first-class service).
2. Resolve problems that arise professionally. A professionally resolved complaint allows us not to lose a guest, but to make them a loyal customer. Such customers are more likely to become repeat guests than those who have had no complaints.
3. When discussing the situation, remember that the guest (as well as other guests) can hear what you are saying.

1. Introduce yourself as a restaurant manager.
2. Communicate at the guest's level.
3. Remove the problem from the guest's field of vision.
4. Be calm.
5. Be honest.

L (listen) - listen to the guest:
- Make eye contact;
- Listen not only to facts but also to feelings;
- Give the guest your undivided attention;
- Make the guest feel like a VIP.

A (apologize) - apologize:
- Sometimes it's enough for a guest to know that someone is aware of their problem and to hear an apology;
- Use the phrase, “I'm sorry about what happened. It's not in keeping with our work style.”

S (solve) - solve the problem:
- Offer exactly what the guest needs;
- Don't “buy them off;
- Demonstrate genuine concern and engagement;
- As you talk, lean into him/her;
- Be calm;
- Talk quietly to your coworkers;
- Be sincere and polite;
- Do not make the guest feel uncomfortable if he/she makes a complaint;
- Do not discuss similar or previous complaints;
- Take each complaint seriously.

T (thank) - thank:
Thank the guest for bringing the problem to our attention so that we can avoid similar situations in the future.

Mistakes to avoid:
1. Letting a guest leave without giving them the highest level of service.
2. Blaming someone else for causing the problem.
3. Taking what the guest has said negatively.
4. To argue.
5. Pretend not to notice the situation.
6. Show personal emotions.
7. Make the guests feel like they are a burden to you.
8. Allow them to hear you discuss your problems

68% of guests refuse further service because of indifferent treatment by the owner, manager, or any of the employees. Take your guests' opinion of your restaurant seriously. If a guest leaves the restaurant dissatisfied and you don't notice it, you won't have a second chance to make a great impression and host that guest.

If, however, the guest is dissatisfied and we quickly detect it, we have the opportunity to correct the negative situation and build trust in us.

Be sensitive to your guests and they will come back again and again!

Taking care of you and your business,

Bill&Tip (Bill and Tip) Team.

Want to learn more about how Bill&Tip can help your business or request a consultation from our team, simply follow this link.

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