Making Customers Feel Welcome When They Visit Your Restaurant

When I go to a restaurant, sometimes I go for the price and convenience; my kids and I will zoom through the drive-through.  Sometime I go for the atmosphere and food.  Included in the atmosphere delivered by the restaurant is the service provided.  Restaurants that make me feel welcome and treat me as if they value my business are more likely to get my repeat business and receive a recommendation.  

Although there is so much that impacts a great service experience, I've enclosed some of the more creative, simple and impactful ideas I've come across which truly differentiates the service of the restaurants that adapt these best-practices from their competition. 

When customers visit your restaurant

Utilize the internet to your advantage:   


  • Post your menu, parking situation, directions and contact information online.  If I'm going to a restaurant I've never been to, I'll often review their menu and know what I'm ordering before I walk in the door.  Knowing where to park if a parking lot is not readily accessible is also helpful, and I always appreciate directions for getting somewhere since I'm directionally challenged, and get lost often. 
  • Utilize social media:  More and more restaurants are on FaceBook and Twitter lately.  Customers talk about the great meals and experiences they have had and even can become fans of your restaurant.  On the downside, poor experiences can be shared very quickly as well.  Utilize both the positive and negative feedback to your advantage, however, by dealing with negative feedback quickly before it has a chance to get out of control.  Let fans know about specials.  Give tips on when the restaurant may be slower.  Build a community. 
  • Ask for your clients' e-mail address:  Send a copy of the menu ahead of time.  Also send parking instructions.  Confirm the date and time of their reservation.  Let them know you're looking forward to seeing them.  Send them information on specials afterward.

 

 

When customers arrive at your restaurant:

 

  • Find out if there are any special dietary needs or if anyone will require additional assistance:  Note this on the reservation.  When your customers arrive, be prepared.    For example, i
  • f someone mentioned special dietary needs, either when they made the reservation or when they checked in, have a special  copy of the menu printed and ready with appropriate menu items.    I once led a workshop where someone shared the following story.  He made reservations at a restaurant that was recommended to him to celebrate his wife's birthday.  Since his wife was vegetarian, he made sure they had vegetarian items on the menu.  What was the point of taking her somewhere that she wouldn't be able to eat, after all?  When they arrived at the restaurant, without saying a word, the wait staff gave his wife a menu with only vegetarian items printed on it.  It made him look good, inspired the couple to go back to that restaurant repeatedly, and gave the restaurant a lot of free advertising in the form of referrals as well. 

 

  • Do not forget your receptionist.  Some restaurants have great service - once you get a seat.  The receptionist is the first person who greets your customers however.  In fact, they may be the person who convinces you to stay.  I went into a restaurant once, unsure if I wanted to eat there.  I was greeted by someone who must have realized my uncertainty.  "Have you ever eaten here before?"  she asked.  "No,"  I replied.  "Well you'll love it here.  The food is great, and the service is even better!  Here's a copy of our menu for you to review."  That took away any uncertainty I had.  
  • Review the process for seating people.  At Houston's Restaurant in Hackensack, NJ, they have two lists.  The list you sign into when you arrive, and the list you are transferred to that actually gets you a seat.  When you arrive, the receptionist will tell you to check in at an approximate time, although they don't tell you that checking in the second time is the trigger that actually gets you a seat.  If you believe that their suggestion to check in is just that, you can wait into perpetuity.  It's just a strange process that creates service issues.  One more creative seating solution?  Some restaurants who do not take advanced reservations let you call in from home now and have your name added to the wait list as if you are there, cutting down on the amount of time you actually wait to sit. 
  • Set up a team environment with your wait staff.  Again at Houston's Restaurant, they have set up their wait staff so that although you are assigned a person who is responsible for your table, anyone can help you get an additional drink, make a change to your order, or process your payment.  When you think about it, most restaurants are computerized anyway.  Why can't everyone do this?  Wait staff seem to look for opportunities to clear tables, provide assistance and be attentive.  I'm not sure how the tip situation works there, but their service is top-notch and their wait staff seem to stay. 
  • Hire employees who like your restaurant  I will often ask the wait staff for a recommendation.  Sometime, it's obvious they don't eat there themselves.  Your employees should be advocates for your restaurant and be able to speak to and for the various menu items.  

    When you look at these items, you realize it's the attention to detail, the little things, that will differentiate your restaurant from your competition. 

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Develop your customized service strategy and implement more than 50 tactics by picking up a copy of my book, The Service Journey; available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders and more!  

Posted by Susan Hoekstra at 8/23/2009 6:08 AM
Categories: Customer Service Tips - competitive advantage, Customer Service Contest
Tags: Good Customer Service Customer service training Susan Hoekstra customer service expert restaurant customer service client visits complaints The Service Journey consulting services customer service tips Customer Service client experience Bad Service customer service contest
 

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  • 9/16/2009 8:04 AM BLOG.TheServiceJourney.COM wrote:
    There are certain stores I frequent because of the way they make me feel. They make me feel welcome and treat me as if they value my business. They also make it easy and pleasant to do business with them. By following certain protocol you can make your clients feel valued. You may even increase how frequently they shop with you and how much they spend as well.
  • 10/3/2009 8:35 AM BLOG.TheServiceJourney.COM wrote:
    There are certain stores I frequent because of the way they make me feel. They make me feel welcome and treat me as if they value my business. They also make it easy and pleasant to do business with them. By following certain protocol you can make your clients feel valued. You may even increase how frequently they shop with you and how much they spend as well.
  • 12/18/2009 8:48 AM BLOG.TheServiceJourney.COM wrote:
    There are certain stores or restaurants I frequent because of the way they make me feel. They make me feel welcome and treat me as if they value my business. They also make it easy and pleasant to do business with them. Where do you shop or eat that you spend more than you know you should, but they make you feel great when you do? Tell us where you shop or eat and how they make you feel in four sentences or less and your name will be added to a monthly ...
  • 12/18/2009 8:52 AM BLOG.TheServiceJourney.COM wrote:
    There are certain stores I frequent because of the way they make me feel.
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  • 8/27/2009 8:51 AM Viviene H wrote:
    This really makes the experience of going to restaurants less stressful. It really makes for a better experience not having to worry about long waits, parking and what is on the menu. It puts the focus on the company and the people around you.
    Reply to this
  • 11/4/2009 9:20 PM MS wrote:
    With the economy in the state it is, most people are eating at home more and saving a few dollars so that they can go out for a nice relaxing dinner.

    Now many of the restaurants are running specials that are very economical so that makes it even better.

    Ok I have saved some money and I am taking my family out for dinner and really looking forward to not have to cook and clean up.

    I get to the restaurant and realize they are running specials 2 meals for $14.99..wow what a deal, Right?

    No wrong..My family and I had to wait 20 minutes for a person to take our drink order and another ten minutes to receive them. The person dropped off the drinks and just walked away. We wanted some appetizers. I guess not. Oh yeah, did I forget to tell you that the restaurant was very slow. Again the wait continues and I finally found a manager and explained how long we have been here and we have not had any service yet except for our drinks. She said I am so sorry I will send someone over...Did they go over to your table? No one ever came back. We decided to just get up and leave. The manager said I am so sorry again..The manager asked what she can do so we will come back. I said nothing. I told the manager that people do not have the money to go out and when they do they want to be treated like a person and just relax. We will never return to your restaurant here or in any other locations. I will make sure that I tell everyone I know about my trip to your fine restaurant.

    Thank you for your help!
    Reply to this
    1. 11/5/2009 8:54 AM Susan Hoekstra wrote:
      What you're finding is that using price as the only draw to get clients is a dangerous way to differentiate your business, because what tends to suffer is service, because when price is reduced costs need to be reduced as well.  Ultimately, the way to be more profitable and differentiate business is by offering a differentiated consistent service experience to clients. 

      If you haven't already done so, my blog Service Pays Even In a Poor Economy contains a study that shows how companies are able to charge more - even in a poor economy.  You may want to check it out! 

      Thanks for your feedback ... and I'm sorry for the poor experience you had at the restaurant!
      Reply to this
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