Are you a restaurateur and feel hit? You should! You are responsible for the success of your restaurant and the high level of service provided by your wait staff. It’s usually your wait staff that keeps your guests coming back to your restaurant. But what is an optimal waitress or waiter?
In this blog post, we have listed 4 guidelines that you need to make sure your wait staff knows and practices.
1. Be available!
Most people can probably relate to those situations when it’s difficult to get through to the wait staff in a restaurant – and how annoying it is when you just want to pay or order an extra drink. If your guests get the feeling that a waitress or waiter is nearby and available, it is perceived as good service and gives a feeling of security, without having to talk or offer anything to the guests. So, keep in mind that you or one of your staff should always try to be out among the guests.
2. Meeting needs
Three of the most important things you and your wait staff can do to make your guests feel welcome and safe are to see, hear and woo them. From the moment the guest enters the restaurant, they should be seen by a member of staff. Then it’s important that the guest feels heard – listen first and talk later. Remember that the more a guest talks, the more information you will have to meet their needs. And after the guest has been seen and heard, it is important to court the guest at regular intervals. A way to create a relationship that will most likely make the guest spend more time and money in your restaurant.
3. Reverse problems
Of course, sometimes problems arise, but the most important thing is that your wait staff handles the situation properly. When it comes to a restaurant guest, it’s not about figuring out what caused something to go wrong, but what you actually do about it and how you handle the situation. Listen to the guest, suggest solutions and keep a positive mood, and you might even be able to turn the guest around and make them appreciate your restaurant even more.
4. Job satisfaction
If your wait staff is happy and enjoys their work, it creates a great atmosphere in the restaurant, and it also rubs off on the guests. If you are comfortable with each other, your guests will be too. So as a restaurateur, be sure to give daily pep talks to your staff.