Why do customer service problems occur?
Have you had feedback from Mystery Customer surveys showing problems that have surprised you? Maybe your receptionist greeted a customer with "Are you right?” rather than something more welcoming. Why do these situations occur? A staff member having an off day? Or did you recruit the wrong person for the job?

More likely it’s because you haven’t clearly defined and communicated your customer service standards to your staff. Do they know exactly what’s expected of them? If not, then it’s not surprising that they’re not meeting your expectations.

Define your standards
If you want your reception staff to welcome customers by saying "Good morning, how may I help you?” then you need to make sure they understand this. And if you want your kitchen staff to throw food out after it’s been sitting in the bain marie for a certain period of time, then define how long the time period should be, and clearly and unequivocally communicate this to them.

Write them down
It’s imperative to have your customer service standards written down somewhere, such as a standards manual. Some employers place standards charts where staff work so they don’t have to go looking for them. While you probably don’t want your staff to spend lots of time reading policy documents, they should form a key part of your staff training.

Documenting your standards helps to achieve consistency – everyone takes the same approach, and your customers will come to know exactly what sort of service to expect from your business. Otherwise every person has their own idea of what’s appropriate.

Having your standards documented also makes staff more confident that they are doing a good job. When they are unsure of exactly what is expected of them, this uncertainty can make them worry whether they are meeting your expectations.

Think about the best way to communicate
Of course, just documenting your standards is not enough. How often do you see manuals gathering dust on a shelf, or propping up a computer monitor?

You need to communicate your standards to your staff. Think about the best way to communicate. Remind them at staff meetings. Display food hygiene standards on a poster in the kitchen. Display the words you want your staff to greet customers with, on a card behind the reception desk. Make it easy for staff to put your customer service standards into practice.

Your staff and your customers will reward you!

Contact us
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