Poor service opens the door for great service when things are made right.
Last night, my husband and I had dinner with a few friends at one of our favorite restaurants. The evening started out nice as usual, until our food started coming out, or didn’t. We all patiently waited, as our food started to cool, on the last plate to arrive. Ten minutes later, we flagged down a different server who found the cooled, missing plate and brought it to the table. With no apology, our server later brought us our checks and a to-go box for the late arriving meal. Needless to say, we were not pleased.
Before leaving, my husband brought the situation to the attention of the manager, allowing him the opportunity to make things right. He did just that. While my husband clarified he did not want anything in return for the poor experience, just to bring the situation to his attention for future correction, the manger still generously gave each of us at the table a combination of gift cards and coupons along with his sincere apology. It was clear that we were valued as customers.
Instead of leaving upset, with the resolve “never to return,” we all left smiling, pleased with how management handled the disappointing service. In fact, we may have been happier with how things were corrected than we may have been with no mistakes to begin with. We’ll certainly be back and will continue recommending the restaurant to others.
Good customer service is so important, especially in a proliferated industry where choices abound. One bad experience, if left uncorrected, can turn one disappointed customer into many, as word of the situation spreads and negatively influences others. Every customer counts, and in a lot of situations, if they are not for you, they’re against you.