From start to finish, there are a few key customer service tips that MyServiceFirst believes will set the tone for a great customer experience.  Here are five helpful tips we believe will help your establishment stand out among the crowd!

1. Get the nozzle in the tank! – My very first job was pumping gas at a full service gas station.  My boss told me “I don’t care how busy you are, just get the nozzle in the tank and start the gas pumping.”  The concept was one I’ve carried with me throughout my life.  Your customer won’t leave if they feel they are being serviced.  So it’s ideal to have your host/hostess or other service  colleague get a customer’s drink order right away. Even the placement of water on the table will make customers feel noticed and that their server will come soon.
2. Refills are free! – So refill them freely!  It doesn’t matter if it’s coffee, water, ice tea, soda or whatever the drink is, just refill it when you pass by – and be sure to pass by often.  There is no need to ask.  If a customer doesn’t want more, they’ll tell you, or they won’t drink it.  If you keep it full, you won’t waste much.  Your customer doesn’t want to run dry.  Make sure they don’t.
3. Communicate early and often! – If your service staff is busy, make sure they stop by every new customer seating to introduce themselves, make sure the drink order was taken, or delivered, and let them know they will get to them shortly.  Communication lets your customer know they are not forgotten. No one likes to watch waiters and staff members quickly walk by their table during the busy hours without stopping to say hello. It’s a quick way to lose a customers’ interest if you don’t show interest in them.
4. Follow-up on delivery! – After the meal gets delivered, don’t wait long for a follow-up to make sure everything is ok, and to see if there is anything else they need.  You don’t want the meal to get cold because they are trying to get your attention that they dropped their fork, or want steak sauce with their steak.
5. Look for opportunities to serve! – Every service staff member should keep their head up, and on a swivel to make sure their customer service area is taken care of.  This will help you identify customers who are trying to get your attention, spot drinks that need to get filled, plates to take away, or spot customers that ought to have gotten their meal delivered already.  Too often service staff get too focused on the task at hand, and not those additional service opportunities that keep you ahead of the game.