The Real Rules of Customer Service
Rule #1: The Customer is Always Right
Rule #2: Rule Number 1 is a Crock
Rule #3: The Customer Can Never Know About Rule #2
For years it has been the mantra of customer service: “The customer is always right.” We repeat it with a smile and a wink and never for an instant believe it is even close to the truth. The customer is critical to our restaurants success. The customer is our restaurants lifeblood; its cash flow. The customer is the reason our restaurant exists. None of that makes the customer inherently right. It does mean that you do need to treat them extremely well whenever possible
I wrote a while back about the “Customers Bill of Rights.” I said then, and I still believe that the customer does not need a Bill of Rights. The customer already holds a position of power; they have the ability to take their business elsewhere. Good customers understand that, and when necessary, can use it to good advantage. PITA’s will try to play that card as often as possible to try to get freebies, discounts, and special service whenever possible.
As a restaurant owner you sometimes need to decide which battles are worth fighting. There are situations where the customer is clearly not right, but they truly don’t understand why they are not right. It may not be worth battling this customer the same way you would a customer that is trying to work the system.
One big piece of advice: never throw your employees under the bus for the sake of one troublesome customer. You will do major damage to your reputation as a leader if your staff cannot trust that you have their back.
Treat your customers well. They are the key to your restaurants success. Just remember, their money does not make them right..
