Operations Professional Pathways
Executive Update
Attitude Is Key To Quality Service Do an Internet search on the topic of service delivery, and you’re sure to gather dozens of articles all focusing on recom- mended techniques. Lists will include active listening, astute questioning, gathering feedback, and product knowledge. However, as important as these skills are, they comprise only the mechanics of service delivery. In truth, there is much more to service than that. At its core, service is an outlook, a frame of mind, characterized by the sincere desire to help others. Coming from a Different Perspective Delivering service is a human-to-human process, through which a “product” is being produced and consumed, simul- taneously. This is particularly true in the foodservice industry, where service is an integral part of hospitality. Most restaurant owners, and their customer-facing team members, confuse service with hospitality, but they’re different. Service fulfills a need, but hospitality fulfills people. You can get service from an ATM or a vending machine, but you can’t get hospitality. Hospitality is the key deliverable that distinguishes great food service operations from average retail ones . . . But when you patronize a restaurant, what do you have after you eat? Only memories. While menu, value, décor and cleanliness all play a part, it’s service and hospitality that makes that memory positive and drives customer loyalty and repeat business. 1 This perspective of making customers feel comfortable and well-served is as much a part of what you do in your school cafeterias as it is for the local full-service restaurant. At the Heart of the Service Outlook Service and hospitality are about creating positive experiences. If your customers exit from a transaction feeling happy about how they’ve been treated, you know you have served them well. Here are six key attributes of a service attitude: 1. Empathy – Nothing makes a person feel better than knowing they have been understood. By anticipating customer needs, or commiserating with their problems, you communi- cate that you care about that individual. Empathy means you can imagine how you would feel in the customer’s situation, and thereby respond in a constructive way. 2. Enthusiasm – What better way to communicate that you enjoy your job, than to be enthusiastic. When you show passion for your work, you show passion for helping others, which makes people feel valued. And enthusiasm is
1 Jim Sullivan, “3 Customer Service Lessons from the Food Industry,” American Express, July 24, 2013. www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/arti- cles/3-customer-service-lessons-from-the-food-industry Accessed: August 2, 2022. Knowing the six traits of a service champion can help you to make more effective hiring decisions. And understanding the attributes of a service star may inspire you to approach service delivery in a totally new and different way. 4. Responsiveness – Nothing frustrates customers more than the “it’s not my job” mentality. Customers want to deal with people who accept responsibility, and follow through satisfactorily. If there is a problem, you solve it. If there’s something extra you can do, you find a way to do it. As an ace service provider, your first instinct is to assume ownership of a transaction. And if you cannot do something that they request, you tell them diplomatically, but honestly, why you cannot. 5. Patience – Some customers aren’t able to communicate clearly with you, especially if they’re worried or angry. Others just want someone to listen to them. An adept service provider is good at reading between the lines, and good at asking the right questions to gain clarity. They stay calm, and refrain from expressing negative thoughts. This isn’t easy, but being patient generally calms a difficult customer down. 6. Resilience – It isn’t your customer’s fault if something goes wrong behind the scenes. So don’t dump your frustration on an unsuspecting client. Instead, a service star bounces back quickly from a disappointment, and does not burden a customer with the problem. You start afresh with each subse- quent interaction, and focus on the needs at hand. contagious. When you exhibit a positive attitude, customers sense that things will get done, and they are happy to work with you. 3. Respect – Service providers encounter customers from a range of cultures and circumstances. Being respectful means you make everyone feel equally important and valued. And respect means being willing to serve someone, even if they are angry or frustrated with you. What’s important is that you help them to find a solution.
Six Traits of a Service Champion By Terry L. Oldano, MBA, MAT
Articles
Explore More
As a marketing communications and service enhancement consultant, Terry L. Oldano has helped individuals, businesses and educational institutions to find and express their distinct voice. Terry is Managing Editor for Carroll Services’ print and online publications.
Bookmark this digital issue’s URL for future reference
9
Powered by FlippingBook