Foodservice

How to best handle customer complaints

Customer complaints are part of every foodservice operation and how operators handle them is critical given the immediate impact of social media and the quest to build a loyal following.

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October 3, 2022

(Editor's note: An earlier version of this article ran on Food Truck Operator, a Vending Times sister publication.)

Customer complaints are a fact of life in the foodservice industry.

No matter how much effort you put into ensuring guest satisfaction, you can't please everyone 100% of the time. When something goes wrong, it's how you choose to handle customer complaints that matters the most. But what some operators don't realize is that customer complaints can be invaluable to success.

Why do customers complain?

In foodservice, customers complain when expectations haven't been met. They anticipate a level of service from your operation, and if the experience you deliver isn't on par with their expectations, a gap is created. Customer complaints help you close the gap and make sure the experience you promise matches the service you provide.

You can take your business to the next level if you view complaints from customers as something valuable instead of detrimental. These are the benefits to customer complaints in your business:

Improves your service: Complaints provide you with valuable feedback about your service and reveal opportunities for improvement. For example, if you receive multiple complaints that a sandwich is too spicy, you should improve your product descriptions and talk to your foodservice staff about communication.

Creates a better guest experience: The number of customers who voice their complaints is very small compared to the number of unhappy guests. When you resolve one customer complaint, you improve the guest satisfaction for a larger group of customers than you realize.

Reveals guest expectations: Guest complaints and criticism help you understand what your customer base is looking for. This info can be used to shape new products, create new services and enhance your marketing approach.

How to deal with customer complaints

Any time you can handle a complaint in real time, consider it an opportunity instead of a failure. If a customer walks away and hasn't addressed their complaint with anyone in person, they are more likely to vent their frustrations in a review or to their friends. That's exactly what you don't want to happen. Handling customer complaints face-to-face gives you a chance to make it right.

Unhappy customers can range from slightly irritated to extremely angry. It's difficult for many people to face an irate guest and stay professional in the heat of the moment. That's why it helps to create a step-by-step response that anyone on your staff can follow. Here is a five-step complaint handling procedure:

Stay calm — When dealing with a complaint, keep your voice level and calm. Don't let your tone rise, or you may appear defensive or confrontational. Take a deep breath, make eye contact with the customer, and keep an open mind.
Listen — Listen carefully to the guest. In order to fix the problem, you must understand what happened. It could be multiple mishaps during service, and it could be one big mistake. Either way, give the customer your full attention.
Sympathize — This step can be tricky, especially if you're in the middle of a busy rush and a complaint catches you by surprise. Put yourself in the guest's shoes and sympathize with their situation, even if the issue seems minor. Use sympathetic facial expressions and body language. Don't impatiently tap your foot or look over your shoulder.
Apologize — This step seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how important it can be. Don't pass the blame or make excuses, even if the customer's complaint isn't directly your fault. Always accept responsibility on behalf of the entire operation and apologize sincerely for the oversight.
Resolve — Every complaint will require a different resolution. This is where superior customer service skills and emotional intelligence come into play. The perfect solution could just be an apology, or it could require comping (paying) for an unsatisfactory product.

Customer service can slide if you're dealing with a staffing shortage. Unfortunately, one slip-up from an employee can hurt your company's reputation, especially if the customer takes their complaints to social media. Some examples of poor customer service are slow service and having a bad attitude.

Preventing customer complaints is the first line of defense. Are there are specific actions you can take to avoid making mistakes? If you focus on prevention, you can put a stop to customer complaints before they happen.

Complaints from customers are inevitable, but if you manage them the right way and prevent as many as possible, you can turn an unhappy guest into an ambassador for your service. You can also gain important feedback about the customer service your staff provides.

This article was provided by Webstaurant.com.