Our server was distracted, inattentive and somewhat scarce during our meal at the restaurant. When he was at the table he was looking elsewhere and seemed a bit short in his communication. It was consistent to the point that my wife and I commented to each other about the behavior.
I’m not going to tell you the name of the restaurant because there is no point in throwing the entire establishment under the bus as they generally have been a tried and true eatery that clearly had an off night. But I did talk to one of the managers about what we experienced.
My conversation revolved around the notion of “guest experience” and the fact that in this economic climate every business out there needs to add extra value to their customer’s visits. The added value of great service; cheerful service, knowledgeable employees, and efficient customer care, doesn’t necessarily cost a business any more money. But the opposite; poor service, slack-jawed servers unfamiliar with the menu or products and non-existent customer care, will cost your business dearly.
Let’s face it, just look around the Santa Clarita Valley and see how many businesses have been shuttered; how many vacant store fronts there are in just about every strip center.
Look at the Town Center mall, the once vibrant Town Center Drive has been transformed into a ghost town. The Borders book store is gone; the South Point Restaurant closed a few weeks ago; and there are countless vacant stores along that part of the mall. The Patios at the Town Center are also partially empty. After maybe six months the Bobby Chan clothing store has already gone out of business and there are quite a number of vacant store spaces that have yet to be filled.
It is a very tough business environment out there and many believe it will be that way for probably the remainder of this year and into next. That is why the smart business owners are taking care of there customers with sharp, focused service. The kind of service that appears effortless yet makes the customer feel special; cared for and wanting to come back again and again.
Had we not experienced the good service in the past; had we been to that established eatery for the first time, I doubt we would ever give them a second chance. When you work hard; when you come home after a hard days work, the last thing you want to do is go someplace where you spend your hard earned money and are treated poorly. It’s just not acceptable nor should you tolerate it.
There are plenty of choices locally where you can go; there are numerous business owners who want to fall over themselves to make you happy. It is the kind of business that when you patronize those establishments you feel that you got more than your money’s worth. It’s the kind of experience that exceeds your expectations and makes you feel valued.
It’s not hard to treat people special; it doesn’t cost a business owner more to be pleasant to customer, to give great service. What it takes are happy employees, well trained employees who understand that they are representing the owner and the brand of the business. It is that constant messaging to employees that it is the customers who are the life blood of any business which will help sustain a business through rough times.
Most people don’t bother lodging a complaint with management, instead that just tell other folks about their experience. Before you know it the business has earned a reputation for bad service or crappy food or a generally poor guest experience. That reputation will be much harder to overcome then what it took to earn.
My sense is that you can only compete on price up to a point; the real differentiation for any business that deals with the public will come at the service level; how your employees interact with the customers. Courteous, smart, efficient and attentive employees will be the edge; the difference between success and failure.
It’s all about the guest experience!
Dave Bossert- Commentary
Dave Bossert is a community volunteer who serves on a number of boards and councils. His commentaries represent his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon.