EPOS Direct Do you have difficult customers?

How will I identify a difficult customer?

Do you know what a difficult customer looks like? Here are a few characteristics to look out for. • They will criticise all aspects of your restaurant, including your food, service, staff and appearance of the restaurant. • They will seek for a significant amount of attention. • They will constantly complain about your prices even if they are low. • They will claim your restaurant is poor and will compare you to local restaurants. • They will ask for the same modification to their meal regularly and will remind you of mistakes that you previously made.

Show Sympathy

When the customer makes a complaint, it is important to ensure that you apologise for the inconvenience and acknowledge their opinion even if you do not agree with it. This will show the customer that you care about the problem which will display that you are working hard to find a solution to the issue. This will calm the customer down and will prevent them from making a scene as they know that you are fixing the problem. It is vital to listen to the customer when they are complaining, this will allow them to get their anger out which will lead to them being calm when you are explaining the cause of the issue. Once your customer is calm, it will give you the time to find a solution to the problem. Being sympathetic will ensure that the customers do not make a scene which will allow your customers to relax and eat their meal peacefully. If there are regular disruptions in your restaurant, you may lose loyal customers as they will avoid your restaurant.

Make their issue a priority

Once a customer makes a complaint, the last thing they will want to do is be kept waiting. If you keep your difficult customers waiting, they will become very angry and may cause disruption in your restaurant. Once a customer has complained, you should focus on solving their problem as quick as possible. This will show them that you are trying to fix the problem quickly, which will calm your customer down. Remember, the customer will seek to be in control. As a restaurateur, you must ensure that you are in your restaurant to deal with difficult customers. This is because not all problems can be solved quickly so it is important that you are there to defuse the situation. If the problem cannot be solved quickly, you should offer the customer a complimentary item or discounted price for when they next visit your restaurant. This will show the customer that you are apologetic and will lead to the customer leaving your restaurant with a smile on their face. Offering discounts to the customer will encourage them to repeat purchase as they will want to redeem their discount.

Follow the complaint up

Once you have resolved the complaint, you should get your staff to go up to their customers regularly during the remainder of their meal to ensure that they are satisfied. This will display to the customer that you care about them and want them to enjoy their visit. The customer will forgive you for previous problems and will lead to them enjoying their meal. This shows that following up the complaint will satisfy your customer’s needs, leading to them leaving the restaurant happy. It is important to remember that customers who complain are more likely to share their experience with their family and friends. If you keep your difficult customers happy, it will lead to them complimenting your restaurant while they are with their friends and family. This will encourage their family and friends to eat at your restaurant which will boost your restaurant’s sales and profit.

Why should I deal with difficult customers?

There are many benefits that your restaurant can experience when dealing with difficult customers. • Difficult customers are usually regular customers, which will lead to them becoming loyal and repeat purchasing. • Ability to increase your sales as your customer will introduce their family and friends to your restaurant. • Their criticisms will allow you to identify the areas where your restaurants need to improve which will provide your customers with a better experience. • Increased popularity through word of mouth advertising as they will mention your restaurant’s name when they are eating at another restaurant. Are you prepared to deal with difficult customers?