There’s an ongoing discussion about the quality of service in restaurants lagging behind the quality of the food. For years Zagat Survey service rankings have consistently fallen two full points behind food. And, in a recent survey of 300 general managers of upscale steakhouses by the Federation of Dining Room Professionals, 89% said their clientele has become increasingly demanding when it comes to service. Some believe that building strong relationships and listening are essential to providing excellent service.

“I think the key to providing great service is forming relationships with the people you work with and the people who come in your door and pay the bills,” says George Green, vp, Bread & Company, Nashville, TN. “When you’re focused on creating relationships, you tend to treat people better than if you think of them only as a transaction.” Alex Brennan-Martin, owner, Brennan’s of Houston, Houston, TX, agrees. “Being customer focused actually means focusing on all the people who contribute to the customer experience. I believe that most restaurants are not treating their employees like they would like to be treated.” Alex says they have always gone out of their way to have a great workplace, not only providing health benefits and paid vacation to servers, but treating employees with the same Southern hospitality they are asked to give guests. “This means being polite to employees, smiling, calling people by name, joining them at family meal, and once in a while working a shift as a ware washer, so that they understand the importance that I place on that job,” he explains. “I tell my managers their most important job is to help servers understand why what they do is so important, that it matters, and is appreciated.” George says he wishes it was more complicated or intricate, but it’s simply about being nice to others, listening, and getting to know the people who work for you.

Ed Berkle, director venue operations, House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV, encourages his managers to listen to what employees are saying in the break room, in the kitchen, etc. “I don’t think managers take enough advantage of passive listening,” says Ed. “A manager might hear that someone is having childcare issues and, as a result, be able to offer a change of schedule. After all, the restaurant is just one facet of our employees’ lives and whatever we can do to make their lives easier is not only appreciated, but lets them know that we’re here for them.” Alex says he is a believer in management by wandering around, observing and asking questions. As a result, he says, the most valuable customer insights have come from these conversations with front line employees.

“The experience of your team is as important as the experience of your guests.”
– Thomas Keller, chef, Thomas Keller Restaurant Group

Tracy Wilson, gm, Cafe 2 and Terrace 5 at MoMA, New York, NY, says, “One way we accomplish our goal of constantly exceeding the expectations of our guests is by having an ongoing dialogue with our team. I want to know what guests are saying and what questions they have – that way I can create tools for the team to use to provide an experience that is more than guests expect.” Tracy says that some things guests ask about may seem mundane or ordinary, however their questions help her create special service touches – e.g., if guests are asking where the nearest subway is, she’ll have maps available for servers to give out; if guests mention they like the gelato, she’ll print up some cards the servers can give to guests with the gelato company’s info. Ed uses a more formalized way of creating a dialogue between managers and servers. Instead of mystery shoppers, his managers use a standardized server audit, following a specific server for a shift and giving feedback at the end of that shift. “If the server has forgotten to bring the pepper grinder with salad, the manager explains why it is important while it is still fresh in the server’s mind. Plus, servers are held accountable because it is manager-observed behavior,” explains Ed. “The audit ensures that managers are counseling and coaching employees regularly and, as a result, we’ve been able to head off or fix service issues quickly.” He says both employees and managers find the audits helpful.

George coaches the counter staff – most of whom are young and use technology to communicate – to look up from their computer screens, make eye contact first, and say, “hi” before taking the order. And, once the order has been repeated, to look customers in the eye again and thank them for coming in. “It makes a huge impression on our customers,” he says. He also teaches staff to pay attention to what’s going on around them – to look at the tables they’re passing, the expressions of diners, if there is food left on their plates. “I have employees stand with me and talk about what they’re seeing table by table, where people are in their meals, to get them in the habit of interacting with customers and building relationships.”