Sure. Coming out of the COVID pandemic, many businesses are still having difficulties hiring enough employees to properly service their customers. I understand that.
But, if that’s the case, at least find a few seconds to Acknowledge the customers who enter your door, regardless of how busy you are.
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Example:
The other day, my family and I entered a restaurant for a late lunch. The restaurant was nothing fancy, your typical “sports bar” type, so of course, I didn’t expect 5-star service. But we heard some good things about the food, so we figured we’ll give it a try.
As we stood behind the “Please Wait To Be Seated” sign, I surveyed the joint. It was large with plenty of action going on and the service staff seemed to be in control. So, I waited.
An employee came to the host stand to get a menu and didn’t look at us. I’m here, Waiting.
One of the two hosts came by and also grabbed a menu from the stand and walked away. I’m still waiting.
Servers passed the host station, and none thought of acknowledging us patient customers. They probably thought that wasn’t their job. The waiting customers were the responsibility of someone else, I guess.
We’re still there, waiting. And wondering.
At Least Acknowledge Me Before You Ghost Me
Now, I must confess. We weren’t standing there “ghosted” for 20 minutes but it sure felt like a long time. By now, my wife and kids are looking at me, expecting my customer service-minded brain to start shooting off sparks. But I held it in check (my wife may disagree).
Finally, the other host stops by and says, “How many?”.
No acknowledgment of the wait. No “Hello” or “Welcome to ___________ “.
Just, “How many?”.
Regardless of why you make a customer wait, please use these tactics.
5 Ways to NOT Ghost Your Customer
- Acknowledge your customer’s presence.
- Thank them for their patience in waiting.
- Let them know how long the wait may be.
- Get back to them as quickly as you can.
- Thank them again for their understanding.
This seems reasonable, right?
One last thought.
“Please don’t take my business for granted. Many other restaurants would be happy to take my money. And give me a big smile while saying welcome at the same time.”
Now that’s an acknowledgment!
The post At Least Acknowledge Me Before You Ghost Me appeared first on Steve DiGioia Customer Service Blog.
