The Five Pillars To Amazing Customer Experience:
Told Through My NYC Serving Exposure
We’ve all had great dining experiences (and we’ve all had a few terrible ones), but few among us have had the joy of working in the foodservice industry. I say joy because like any job it has its ups and downs and how you assess and recover from your serving experience is all up to you.
It may look easy from the outside looking in — and that’s the whole point. Servers sweat the small stuff while customers enjoy their food and company. I’ve heard a lot of people ask “How hard could it be?” and yes, it can be easy to be just okay at serving but not everyone has what it takes to be amazing.
I’ve been a server for the past 10 years, and along the way, I’ve learned countless valuable lessons that could apply to customer service across the board.
Here are just a few of the things I’ve learned on the job at a three-story, 497 seating capacity restaurant in the middle of Times Square, New York.
My five pillars to being a great server:
Attentiveness
From the very first moment guests step inside the restaurant they should be greeted and made to feel welcome. ”You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression” as they say, and your initial contact is the first chance at creating an amazing first impression. If the host or greeter didn’t do their job correctly, it’s my job to prove to the guests they’re in good hands.
A restaurant is a great depiction of the butterfly effect. No role is too small or insignificant, everything is intertwined and dependent on each other.
I’ve had my share of cranky guests. Regardless, they were treated with the same pleasantries as any other guests would. The trick of the trade is killing them with kindness. Being attentive and at-hand for any questions is the best way to show your guests that you care.
I will usually ask if it’s their first time in the restaurant or if they’re celebrating a special occasion. It helps me better guide them through the menu and gives me insight as to what kind of dining experience they’re looking for. You should be actively conscious of your guests throughout the whole process.
Personability
It seems obvious but to be a great server you need to be warm and pleasant. The energy you put out is the energy you receive. No one wants to be greeted with a scowl or bad attitude.
As a kid my nickname was Smiley, so you can guess that part of the job came naturally to me. But as a natural introvert, having the right confidence and enthusiasm was something I really had to work on. Greeting tables was uncomfortable at first but putting myself in that position over and over gave me the experience and knowledge I needed to gain confidence. Now, greeting tables is like walking up to an old friend and asking how they are — a complete 180° from when I started.
Efficiency
To be an excellent server having a sense of urgency and being able to multitask is key. You need to be competent enough to know what needs to be done and when without being told.
As a Starbucks barista, I learned the importance of multitasking and I brought that strength into my serving job. Every guest is different and you should acclimate to each one’s desired dining experience.
Working at the Times Square Olive Garden near all the Broadway shows, we get a lot of guests that want to have a nice meal 30 minutes (!) before their show starts. You might think it’s impossible but this is where I shine. I start by asking what time they need to be out by, I then show them some quick options they can order, and then get everything sent to the kitchen ASAP. Before I’ve even brought them their meals I’ve already dropped the check at the table. That means they’re prepaid and ready to go as soon as they’re done. I’ve done it so much I have it mastered at this point. And the perk is that every guest is incredibly grateful and appreciative so they usually reward me with a generous tip.
Preparedness
Making sure you have the appropriate tools and the right people for the job is crucial to a smoothly running restaurant. When you’re short-staffed someone has to pick up the slack in some way. That adds extra work for someone else. Remember the butterfly effect I mentioned earlier? This is a prime example. Since there are so many variables that can go wrong during a shift, making sure you are stocked up on all supplies, food, and equipment is one of the most important aspects of your job.
When I walk into my shift, I’m usually at least 30 minutes early so I have time to get myself situated before starting. I make sure I have all the tools I need on me personally to start on the right foot. Besides my uniform being on point this is my go-to checklist:
- Swipe card (for the POS system)
- Pens
- Bottle opener
- At Least $20 in loose bills to have as change for the customers, so I don’t have to bother the manager for it
- Lighter for the birthday candles
- A Notepad, I usually won’t need to write orders down for parties of 2 but if it gets busy I like to have something I can check back to just in case
Once I’m all suited up and ready to go I take a look at my section on the bulletin and check out what my side station is looking like. Side stations are the little nooks around restaurants where the sodas, teas, coffee, and sometimes computer systems are located. I like to make sure we’re stocked properly so I don’t have to run to the basement for bags or in the cooler for mints in the middle of a shift. We have a pretty good protocol to prevent running out of things but this is my usual checklist to make sure I’m all stocked up:
- Check that coffee, teas, and lemonades are full
- Check that Andes mints are stocked
- Extra receipt paper rolls for the printers
- Lemon slices
- Ice
- Bags and to-go boxes stocked
- Glasses and coffee cups stocked
We have a great system set up that starts with the openers on that day. Before clocking out everyone has a certain job to restock and replenish supplies depending on the section they worked. It helps keep everyone be “Set Up For Success”, a big motto Olive Garden talks about and encourages during training.
Communication
It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that effective communication is a fundamental element to being a great server. Having the right attitude and confidence backed up with the ability to resolve conflicts or answer questions appropriately is so crucial.
Working in one of the most diverse cities in the world I’ve had the opportunity to connect and interact with many cultures and backgrounds. I learned the intricacies of minor body language in Indian cultures like the sideways head nod and how it can have a variety of meanings. Usually used to indicate agreement or acknowledgment but has slightly different meanings depending on facial expressions and how fierce or gentle the nod is. It might seem insignificant but if there’s a language barrier, body language and hand signals are important. I also began to take DuoLingo courses to learn Portuguese during my subway rides to work to better communicate with the many Brazilian guests we received. Realizing how similar it was to Spanish, my first language, I figured it would come to me easily and would be a great way to connect with my guests. They loved it, always surprised when I’d say “Obrigada” (thank you) and so appreciative of the care.
If you’re able to conquer and succeed in these 5 pillars that I’ve laid out for you then you’re already on your way to being a great customer success advocate. Know your stuff, come prepared, and have the confidence that you have what it takes to knock it out of the park.
