Customer service should always be one of the biggest priorities of any establishment. In a world now dominated by social media, one bad review can easily be shown to thousands of people.
On occasions, no matter how well a guest is looked after, it takes just one bad experience and they will spread the word far and wide. This is known as the pyramid effect.
I'm sure many of you have been to an establishment before and had bad service and you've properly told many people over the course of a few days. I have found that time is of the essence with guests, eye contact and a welcoming greeting with a smile can open up the atmosphere and ambience of establishment.
However the opposite can leave guests telling many people they felt ignored. This can have future implications for the business. I know it's difficult to please everyone but expectations can be easily crushed before your guests even have a first sip of their drink.
I have been in this industry for over a decade and a half, and have learned many things along the way but the first thing I was told when beginning my career in this industry was to treat every guest coming through the door as if you had invited them round to your own home to be hosted.
-Greet them
-Entertain them
-Make sure your house is clean and tidy
-Ensure the atmosphere is right
-Ensure they have a wonderful evening
Now picture this in a bar environment. Even if you're busy, acknowledging your guests should always be done straight away, with sincerity and kindness.
Body language is a key factor in the role of bartending. Within our working environment it can be easy to focus directly on the drinks you are preparing and not the guest watching you, waiting to order.
Allowing yourself the time to communicate with the guest and show your intentions amongst many tasks on your plate can be the point of not only allowing great service for the people around you, but also for yourself as a bartender to relax. I have found that when being able to talk and laugh whilst preparing drinks with guests and colleagues around me, the flow of being able to create and serve all falls into place, while allowing me to calm down and focus.
Maintaining eye contact as well as talking with a smile is crucial to your guest's perspective of how you work and enjoy your job. As simple as a smile is, I feel it is lost in many aspects of the industry today, always remember without these guests visiting us, we would not have an industry to work in.
Always talk with your body as well as words. Using your hands to express is a very good way. Being animated with your hands gives more than words, it’s expressive and a small factor guests remember. Guests always feel comfortable talking to someone they can approach, building upon first impressions to this factor is the groundbreaking moment before the drinks have even arrived, already the guests feel at ease and comfortable in your presence.
I can be regularly be found working on the floor, understanding how it works is a different side to bartending. As a guest you never want to be smothered by the person serving you, but you want to be content that your table is clean, water is filled correctly and that you have the opportunity to make requests as a guest wants.
With such a vast choice of drinks these days it’s always much to gain from understanding what the guest wants from their evening. The guest has come to your establishment for a reason. Therefore