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Would you Like Some Fresh Bread with your Dessert?
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Should the bread arrive with the dessert?
That’s my question to restaurateurs this morning. Should the bread arrive at the same time the dessert comes?
Last week my family vacationed in Aspen. Our hotel had a restaurant – which we frequented, quite frequently, as we stayed about 10 minutes from town and the weather was conducive to taking the elevator to the first floor and having our meals there.
I’m a path of least resistance kind of guy.
Anyway, nearly every meal we ordered was wrong. All week – entrees and desserts came to my boys. Only problem is that they didn’t order what they received. In some cases, they got something and didn’t order anything. The soup came when the entrees were being served, the salads arrived with the wrong ingredients and, yes, the bread usually arrived with the dessert, even though we asked for it when we sat down.
It was actually pretty funny, and I don’t get worked up over it, which probably explains why we kept going back for more punishment.
I think I know what happened.
See, the restaurant had servers and assistant servers and other assorted personnel running all over the place and nobody actually owned the customer. Someone would seat us, then someone would ask for drink orders, and then another fresh face would appear out of nowhere and take our order. After all that, a completely new server would bring the food.
I believe that’s why everything was wrong. Nobody took ownership for the customer. Nobody was there the entire time to ensure that we received what we ordered. I believe that if the person taking the order – brought the order, then he or she would have been inclined to check to make sure everything was in order – if you’ll excuse the pun.
What about you? Do you take accountability for your customers? Do you own the customer? Your customers may deal with delivery drivers, sign-makers, and helpers; shipping people, credit managers, customer service managers, customer service professionals, managers, assistant managers, team leaders, company owners, suppliers and merchandisers and maybe more.
But at the end of the day – as a salesperson you own the account. Take ownership of your customers. Ensure that it’s a hassle-free experience to do business with you. That information is delivered in a timely manner. That paperwork is (kept to a minimum) and handled without error. That credits are process ed immediately. That your customer knows that you will answer the phone, day or night, and be a trusting voice on the other end of the line.
You be the one that consistently asks and answers the question: What can I do to make sure that my customers want to do business with me and my company?
You be the one that puts the service into sales and service excellence.
You be the one that makes sure the bread comes at the beginning of the meal and not at the end.
