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Service Recovery Award of the Week

My service recovery award of the week goes to the Chef at Saranello’s.
 
We had dinner Saturday with some friends – including one who has celiac disease.
 
Accordingly, my buddy eats a gluten free diet. If he has glutens, bad things gonna happen digestively - if you know what I mean.
 
So he used what I call the 4 C’s of proper communication.
 
As he ordered, he communicated, confirmed, checked and re-checked but still the alleged gluten-free pasta was filled with tasty, unhealthy (stomach distress instigating) glutens.
 
But that’s when the esteemed chef leapt into service recovery mode. Without breaking stride, he made it all better. Despite my buddy’s insistence that salad and mashed potatoes would suffice, he whipped up an enjoyable pasta dish that was stomach able.
 
He hit all my service recovery metrics. He apologized, expressed empathy and asked how he could make it right.  As you know, it's not the mistake, it's how the business responds that matters.
 
He turned a bad experience into a good experience and even sent a plate of cookies that none of the forty-something’s at the table needed.  We're not getting any younger...
 
And he did it by accepting blame and not throwing anybody under the proverbial bus. As a bonus, he didn’t charge us for the meal.
 
Thanks to his outstanding efforts, once their food improves a bit we may be back!
 
That’s just the way it works…
 
 

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