During a recent trip to Phoenix, I treated my daughter and son-in-law to lunch. The appetizer was scanty and lukewarm. A side order didn't show up until after we'd finished eating. Our glasses remained empty even as we spied the waiter sitting and chatting.
Printed on the check was an invitation to a "How'd we do?" survey. I filled it out. Two days later, a manager called to apologize -- and to offer $50 worth of gift cards.
Sometimes it pays to complain.
Understand: I didn't do the survey because I wanted to get the server in trouble or because I hoped I'd get something. I did it because:
- I didn't feel I'd gotten my money's worth.
- If I were a manager, I'd want to know that a staffer wasn't doing her job.
I've been a mystery shopper at that particular restaurant chain, so I know what's required of servers. Even if I didn't know, I have the right to expect decent service. And so do you.
You're doing the company a favor
Nobody wants to be that loudmouthed jerk who ruins everyone's evening. We don't want to watch the manager berate a server. We're tempted just to let it go.But if you think your complaint is warranted, say something, whether it's in person, online or by letter.
"When you go out to eat, you deserve good food and good service. That's what you're paying for," says John Tschohl of the Service Quality Institute and the author of several books on customer service.
He and several other interviewees all quoted the same statistic: Nine out of 10 diners who have a bad experience won't complain. They simply won't go back.
They'll complain to their friends, however -- and in the age of Facebook and Yelp, that could be a lot of friends. Business drops off, and restaurateurs have no idea why.
"They cannot fix the problem if they don't know about it," Tschohl says. "You're doing the company a huge favor if you complain."
Grousing: A primer
The folks I interviewed all offered the same basic steps:- Identify the problem. (There's a fly in my soup.)
- Tell the right person. (The busboy can't help you.)
- Suggest a possible solution (e.g., some fly-less soup). Or state that you just wanted to bring this to someone's attention.
Beth Colley and her husband went to brunch to celebrate their anniversary, only to find the staffers were surly and uncommunicative, the dishes dried out and the crabmeat in her omelet "rancid." (As Marylanders, the Colleys take their seafood seriously.)
She did everything right:
- Colley wrote a letter describing their experience in detail.
- She called to get names of the owner and manager.
- She did not ask for anything. Instead, Colley suggested that the problems be fixed so other customers would not have the kind of experience her family did.
Six weeks later, she got an apologetic letter that listed specific changes being made in the restaurant. Included was a gift card in the amount they'd spent that day.
While dining in a restaurant recently, Colley found a rubber band in her pasta. She discreetly brought it to the server's attention. A manager came over to apologize and to tell them her dinner was on the house. (Am I the only one who would have wanted to say that the pasta was a little rubbery?)
Continued: Start at ground level