How to achieve outstanding service?

Consumers on customer service

There are many hospitality venues that consistently provide good service, but may struggle to hit that A+ mark, as outstanding service isn't something that's easy to formularise. In fact, only 1 in 5 (18%) of customers' food & beverage visits, are perceived as 'magical' or 'outstanding'.

It can be hard to pinpoint the exact steps team members have to perform in order to achieve excellence, but after speaking to a number of our Mystery Guests on the subject, we believe we can offer a good overview on what customers are looking for. The bullet points below are collected directly from our 'guests', unedited. We hope these are useful.

What makes a server stand out and would prompt a nomination as outstanding?

• The staff member to create a memorable experience.
• For them to make an effort to engage with a customer beyond usual small talk e.g., asking about their plans or noticing a potential hobby.
• To show a level of energy beyond that of ‘going through the motions’ e.g., “more smiley and chattier” or showing joy in their job.
• Offering a gesture of good will when there has been a problem.
• Offering an item on the house unexpectedly.
• To take time out of their job to help with a query/complaint.
• To show attentiveness to the transaction e.g., noticing a purchase of a hot item that could spill and reminding the customer “to be careful with it”.
• To appear genuine through tone of voice and body language/smiling.

What actions impact the experience negatively?

• Just ‘going through the motions’.
• Being preoccupied by getting to the next customer.
• Being dismissive of feedback/complaints.
• A lack of engagement e.g., a genuine greeting, parting comment or polite conversation
• A lack of enthusiasm during the transaction or disingenuous enthusiasm.
• Not treating each customer as individual.

What takes an experience from ‘good’ to 'excellent'?

• For something memorable to happen that could be talked about.
• Staff going the extra mile (not necessarily with them but with other customers as well).
• Receiving genuinely warm service with some polite conversation.
• The energy of the team.

Looking for help with elevating service and customer experience?

'Outstanding service' is something you can measure with HGEM's Mystery Guest Audits - these objective assessments are designed to help brands improve standards and processes. Feel free to get in touch to discuss how Mystery Guest Audits can help you achieve your operational goals.