How to… raise service standards
Service champion Fred Sirieix believes that impeccable service is possible for everybody
People often underestimate the value of excellent service and how it can affect a guest's overall experience. It's not just about the food, but how customers feel they are receiving the highest standards throughout their visit
My vision is to help raise the standard of service everywhere - not just within hospitality, but in any industry where customer service is key to a business's proposition.
Fred Sirieix, general manager, Galvin at Windows, and creator of the Art of Service
How to get your team to offer excellent service
1 Ensure the appearance of your team is consistent and personal grooming is immaculate. Customers want to feel that they're in good hands.
2 Ensure your team understands your business vi sion, what they're delivering and how they're expected to deliver it. It's essential that every member of the team fully understands their role and what is expected of them, otherwise gaps in service can arise. You can achieve this by holding an Art of Service training session 30 minutes before every service, without fail.
3 There has never been a greater need for managers to believe in training, to be patient and invest time and energy to teach, develop and coach those who will be tomorrow's service stars. To develop staff, it is imperative to believe in people and their potential - both on a professional and personal level.
4 Put the customer first at all times. Why have they visited your operation? What do they expect and what would make their experience better? Look for ways to achieve this and get your team to feel passionate about delivering it.
5 Service and hospitality is about the connection and the bond you create with people. It's a way of life. No matter what kind of establishment you're running, your customers are most likely looking for respect, courtesy, politeness, kindness, generosity, professionalism, care and attention. They want someone to do what they said they were going to do, and do it in the timeframe they said they would. They also want them to smile and look as though they're enjoying themselves while they're doing it.
6 The erosion of standards can start from the very day an operation opens or strike at any moment. There is no known cure - prevention is the only known antidote! You can stay vigilant by following this simple checklist:
•Set and share your standards and expectations with your team.
⢠Always hold staff briefings in good time before service begins.
⢠Use the Art of Service training game as a daily refresher for staff.
⢠Believe in yourself and your vision.
⢠Step back and re-evaluate.
⢠Never forget the dangers posed by erosion of standards!
Fred Sirieix and BaxterStorey
Fred Sirieix developed the Art of Service board game, a training tool to help hospitality firms raise the standards of service within their business.
Its popularity and success led independent foodservice giant BaxterStorey to commission a bespoke version of the game for its own people in 2011. The training methodology
was rolled out by 12 'service champions' across the caterer's fine dining and hospitality operations, and now 250 of BaxterStorey's staff have been trained. The company's 40,000
customers can now benefit from exceptional service.