SURVIVING ON SERVICE
One type of establishment whose very survival is linked to customer loyalty is the restaurant business.
"Food is a by-product," said David Pavesic, professor and graduate program director in the Cecil B. Day School. He is also the Robinson College resident restaurant authority. "People will stop patronizing a restaurant more for food reasons than for service reasons. But it's the service that separates two retaurants with the same food choices."
The art of providing customer service in a restaurant is very complex. Much of it depends on the type of restaurant, the type of clientele, the time of day, even the reason the customer is there. "Eating out is a very personal experience," says Pavesic. "People discuss everything from business matters to marriage and divorce in restaurants. The wait staff must be sensitive to what's going on. They must know when to fill the water glass, when to take the order, when to leave customers alone."
These factors are coupled with the performance of the kitchen and how efficient it is in making sure the meal is cooked properly and available in a reasonable amount of time. "
At Houston's [one of Atlanta's leading restaurant chains] they seek to have food brought to the guest within thirteen minutes from the time the ticket is turned in to the kitchen,"
said Pavesic. "
Standards may differ but restaurants that do well will not compromise standards and train their employees to meet or exceed guest expectations."
Upscale restaurants, where wait staff can earn as much as $200 to $400 per night in tips, require extensive training and weed out all but the best. At some establishments the training is so rigorous that only six of every 25 who apply are given a work schedule. And that's in an industry where turnover each year can run as high as 300% in entry-level job categories.
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