Is there something about your favorite restaurant that makes you want to return? It could be the quality of the food. Are the prices reasonable? Perhaps the location is very convenient. All of these things are vital for a successful restaurant. But, it doesn’t always matter if one thing’s not done exemplary—customer service. Rethink your favorite restaurant and the reasons you love it. You are likely to place the customer relationships and good customer service at the top of your wish list.
Why is it essential to build relationships with customers?
The quality of its customer relationships can determine a small business’ success or failure. Offering personalized and tailored service, especially when you’re just starting, is one of the best ways to compete with larger firms. However, they don’t happen overnight, so that nurturing customer relationships can be a goal in your marketing, employee training, planning, and other activities.
Knowing your customers is a critical factor in your decision-making. When developing your business plan, you must identify a target audience. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to know all about your target market and convert them into loyal customers. Instead, while you’re actively researching and testing what resonates, you build a relationship that will result in returning customers, positive word-of-mouth (both online and in-person), and increased sales.
Five ways to build strong customer relations
It cannot be easy to maintain meaningful customer relationships in a world where online ordering and takeout are commonplace. However, restaurant owners don’t have to give up on customer service. There are many traditional and modern ways that they can provide excellent customer service. These are five steps that will help you build strong customer relationships.
1. Get to know your customers
It is essential to get to know them to build a lasting relationship with your customers. If you don’t engage with customers and listen to them when they dine, you won’t make a relationship. Likewise, your staff must be friendly, open, and responsive from the moment they walk in the door until the time they leave.
For both you and your customers, this first experience is crucial. Customers who feel isolated or ignored by you will be less likely to return. Conversely, if you leave a positive impression, you can make your customers return for their next visit.
Returning visitors
You will see first-time customers returning to your business after the first visit. After that, it is time to establish a customer-business relationship. It could be as simple as remembering their names and favorite dishes or having the same server assist them. After that, it’s up to you to keep the momentum going and encourage your team to make every visit more enjoyable.
2. Exceed service expectations
Customer service should not be about overselling or underdelivering. Instead, it means that you should set realistic expectations for your customers regarding wait times and service check-ins. If they don’t, it will blow them away. So you should get your food out sooner than you say, encourage servers to check in regularly to refill drinks, give updates, and don’t try to hide any delays if possible.
Being open about any problems and offering solutions is a good thing. You can also use longer wait times and incorrect orders to provide better customer service. Offer a complimentary appetizer or replacement dish, free refills, or a gift certificate to make up the difference. You don’t have to give away everything with every meal. However, it is a way to save money and use less expensive menu items.
3. Reward them for their support
Rewarding your customers is a great way to make every visit more enjoyable. You can offer your employees one-off discounts or complimentary appetizers, or even gift cards. Or you could create a rewards program. You can use a simple punch card, or you could go a little more modern by using an app, newsletter, or other digital components.
A digital program allows you to gather email addresses and open up direct communication channels. With the right system, you can track order trends and offer better incentives, discounts, or messaging based on customer intent.
Your budget and the time it takes to implement a rewards program will determine what type you choose. It’s OK to start with a punch card or stamp To see how you do. If you see repeat visits and increased sales, it may be time to upgrade to a more advanced system.
4. Communicate online
Online presence is essential for any restaurant. However, in many cases, a website with minimal functionality, social media channels that are semi-active, and current business information is all you need. Although it may seem counterintuitive to your business goals at first, the long-term rewards are well worth the time and effort required to set these things up.
Each channel offers new ways to connect with customers from a customer service perspective. You can also respond to direct messages and comments on social media. You can reply to reviews and answer questions on review sites such as Yelp and web listings. A website is the most important and valuable part of a website.
A website allows you to link to other online communities, such as reviews, social channels, and digital ads. You can also host online ordering, menus, and additional business information. It is an excellent place for customers to send emails, just like when they sign up for rewards programs.
Email is a powerful customer service tool that you should not ignore
Email is one of the most effective customer engagement tools today. Despite being outdated, email is still a direct line of personal communication between your customers and you. You can also send special promotions and answer customer service questions.
If your rewards program or online signups are successful, managing email can be difficult. It can be challenging to manage both online orders and customer service requests from the same email. Organization and efficiency can quickly become out of control. To provide excellent email-based customer support, you might consider investing in an Outpost shared inbox management system to maximize the benefits of all email-based initiatives.
5. Accept customer feedback
You’re bound to encounter harmful customer interactions, no matter how careful you try to provide excellent customer service. So learn from these mistakes and make it a learning experience for your customers.
Do not respond harshly or offend if you have had a negative experience online. Instead, show compassion, ask questions, and try to resolve the problem. You can quickly convert a negative review to a satisfied customer by using the right tone and response. Likewise, if things get out of control, you can quickly turn a negative review into a happy customer by moving the conversation to a private message or email.
If you read positive reviews with suggestions, don’t forget to respond. It is just as crucial to reach out to your fans and get their feedback as it is to help others who had less than stellar experiences.
What’s the secret to building lasting customer relationships?
There is no one-size-fits-all formula to building lasting customer relationships. It’s a constant work in progress, and it all depends on the needs of your customers and business. The key is to continue testing, iterating, and creating consistent, high-quality customer service that customers love and can trust.
Listen to your customers and encourage your staff members to go above and beyond. Also, make sure you communicate with any negative or positive feedback both in-person and online. Customers will be more likely to interact with you if you offer them more options. You’ll also be more likely to convert your first customers into your biggest fans.
Disclaimer. The opinions and views expressed in this article are the authors Andrew Napolitano.
