Authored by Linda Peters-Getchell

As you might well have realized, I am a real believer in exceptional customer service. Success as a business owner – restaurants included – is so much in how we make people feel about doing business with us.

Here is yet another example of customer service – gone GOOD.

We needed new blinds for a window and sliding glass door. I called several places, received estimates and decided upon the blinds and the company. The woman who was the sales representative took her time with me, offered suggestions and stood on her head to meet a deadline we had (we were expecting company). I signed on the dotted line and off she went.

Next day in the mail arrived a brightly colored envelope, hand addressed. I opened it to find the same brightly colored note card with a hand-written note thanking me for my business and a telephone number if I needed any help or had questions.

It wasn’t on company stationery, just a personal note on personal paper. And she did not leave it at that. She followed through with a phone call a few days later to see if I had heard from the installers that the blinds were in.

I had not, so she called them, called the manufacturer, and called me back to assure me they would be delivered and installed before our company arrived.

Good service and follow-up are expected, not always received, but expected. Hand-written-thank-you notes go a long way to make someone feel that their business is really appreciated. When I need more window treatments, who do you think will be the first person I call?

I got to thinking how easy it would be for a restaurant to send hand-written thank -ou notes to a customer who booked a large party, to regulars who support you, to a member of your own staff who has done something outstanding. In fact, a note to a staff member or regular customer who makes the paper for coaching a Little League team, or winning a golf tournament, or celebrating a promotion would really be outstanding. The list of possibilities goes on.

When I was in high school I had a summer job in the local bank. I tended to the lock boxes, filed, and the first thing I did every day was to read the paper and clip out articles about local people, including employees. Then I sent a congratulations note and included the newspaper clipping. That was a hundred years ago, but the idea is still a good one.

What might you do in your restaurant to take advantage of the lost art of hand-written thank you notes?

Remember there is a lot of power in the pen. Try using it and see what happens.

Linda Peters-Getchell has 20 years in restaurant management and food and beverage customer service. She has owned her own restaurant and catering service, developed unique training programs and won two Key Player Awards for her customer service programs at Showboat Casino Hotel. She is currently a powerful creative force for restaurant expert David Scott Peters and his company, Smile Button Enterprises, serving as Fairy Godmother.

By Linda Peters-Getchell

A taxi is a taxi is a taxi, right? I mean, you wave your arm in the air trying to flag one down, one finally stops, they are cars with signs saying they are a taxi, they are hopefully reasonably clean, you get in the back seat, someone drives you from one place to another and charges you a fee. You arrive at your destination. You pay them, thank them and give a tip for their service. Off you go. You most likely will never enter that cab again, but simply hail down another when you need one to repeat the experience again and again.

Well, while in Chicago for the NRA Show a couple of weeks ago my friend and I traveled by cab about 4 times per day – whoever stopped for us we got in, until we got into Charles’ cab. (Not my first story about excellent cab service.)

He stopped for us, we scooted across the backseat and as we looked about we were immediately amused. Tired as we were, we felt a little rejuvenated. We smiled and delighted in this cab that was decorated with tiny Christmas lights, tinsel garlands, little cups attached to the back of the front seats filled with penny candies and more lights and tinsel. New Orleans jazz was playing softly. Our driver was smiling and cheerful. He asked where we were going and took off headed to our destination.

We got to talking with him about his delightful and interesting cab and during the conversation he asked why we were in town and how long we would be staying. When he knew we would be around for a few days he handed us his business card and told us we could avoid the lines at the show by calling him. He worked mornings, took the early afternoon off and worked dinnertime until late in the evening. He said to just call him and let him know when and where we wanted to be picked up and he would be there for us. (The card did have a little line drawing with lights and tinsel—visual reminder of what the card represented among a stack of others you might have.)

It was a fun, festive, and totally different cab ride with a more-than-personable driver who seemed to love his job, even the traffic, and he cared about the people he chauffeured about. What cab do you think we took almost every time thereafter? You got it, we called Charles. No matter how tired we were it was a little shot of fresh energy every time we got into that cab. We felt better when we got out.

He did the same thing everyone else did and then took it one step further – decorations, fun music, a little sugar pick-me-up, and warm personal care all with the addition of a business card to give you the opportunity to repeat the experience. He added the value of not having to wait in line for a cab, and you did wait in line when the show let out each day – a long line.

I’d venture to say that your restaurant is no different than most. You serve good food – maybe great food, you have four walls, tables and chairs, servers, and you are clean.

What would you say sets you apart from all the others, from the chains?  What makes people come back again and again? Do you have customers that request a specific server?

How can you make the experience of dining in your restaurant memorable and keep them coming back? How can you help your servers develop the skills to keep them coming back and even requesting them?

Linda Peters-Getchell has 20 years in restaurant management and food and beverage customer service. She has owned her own restaurant and catering service, developed unique training programs and won two Key Player Awards for her customer service programs at Showboat Casino Hotel. She is currently a powerful creative force for restaurant expert David Scott Peters and his company, Smile Button Enterprises, serving as Fairy Godmother.

By Linda Peters-Getchell

Catch the Rhythm and Join The Dance

Today was one of those clean-the-closet, go-through-everything, revisit-old-projects and throw-out-the-old kind of days.

I found myself leafing through a workbook from one of my creative workshops, and I was lost for the afternoon.

Suddenly I was brought back to the moment when I heard the little Microsoft ding and it was an email reminding me that I had a blog entry due. I immediately knew an email would be arriving in a day or two that I had an article for the newsletter due. Ouch, I needed to get with the program.

I turned my thoughts to restaurants, the times, customer service, systems and customers and I went blank – just plain blank!

Then I looked at my workbook again and smiled and thought to myself, “Restaurant owners are people. They ought to be able to think about things other than their restaurant and the times. They deserve to hear their own music and sing their own song – especially right now.”

When we take a break from the daily grind, we free our minds to be open, to be creative and new ideas begin to flow. Our problem-solver button is reactivated and solutions flow.

So from a page of my workbook I would like to share with you thoughts from a page entitled “Marching Music for a Different Drummer; Catch the Rhythm and Join the Dance.”

What makes your heart sing?
What lifts your spirits?
What makes your soul soar?
What fills you with joy?
What fills you with love?

Create your list now!

When you have finished evaluate what you are doing to work with each of your answers to each of the questions? What will you begin doing today?

“When you see a thing clearly in your mind, your creative ‘success mechanism’ within you takes over and does the job much better than you could do it by conscious effort or will power.” Dr. Maxwell Maltz

Linda Peters-Getchell has 20 years in restaurant management and food and beverage customer service. She has owned her own restaurant and catering service, developed unique training programs and won two Key Player Awards for her customer service programs at Showboat Casino Hotel. She is currently a powerful creative force for restaurant expert David Scott Peters and his company, Smile Button Enterprises, serving as Fairy Godmother.

Authored by Linda Peters-Getchell

Just thinking about my last blog entry, CREATING A FEEL GOOD EXPERIENCE.

Did you think about it? Hey, did you do anything about it?

I hope you took it to heart and began teaching your staff how important it is to make your guests feel important, valued and a place where they FEEL GOOD.

It is a win-win situation for your staff and your guests as well as your bottom line. When you find serving an honor, it makes you feel so good about what you do and how you touch people. For servers it has more impact than that — it increases their income.

For the restaurant guest who is the recipient of all that special care, what a gift. They go so many places where they are made to feel invisible, an inconvenience, stressed. Imagine how they FEEL when they are honored, respected, cherished, acknowledged and enjoy a good meal as well.

When a customer feels valued, like they matter, cared about, they love to return and they develop a sense of loyalty. They bring you more business and more referrals.

So all this CREATING A FEEL GOOD EXPERIENCE for your guests creates a better bottom line for you, happier employees and loyal customers. Guess it CREATES A FEEL GOOD EXPERIENCE for everyone, doesn’t it?

So if you didn’t take me seriously on my last entry, might you consider the value of teaching your staff how to CREATE THAT FEEL GOOD EXPERIENCE for each and every guest?

Linda Peters-Getchell has 20 years in restaurant management and food and beverage customer service. She has owned her own restaurant and catering service, developed unique training programs and won two Key Player Awards for her customer service programs at Showboat Casino Hotel. She is currently a powerful creative force for restaurant expert David Scott Peters and his company, Smile Button Enterprises, serving as Fairy Godmother.

Authored by Linda Peters-Getchell

What impacts us the most?

Think about it, because it is very powerful!

Do you think you have it?

It is how we feel that impacts us the most!

When it comes to investing our money, buying a product or choosing a restaurant, we will make our choices based on our feelings.

It is this very reason we need to teach this to our employees and teach them all the ways they can create great feelings for our customers. I don’t care how good your food is, or how beautiful your restaurant might be, if your customers don’t have a FEEL-GOOD EXPERIENCE while they are there, they will not be back.

There was a little hole-in-the-wall breakfast/lunch place in Ventnor, N.J., that had people waiting in line to get in, and they went more than once a week. They were greeted with smiles, Delores got to know names very quickly and called them by name, asked about the kids, the new job, had a stack of newspapers as folks came in the door in the morning. Service was quick, friendly and everyone was made to feel very important and a part of a little family unit.

Chez Paul, the first restaurant I ever worked in, I frequented on Friday and Saturday nights as did many locals in the neighboring communities. It was the place to be, charming, food was good, the experience was warm, welcoming, and created a sense of belonging. The owner visited tables, and got to know most of our customers. They wanted to be there.

In these times we need to embrace our customers and cherish them. What are you doing to create GREAT FEELINGS for your customers?

Linda Peters-Getchell has 20 years in restaurant management and food and beverage customer service. She has owned her own restaurant and catering service, developed unique training programs and won two Key Player Awards for her customer service programs at Showboat Casino Hotel. She is currently a powerful creative force for restaurant expert David Scott Peters and his company, Smile Button Enterprises, serving as Fairy Godmother.