Service in the Restaurant Industry - Research Paper Example

Service in the Restaurant Industry Introduction Almost everyone has eaten at a restaurant and experienced both tremendous and terrible service. While the food is a central concern of the restaurant experience, equally as important is the ambiance that the restaurant-goer experiences upon attending the establishment. Ambiance is constructed through the music, furniture, and general setting, but perhaps the most central concern is the service. Indeed, poor service can ruin a restaurant-goers experience before they even sit down at the table. With such a central emphasis on service it goes without saying that restaurants must pay crucial attention to stellar service or risk incurring significant profit losses. This essay examines service in the restaurant industry through the consideration of a variety of inputs. Analysis As noted above the restaurant experience begins as soon as an individual walks into the restaurant, as such it is highly important for a restaurant to consider service from these very early stages. For most restaurants this begins with having a successful host or hostess. There are a number of considerations that go into successful service within this portion of the house. As restaurant service is contingent on being prompt effective efficiency behind the scenes must also be considered. Still, in terms of immediate impressions it is necessary for the host or hostess to have a clean-cut appearance and demeanor. Oftentimes restaurants will search for hostesses with a particular-look or attitude as it immediately signals to the customer the culture and attitude they will be treated with throughout their visit. Additionally there are a variety of other means by which the host or hostess can contribute to overriding service. One of the central aspects of the hostess job is greeting the customer directly. By engaging directly with the customer when they walk into the restaurant the host enacts a connection that should be carried through until the customers finish their meal and exit the restaurant. After greeting the customer it is essential they discern their needs and inform them if there is going to be a potential wait; in the case there is no wait the host or hostess must bring the customer promptly to their table. While such considerations constitute the most outward elements of service, as noted earlier it is also the host’s responsibility to ensure that things behind the scenes are taken care of. Perhaps most central to his or her role in these regards is keeping in contact with each server’s stations. In the restaurant industry each server is given a section of the restaurant to which they are seated customers. It then becomes the host’s responsibility to ensure that customers are seated in a steady and equitable order among the stations. A great challenge occurs when individuals seating at a table place greater demands on a server through drink orders or various other requests and the server’s time becomes divided. In these instances, it is essential that the host or hostess check directly with the server to gain a strong understanding of where to seat incoming patrons. While this is essential to the functioning of the restaurant it is equally essential to quality service. If a host seats incoming patrons in the section of a server who is behind then it may take an extended period of time before the server can reach that table and attend to their needs. This delay reflects poorly on the restaurants the customer’s experience. Additionally there are small touches that the host can make that beneficially contribute to restaurant service. Viren notes that one important strategy for hosts or hostesses is, “After greeting the guests, look at the SIZE of the largest member of the party and assign the seating with that in mind. DON"T put them in a small booth! Also, a guest that has trouble walking should be given a seat as close to the hostess station as possible” (Viren 2012). While such a process is considered common sense, to a great degree successful service in the restaurant is about implementing common sense in a fast-paced environment. Another small but important element that contributes to service success as a host is to ensure that the table is clean and prepared before the guests sit. Depending on the level of the dining experience the customers will enter the restaurant with preconceived notions regarding the level of preparedness. It follows then that when the host ensures the table is clean and ensures all the guests have proper tableware that their experience will be improved. While the host or hostess plays a crucial role in proper service it is the server that will interact most directly and frequently with the customers. Because of their important position in the restaurant it becomes the server’s primary responsibility to ensure quality service is administered. Of course, it is management’s job to hire the right servers. The National Restaurant Association indicates that, “the first step to opening a restaurant that offers great customer service is hiring people who love to serve. After that, you train them how to serve by showing them examples of great customer service and explaining how they can mimic those examples” (Morley 2012). Management’s position in relation to the wait-staff is also highly important as in instances where the customers have a complaint it is management’s responsibility to speak to the customers; as such, it’s necessary that managers be able to trust that the waiter’s they hire will be direct and honest with them in times when a customer or table is dissatisfied. The primary service elements, however, will occur in terms of the server’s interactions with the guests. While all restaurants will have different protocol in terms of upselling or the speed by which they desire to move the customers through the restaurant, there are a number of core service elements that are universal throughout the restaurant industry. One of the most important of these elements is to ensure that the service is prompt. Promptness, however, is not simply the server’s responsibility, but is contingent on the functional cooperation of all members of the restaurant. One considers that if the host seats too many people in the server’s section then the server will potentially get behind and be late to great their table. Similarly, if the back of the house kitchen staff is late in making food or messes up on an order then the food will correspondingly be late. Still, a great degree of prompt service is contingent on the server. Perhaps the core aspects of ensuring that prompt and effective service is maintained is how well the server is able to balance their tables. While such a process seems fairly simplistic, in actuality it can be a highly challenging task. Efficient management for a server begins with effective order taking. Although writing an order down is not difficult, it becomes challenging when it must be done so in the context of a series of tables and at busy hours; additionally, if the waiter mishears or improperly records a customer’s order then this will greatly complicate and compromise service later on. Therefore it’s highly important that the server take great care to develop an effective system for taking the customer’s orders that always involves reading the order back to the customer to ensure confirmation. When this specific aspect of the chain of steps is properly undertaken it greatly contributes to prompt service throughout the meal, as the server merely has to ensure that they deliver the food to the table as soon as it is completed. Of course the server’s personality and attitude with the customers is a highly important aspect of the dining experience. While there are a variety of approaches to such service, most service professionals and restaurant theorists agree on a few crucial things. Of course it is necessary that the server be friendly to the customers. This involves not merely being outwardly cordial but trying to develop a genuine connection with each customer. Another important aspect of service is making oneself available. For a server making themselves available doesn’t merely mean standing physically in the vicinity of the table, but also ensuring that their body language adopts an open and welcoming outward perspective that encourages the customers to interact with them when needed. Finally, great service is contingent on the server being exceptional. Exceptional service occurs when the waiter goes beyond what is traditionally expected of them and allows the customer to truly feel they had a splendid time. Conclusion In conclusion, this essay has examined service in the restaurant industry. Within this context of understanding it has considered a variety on inputs, specifically the actions of the host or hostess, wait staff, and the management. The research demonstrates that while putting on an outside appearance of cordiality is an essential element of service, many of the behind the scenes elements of efficiency and cooperation contribute to the ability of the service staff to act with grace and friendliness. Ultimately, then, service in the restaurant industry is contingent on the dynamic functioning of the entire staff top-to-bottom. References Morley, Miranda. "What Are Examples of Good Service in the Restaurant Industry?." smallbusiness. N.p., 2012. Web. 23 Apr 2012. . Viren, Tom. "How to Be a Great Host or Hostess in a Restaurant." How. N.p., 2012. Web. 23 Apr 2012. . Read More