Pub owners give tips on customer service. This month - customers threaten to leave because their order is lost and they have waited an hour for food. What do you do?
Peter Gatling
Licensee, Merry Harriers, Clayhidon, Devon
This hasn't happened to us, but it's always possible. The best policy is to be honest, offer a choice and, ultimately, be driven by what the customer wants.
Top tips
1 Have a system in place to reduce the chance of this mishap occurring. Our systems allow us to monitor where the customer is in the pub, whether they have ordered, the progress of their starters and the time that elapses between starters and main courses. Communication is the key, and as we cook everything from fresh, cooking times will vary. If there is going to be a wait, make this clear to the customer from the start.
2 Put some bread on the table
to keep the customers occupied. If they are facing a long wait, offer some olives on the house.
3 If the order has been mislaid, be honest, reveal the fact and offer the customer the choice of missing out the starters and moving straight to the main course, or offer them starters free of charge. If they prefer to leave, apologise, accept their decision and offer them a complimentary bottle of wine, should they wish to return.
Trevor Pawson
Licensee, Lamb & Flag, Bishop Monkton, near Ripon, North Yorkshire
We use a duplicate pad system; all our tickets are numbered and go into the kitchen in numerical order. My wife does all our cooking, and if a number is missing, she wants to know why. Our system aims to ensure that this situation doesn't arise. If we know there will be a wait when we're busy, we always make sure that we tell customers before we take their order.
Top tips
1 Ensure that your system prevents this happening -
our ticket numbering works well.
2 Apologise for misplaced orders.
3 Offer a discount on the meal.
Antony Marshall
Licensee, True Lovers Knot, Blandford, Dorset
Orders do sometimes get misplaced, but this situation is unlikely to happen to us.
We serve 800 to 900 meals a week, but I can see the entire restaurant and spot this problem developing. Our policy then is to let the customer eat for free.
Top tips
1 Have a system to stop this happening. Our till records the time of the order, corresponding with the ticket that goes into the kitchen. If we know there will be a delay, we make it clear before we take the order. If we anticipate a 30-minute wait,
we say 40, to be on the safe side.
2 Get waitresses to check the tickets regularly. If it looks as if we'll run over the waiting time, I apologise, serve drinks and let the customers decide whether they want to continue waiting.
3 If a customer complains,
check the ticket to make sure they have been waiting longer than we indicated. If the ticket has been mislaid, we rush the order through and don't charge. But I won't tolerate abuse. When I had an abusive diner recently, I sent back his meal, which was just coming out of the kitchen, and asked him to leave.