Pepe Stepensky
Editor’s Note: This is the 25th edition of a regular column on www.elrestaurante.com. Pepe Stepensky, a veteran restaurateur and a long-time member of the el Restaurante Advisory Panel, is offering his advice to any el Restaurante reader with a question. When he does not have a specific question to answer, he will write about the steps to opening and running a restaurant. Click here to email him a question.
By Pepe Stepensky
After more than 40 years in the restaurant and fast-food business, I could probably write an entire book about difficult customers.
Actually, maybe two books.
I’ve dealt with customers upset because their food was too hot, too cold, too spicy, not spicy enough, took too long, came out too quickly, had too much salsa—or that there was not enough ice in their drink.
If you’ve worked in restaurants long enough, you’ve heard everything.
But I’ve learned something important: the complaint is usually not the biggest problem. How we react to the complaint is what determines whether we keep or lose the customer.
Don’t Try to Win
One of my biggest rules is simple: Never try to win an argument with a customer.
Maybe you’re right. Maybe your cashier repeated the order three times. Maybe five employees heard the customer say “chicken” and now the customer insists they ordered carne asada.
Congratulations. You’re right.
Now what?
Are you going to bring witnesses? Check the security cameras? Call an attorney?
It’s a burrito. Replace it.
One of the biggest mistakes we make in restaurants is spending $50 worth of time and aggravation arguing about a product that may have cost us $3 or $4.
You can win the argument and lose a customer who might have spent thousands of dollars with you over the years.
That’s terrible business.
Listen Before You Fix It
When customers are angry, sometimes the first thing they want isn’t a refund or free food. They want somebody to listen.
Don’t interrupt them. Don’t immediately explain why they’re wrong. Don’t blame the kitchen, the cashier, the computer, the delivery company, the weather, or Mercury being in retrograde.
Listen.
Then say something simple: “I understand why you’re frustrated. Let me fix this.”
Those words have saved me many headaches over the years.
Two Tostadas, Every Time
I remember one customer who regularly ordered two tostadas to go. Almost every time, he would get home, call us and say, “You only gave me one tostada.”
At first, we handled it the way I believe most good restaurant operators would. Even though we were pretty sure two tostadas had gone into the bag, we apologized and gave him another one.
No argument. No interrogation. We simply took care of the customer.
But then it happened again. And again. Eventually, what started as an occasional complaint became almost a standard part of his order: buy two tostadas, get home, call the restaurant and report that one was missing.
We could have confronted him. We could have refused to replace it. We could have told him we knew we had given him two.
Instead, we found a better solution.
The next time he came in, we prepared his two tostadas but didn’t close the container. We showed him both and politely asked him to verify that his order was complete. Then we asked him to sign our copy of the receipt confirming that he had received two tostadas.
And we did it with a smile. We didn’t accuse him of lying. We didn’t embarrass him. We simply explained that because there had been problems with his previous orders, we wanted to make absolutely sure everything was correct before he left.
Problem solved. No fighting. No accusations. No aggravation. And, amazingly enough, the disappearing tostada problem disappeared too.
That customer taught me an important lesson: good customer service doesn’t mean saying yes to everything. Sometimes you need to establish a boundary. But you can establish it with dignity, professionalism, and a smile.
Give Employees Permission to Solve Problems
Especially in fast food, a customer shouldn’t wait 15 minutes for a manager to approve replacing a $10 meal. Train your employees and give them reasonable authority to solve small problems immediately.
Replace the food. Offer a drink. Give them dessert. Refund an item when appropriate.
The faster you solve a small problem, the better chance it stays small. I’ve always believed a restaurant shouldn’t be penny-wise and customer-foolish. Saving $5 isn’t much of a victory if it costs you a customer.
Never Match the Customer’s Energy
When somebody raises their voice, don’t raise yours.
When somebody becomes sarcastic, don’t become sarcastic.
And when somebody says something ridiculous, resist making the facial expression you’re thinking about making.
You’re representing the restaurant. They’re representing themselves.
Stay calm. Lower your voice and slow down the conversation. When you refuse to participate in the fight, many times the fight disappears.
But hospitality doesn’t mean allowing customers to abuse employees. If someone becomes threatening, insulting, discriminatory, or aggressive, management needs to intervene. Our employees deserve the same respect we expect them to give our customers.
The Customer Is NOT Always Right
I’m probably going to get in trouble for saying this, but after more than four decades in restaurants, I think I’ve earned the right: The customer is not always right.
Sometimes they’re wrong. Sometimes they’re very, very wrong.
But here’s the important part: The customer is always important.
There’s a big difference.
You don’t have to agree with someone to treat them respectfully. You don’t have to accept abuse, and you don’t have to give away the restaurant every time someone complains.
Instead, ask yourself: “What can I reasonably do to make this person want to come back?”
That’s the Burrito Effect
Some of the best customers I’ve had over the years started as unhappy customers.
Anyone can provide good service when everything goes perfectly. The real test of hospitality comes when something goes wrong. That’s when a small gesture becomes powerful.
Replace the burrito. Give them the guacamole. Walk over personally and apologize. Remember their name the next time they come in. Those gestures don’t cost much, but people remember them.
That’s what I call The Burrito Effect: Small gestures can create big results.
After more than 40 years in this business, I’ve learned we’re not really in the business of selling tacos, burgers, burritos, or tostadas. We’re in the people business. And sometimes the most difficult customer walking through your door today can become one of your best customers tomorrow. You just have to give them a reason to come back.