Handling Complaints

What if a Member has a complaint?

Anticipating members’ complaints is just as important as anticipating their needs. After serving any food or beverage, servers should stay long enough to observe the members’ behavior and reactions, not disappear. If a member seems dissatisfied with the food, beverage or service, or if the server perceives any potential problem with the member it would be wise to notify the dining room manager before and after handling the potential problem.

Ways to Recoup

The following steps should be used to instill trust and effectively communicate with the member while being flexible within the problem itself.

1.     Say you’re sorry- in most cases, members are willing to be understanding about a mix-up as long as they receive a genuine apology. Members should know and understand that the server realizes something is wrong and that they honestly want to fix the problem.

2.     Pay Attention- If you listen carefully to what the members’ are saying there will be a better chance to personalize the proper solution to their problem. It’s also the only way to get the information that is needed to fix the problem.  It also shows that the server/restaurant cares. Anything less than absolute sincerity would potentially add insult to injury. Summarize the complaint back to the member to make sure it is understood.

3.     Make things right- Sometimes this is all that is needed to rectify the situation. More often than not the problem was caused by miscommunication either by the member, who was not able to effectively communicate their order, or by the server who did not understand the members order to begin with. It doesn’t matter the origin of the problem, only that the member feels like they will be treated fairly and it will get resolved.

4.     Make it up to them- Even if the problem has been resolved try and do something extra to remedy the members’ uneasiness. Depending on the severity of the problem this could be comp’ing the dish or drink, some special service or just some extra attention.

5.     Never make a promise you can’t keep- If you say “I’ll be right back with your steak” and you come back 8-10 minutes later the member will be potentially more upset that you did not fulfill your promise thereby compounding the existing problem. It is always better to be realistic with the problem, while offering something small to tide them over, than to not deliver on a promise.

6.     Check back- While the guests are still at the table go back to make sure that the problem was handled properly and according to their needs. Sometimes this is a difficult task but one that needs to be carried out with respect and sincerity. Management should also be taking steps to be sure that the complaint was handled correctly.

How would you handle the following complaints?

1. A member finds a foreign object in their food.

2. A member taste a wine and then refuses it.

3. A table begins to get loud and demonstrative.

4. A member is getting too drunk.

5. A member is using their cell phone inside the clubhouse. 

6. Some guests of the member or the member themselves are celebrities. 

7. A member calls in and claims they have food poisoning. 

8. A member spills their drink or breaks a glass.  

Key Points to Creating an Exceptional Member Experience

KEY POINTS TO CREATING AN

 EXCEPTIONAL MEMBER EXPERIENCE

IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE

We sell essentially two things in the Food and Beverage Outlets; great service and great products.  As a member of the service team, it is your job to provide exceptional service and to be knowledgeable about the products we offer.

Member Recognition

From door to door, we want to greet each member by name and use their name throughout the dining experience.  If you do not know the names of the members seated in your section, find them out from another service team member before approaching the table.  If you cannot do this in a timely manner, greet the table, find out the names, and use them from that point forward.  Never ask for a member's name or number unless there is no alternative to doing so.

Prompt And Proper Greeting At The Door

It is the responsibility to each of us to greet members when necessary. If the host is away from the door, stop to let arriving members know someone will be right with them, or take them to a table yourself, following proper seating procedures.

Well Maintained, Clean Working Environment

A clean, well-maintained environment sends a strong message to the members. It makes them comfortable and confident that they are in a healthy, professional and caring environment.

Proper Introduction At The Table

A prompt greeting should be done within 2 minutes of seating. A proper introduction is polite, energetic, professional and unhurried. The signs of an exceptional server are patience, persistence and resilience.

Appearance

When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you perform better. When guests see you well groomed and neatly attired, they automatically relax and gain confidence in you.  Appearance is an important part of service; you and the entire staff will be judged by it.  Take pride in your uniform.  Your nametag and EME button are part of that uniform.

Product Knowledge

Every service team member has to be well versed in everything we offer. Product knowledge increases your confidence. Product knowledge is indispensable in proper service. When you know your products, you can confidently sell them. When the members have confidence in you, they are much more likely to take your recommendations and be happy with them.

Salesmanship

Efficient, charismatic, dynamic and knowledgeable. Good salesmanship enhances the member’s experience by offering the member the attention that establishes the standard of the dining experience, and ultimately the member’s estimation of your importance and value in the overall experience.  Offering and recommending more food or beverages is not overbearing sales, but rather good service.

Timely Service

3 minute wait for beverages
10 minute wait for appetizers
20 minute wait for entrees
5 minutes wait for after dinner drinks and dessert

Since food is consistently being put in the window it is essential that it be brought to the table as quickly as possible. Everyone runs food whenever they are leaving the kitchen. Getting food to the guests hot is a top priority! It also helps everyone in assuring proper service.

Member Satisfaction

Check back with a table within three minutes of the delivery of their food. When you do verbally check back, stay positive and specific. It is not necessary to ask everyone. Be on the alert for non-verbal cues that all is not well. Try to catch someone’s eye whenever you walk by the table. If there is a problem with the food, remove it and get it fixed. As always, alert a manager. Whatever the problem is tableside we will take care of it. Every member MUST leave extremely happy. OK is not what we’re striving for…

EME- EXCEPTIONAL!

Table Maintenance

Before delivering a course, check for silverware resets. Never ask a guest to reuse a dirty utensil.  Pull it and replace it.
Always remove dirty plates before delivering the next course in order to avoid table gridlock and the appearance of rushing.
Try never to approach a table without something the diner needs and never to leave without something they don’t.
Anything that is on the table that is no longer needed by the guest needs to be removed.  In regards to beverages, remember, Refill, Replace, Remove.
When the check is presented, the table should already be bussed back to coffee cups, water glasses and dessert plates, if applicable.
Wipe or crumb the table whenever necessary.

As always, don’t hesitate to help your fellow servers maintain their tables or ask for help maintaining yours.

Teamwork and Communication

Communication is an essential aspect of teamwork and a vital component of proper service. If a member needs something that you can’t get for them, find the person who can. Communicate any menu changes (ex. 86’d items) and verbally communicate any special requests to the kitchen in addition to typed modifers. Tell everyone and anyone what you need and what you know. It is impossible to achieve the other elements of the member experience without teamwork and communication. There is no chance for proper service without communication.

Floor Presence- Availability to Anticipate and React to Member Needs

In order to provide the best and proper service; always be available to your guests. The difference between good service and excellent is the ability to anticipate, rather than react to members needs. Notice not what they need, but what they are about to need.

Going Above and Beyond

This is where your creativity and personality comes out. Always be on the lookout for the little things that you can do for your tables. Do whatever you think that is thoughtful, creative and extraordinary to ensure an exceptional member experience. Whatever it takes!

When the going gets tough....

In a club environment, we often do not have the luxury of seating diners according to a strict reservation book.  As a result, you may have many needy tables in your section at the same time, making it more difficult to hit all of the service standards that we have set.  How does one ensure that the standards are maintained when thrust into this situation?  First, you must have a sense of urgency; you need to be able to identify the situation described above and understand the importance of maintaining the standards we have set for each member's experience.  Assess the situation, and create a plan of attack for how your tables will be best served.  This will likely include asking for help from cocktail servers, managers, sommeliers, and your fellow servers.  Collaborate with a manager on your plan of attack if you are really in the weeds.  Next, activate that plan.  Prioritize and stick to it.  Accelerate.  Move quickly but in control.  Focus on your priorities and plan of attack and you will achieve the desired results and hit the marks.  We appreciate your hard work and effort!

CORE VALUES AND RESPONIBILITIES TO OUR MEMBERS- LAS CAMPANAS ELEVEN

LAS CAMPANS ELEVEN

1. SMILE!
2. Speak Politely, positively and professionally.
3. Enliven the steps of service:

Extend a warm and genuine greeting

Anticipate and fulfill member needs.

Offer pleasant wishes and a warm goodbye

    4.  Never say no.

    5.  Give members and guests the right of way at all times.

    6.  Personalize service by learning the preferences of members.

    7.  Acknowledge members and guests when you encounter them.

    8.  Answer the phone within three rings.

    9.  You are an ambassador for the club.  Be positive about all aspects of the club at all times.

    10.  Respect the privacy of our membership and club.

    11.  Offer additional services at the end of each interaction.

 

CORE VALUES AND RESPONIBILITIES TO OUR MEMBERS- ENHANCE

CORE VALUES AND RESPONIBILITIES TO OUR MEMBERS

E – Eagerly Greet every Member and Guest

N – Nametag – Wear it every single day

H – Host – Act as a Host to every Member and Guest

A – Appearance Matters – Your own and the facility  

N – Name – Learn our member’s names and use them daily

C – Consistency – Provide GREAT service in every guest interaction

E – Exceed our Member’s Expectations

E ME Exceptional Member Experience

E ME stands for Exceptional Member Experience.  The ME is underlined to remind each employee that they personally are responsible for ensuring that experience.  That they are a part of larger whole that ensures that the members experience from the moment that they step out of their car, until the moment that they sit back in it to drive away, is exceptional. 



Cocktail Service

COCKTAIL SERVICE

The proper and safest method of serving a beverage from a cocktail tray is to hold the tray on the fingertips of the left hand, standing witht the body's right side to the table.  While keeping the tray evenly balanced, one glass is removed from the tray with the right hand.  The server steps in toward the table with the right foot, with the right knee bent, and sets the glass in its proper place.  The server must be especially careful during this operation, as there is a natural tendency when reaching in tward the table with the right hand to lower the left hand.  This can tip the beverage tray and spill the rest of the glasses.
Cocktail napkins should be used only when the drink is to be placed on a hard surface.  The cocktail napkin is intended to absorb moisture, which could drip on the member, and to cushion the hard surface of the plate from the hard base of the glass.  When drinks are served on a tablecloth, napkins are not used.  Before serving the first course, the cocktail is moved to the right of the first service glass, and the cocktail napkin and any used garnishes should be removed.  The member may want another cocktail before dinner.  The server should be aware of the timing of the meal when serving another beverage. 
In serving second cocktails before the member has finished their first, the second is placed to the member's right, near the top of the knife.  The glasses should never be "married," as the first glass may contain nothing but melted ice.  The member may indicate that the glass may be removed, and if appears empty, offer to remove it.

Table Maintenance

TABLE MAINTENANCE

The goal of table maintenance is always to keep the table neat, clean, and running smoothly, and to do so as unobtrusively as possible.  The four basic categories of maintenance that a server must consider, aside from the actual serving of food and drinks are:

• FLATWARE
• GLASSWARE
• CLEARING
• DECRUMBING

Flatware should be checked for spots prior to service and returned to the dish area if soiled and replaced with properly polished silver.  If a diner orders something that requires flatware that is not set as a part of our normal cover, then the utensils should be placed just prior to each course.  Dessert flatware should be set in after decrumbing and just before dessert service.
Clean flatware should be transported to the table on one of the silver trays designated for that task, or on the small, individual silver server trays. 

In particular to glassware, it is important to remember the three R's of glassware

• Refill- If a glass or cup is empty, offer to refill it
• Replace- If a glass is empty, offer (sell) the member another
• Remove- If the member does not want a refill or replacement, remove the glass or cup

When clearing the table after each course, never scrape plates onto one plate on the dining room floor, or in the view of any diners.  Ask for help from managers, bus staff, or fellow servers so that the table can be cleared in as short a time as possible with as few return trips as possible. 

To decrumb a square four top, imagine a large cross on the table running from guest to guest.  Begin decrumbing on the left side of one guest, then decrumb on the right side of the next.  Move clockwise around the table, repeating this procedure until complete.  If a table becomes soiled during dinner, a half cloth or dinner napkin can be temporarily used to cover the problem when the tablecloth cannot be changed.

Proper Wine Service

Champagne Service

Decanting Red Wine