Venue Customer Service – How to Improve Your Customer Service For More Loyalty
Venue customer service is probably one of the most important factors when it comes to running a successful hospitality business.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in newer ways of conducting businesses, opening broader dimensions.
For instance, the hospitality sector gained momentum through the not-so-common “takeaway” food delivery option.
While this certainly boosted businesses, the tradition of dining at bars, pubs, or restaurants didn’t lose its charm.
The post-pandemic years again set this ritual in motion.
Well, some brands even felt a rise in the expectation levels of customers.
Are you wondering where to shift your focus? Customers visit your place primarily to enjoy an awesome dining experience that calls for exceptional quality of customer service.
In this post, we delve into the various effective ways to improve venue customer service, boost brand reputation, and enhance customer loyalty.
7 proven ways to improve venue customer service
1. Welcome your customers cheerfully
2. Utilize technology trends
3. Include rewards and loyalty programs
4. Ensure your staff’s impeccable service
5. Craft personalized customer experiences
6. Be proactive
7. Show patience and professionalism
1. Welcome your customers cheerfully
A broad smile on your face will lighten up the spirits of regular customers and first-time visitors alike.
Greet them as soon as they enter the venue, asking questions like how their day was or what something special they are looking for.
Guide them to the appropriate seating area depending on the number of people and whether they are a family or a group of friends, younger or older.
Help them get seated at the table and let them have the menu card.
Your staff’s friendliness and courtesy will set the stage for crafting a memorable dining experience for your customers.
This aspect of personally extending greetings to visitors keeps the dine-in options a step ahead of takeaways, thereby letting you leverage the venue customer service metric.
2. Utilize technology trends
The hospitality industry is much more competitive than others.
Your job requires you to attend to customers’ needs, ensuring their utmost comfort and convenience.
That said, deploying the right technology tools facilitates your staff’s jobs, saves time and money, and imparts a rewarding venue customer experience.
Some examples include QR codes, menu scans, point of sale(PoS) systems, online ordering, and digital feedback options.
If you are an eminent brand or your budget allows decent spending, you may include sensor-based devices like taps for wines or such to keep your venue visitors awed.
3. Include rewards and loyalty programs
While it’s not uncommon, some brands still haven’t crafted loyalty programs for their esteemed customers.
Well, if you are among them, it’s time to create a solid one right away. Remember, your customers are not just for your sales; you need to forge long-standing relationships with them to boost your brand.
An effective strategy in this regard is to include rewards, offers, coupons, and discounts as a part of your venue’s customer service.
You may have common reward schemes or loyalty programs applicable to different categories of your customers but offer some exclusively to those who visit your venue.
After all, the regular bar goers or restaurant freaks come to your place. Don’t you think they deserve something special?
4. Ensure your staff’s impeccable service
Your servers are like front-line workers who essentially can make or break the deal with your customers.
Quite often, their demeanor can bring you repeat visitors.
That said, training your staff well is imperative, ensuring they exhibit the most elegant yet excellent behavior aligned with your brand’s guidelines and style, ensuring a remarkable customer experience.
5. Craft personalized customer experiences
One of the most effective strategies for improving customer satisfaction and loyalty is by creating personalized experiences.
When customers feel special at your venue, they are more likely to become repeat visitors.
Greeting visitors on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, or Women’s Day with gifts, personalized cards, or bouquets can win their hearts and bring in lucrative revenues.
Examples include gifts, a personalized hand-written greeting card, or a bouquet.
Trust me, such gestures could win your visitors’ hearts and bring lucrative revenues to your business.
6. Be proactive
The success of venue customer service lies in your ability to go the extra mile in “sensing” and suggesting appropriately what your customer needs.
Your menu certainly lists everything available in black and white; nevertheless, you can make the best of it by exchanging pleasantries. Equip your staff behaviorally to understand what your customers anticipate.
Filling in their empty glasses, suggesting side dishes or desserts, offering condiments and such.
Train your waiters’ to be quick, alert, attentive, and proactive in responding and catering to customers.
This will create a good impression in their minds and boost revenues from venue customer service.
7. Show patience and professionalism
Quite often, smaller bars and pubs turn into a source of brawls between the owners and the customers, impacting the latter’s satisfaction.
Whether you are a large, medium-sized, or small business, your reputation among customers always takes the top priority.
Avoid conflicts with customers.
Your motto must be to make them satisfied and happy.
This requires you to showcase patience and understanding when dealing with issues such as menu rates, payment errors and waiter’s faults.
Professionalism and politeness in your communication can create a mark in your relationship and boost your brand.
In case of billing issues or a wrong order, always be apologetic and consider offering a discount or another item for free.
Your customers will never forget you for the best deportment, humbleness, and generosity, possibly referring you to their family and friends.
Wrapping up
Whether you run a restaurant, bar, pub, or nightclub – your goal is to attain customer delight. And venue customer service offers you a brilliant opportunity to achieve this.
While many customers prefer takeaways, the chances of boosting your profits equally rests with those visiting your venue.
They hold the credentials to describe your venue, staff demeanor, proactiveness, professionalism, and other vital qualities that could turn you into a preferred venue for many more prospects.
