Overview

Options, options, options. Our entire life seems to consist of a smorgasbord of options. After deciding we are hungry, we are confronted with what to eat. Will it be pasta, fish or perhaps a light salad? What will we drink with it? Wine? Red or white?

Sometimes customers need a little help when making decisions. Part of your role, as service staff, is to assist customers when they are presented with a tough decision. Whether it is a request to find the best harbour boat tour or the best wine accompaniment with chicken; your customers respect your advice.

Due to the precise demands of customers, there is great potential in the hospitality industry for complaints. Poorly handled customer complaints damage your reputation. Not only do the customers not return, they tell countless others of their bad experience.

Complaints can occur regardless of the effort that you put into your service and the quality of the food and drink you serve. You need to develop a thick skin, and, where possible, turn negative complaints into positive experiences.

Getting to know your customers and identifying their needs and preferences will ensure that you provide them with a personalised service to remember.

In this unit you will learn how to:

• Develop and maintain product service and market knowledge
• Provide a quality service experience to customers
• Deal with complains and difficult customers service situations
• Manage and use information about clients and customers.