Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Phone Communication and Etiquette



I have worked in two different restaurants, one a pizza buffet with a carry out option and the other a family oriented restaurant with a To-Go option. In both restaurants, phones are constantly ringing. I have some tips/suggestions for customers on phone etiquette.

  • Restaurants aren't always the most quiet places, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Please, please, please enunciate when you are speaking to make it easier on both ends.
  • Please be patient with the person on the other end of the phone. If you get frustrated, then they will get frustrated. As an employee I can honestly say that restaurant personnel (at least most - I will be completely honest in this blog) want to provide the best service they can for the customer. If you are getting angry with the personnel on the other end of the phone it makes it very difficult to be accommodating.
  • If you have an issue, it is not a problem to ask to speak to a manager and have the problem solved, but please ask for the manager up front. More often than not, the person answering the phone is not a manager. If you immediately start explaining a problem you have as soon as you hear "hello," and then just wait for the person to have something to say about your problem, you have just wasted your times and the employee's time as well. You will just have to explain the problem again to a manager.
  • If you are calling in an order on a night that you know is going to be busy in a restaurant, please be patient, expect to be on hold for a bit. Someone will be with you as soon as possible, you are not simply being ignored if your order is not taken immediately.

If you heed these suggestions, a restaurant phone call will be far less stressful for you.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Introduction



I have worked in two restaurants since I started working at age 16, and I have been a restaurant customer for as long as I can remember. I have learned the ins and outs of the business from both an employee's and a customer's perspective. I would like to share my observations, insights, and tips with the general public to potentially help make the experience of dining out more enjoyable for everyone involved. If there is anything that you would like to know, feel free to ask!