Customer Service Beyond the Simple Transaction

So you work in the retail or food industry?

That means you’re going to be an all around multitasker who works in a fast paced environment. Everything is routine, that is, until a customer approaches you.

Let’s put this into a fast-food scenario where you’re the cashier and a customer is about to order.

The most important moment of this interaction is how you greet this person.

Whether it’s a simple “Goodmorning, how are you?” or even a more casual “Hey! How’s it going?”, this can either start a conversation between the both of you, or they can proceed to order without answering your question if they’re in a rush. What matter is that you made the first step in attempting to create a point of connection and engage with the customer.

Bouncing off my point above, they may say it’s their first time coming to this restaurant and have no idea what to order. If you’re working at a newly opened restaurant, this is a great opportunity to walk through the menu with your new customer and hopefully, make them a regular at the end of the day. Once you help them with making a choice, or if they know what to order at this point, the so called “easy” part proceeds.

The Transaction

Don’t let this part fool you though, the transaction is probably one of the key moments to really connect with your customer and leave a lasting impression.

If it’s their first time, ask them where they’re from around the city. So they’re from out of town and heard of the restaurant through a friend? Who? Turns out, you’ve served them before while you were working. Now that you know of someone mutual to this person, what next? Invite the two of them to come again. They end with a “We’ll both come by together next time!”. And there you have it, the reassurance of knowing a customer will be back because of your effort to get to know them. Now that’s a satisfying feeling. Not only are you providing customer loyalty to the restaurant, you may have just found yourself a new “regular”.

From this example, you can see that there are many possibilities and many more consequences to an employee and customer interaction. As the person behind the counter, you can just solely do your job by cashing out a customer. Or, you can go one step further by engaging with your customer during the transaction to create a more positive and comfortable environment for them.

In return, I guarantee that no matter what mood they may be in, they wouldn’t have anything negative to say to or about you. The last thing you want is to give them a reason not to come back. For example, you greet them, engage in small talk and swiftly do the cash transaction. However, the food took too long to prepare and they waited more than “fast-food” usually takes. If they complain to you and you’ve engaged in a positive conversation beforehand, they will most likely approach you with a more constructive comment than create a heated argument. The way you handle a situation like this can also make or break whether or not they’ll return.

This leads to the point of this article. The customer service you provide is key to keeping a store/restaurant running. According to research, 70% of people say that their whole buying experience is based on how they’re treated. It seems like a lot of pressure, but with genuine and simple conversation, it’s not hard to ensure customers are satisfied.

Here are a couple steps I personally take to make sure I’m providing exceptional customer service with every customer possible:

1. Smile when you make eye contact with the customer. Even if you’re not having the brightest day, it can change the person’s mood on the receiving end from a bad day to a good day.
2. If they seem to be looking awhile at the menu/items, ask them if you can assist in any way. Start asking them questions about what they like/dislike (Ex: Do they like sweet or spicy? Do they want something light or heavy?). Simple questions like this eventually lead to an answer and make their decision way easier. This means less stress for them, and a better chance of them being satisfied.
3. Get to know your customer. If you see them wearing a work uniform, ask if they work nearby. You can encourage to come for lunch on a daily if they’re close or invite their coworkers over as well. If your customer comes with a bigger group (family or friends), ask if there’s an occasion. If their company enjoys the service and food, they’ll most likely come back on their own. If they’re from out of town, ask why they stopped by and how they heard of the company. This can give you helpful feedback of what platforms the company is successfully executing to attract customers from farther locations. This can also increase the chance of them spreading word of mouth about the company if it ends up being a positive experience.
4. Be genuine. If the lineup is long, make sure to apologize to every customer and thank them for being patient. If a customer is confused because the menu is extensive, take the time to explain any items they want to know more about. If someone has an allergy to specific foods, make sure you understand their concern and make sure the kitchen is fully aware. Follow up with an update once the kitchen gives you the go signal that everything will be okay. At the end of the day, making the customer feel comfortable, safe and happy is key to running a successful company.
5. Add to their shopping bag (if and when you can). This tip is mostly beneficial for the company you work for, but it’s also a satisfying feeling that you made a bigger sale due to your product knowledge and persuasiveness. For example, if a customer is coming into buy a burger, ask them if they want a side with that since there are many options. After, ask them if they want a drink as well to make it a combo. If you have any promotions happening in the store, make sure you remember to bring it up (Ex: Sandwiches are buy one get one for a dollar). Another helpful tip is to introduce loyalty cards/point cards to them if applicable, in which makes them inclined to come back for more of the product your company sells (Ex: Buy 10 bubble teas, get the 11th one for free).
6. Leave a lasting impression. So the transaction is over, but you don’t want it to be the last time you’ll see the customer. You have the power to encourage them to visit again and again. If it’s a sit down restaurant and you see them about to leave, ask them about the food and if they enjoyed their time eating there. It’s also helpful to hear feedback that you can relay to your manager. Wish for your customer to come back and try something new next time. Very simple, yet genuine gestures such as this can really shape the company you’re a part of.

Be respectful. Be responsive. Be genuine.

Employee and customer interactions shouldn’t just be a simple transaction. Because in reality, customers remember the service you provide a lot longer than remembering the price of a product.

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Abigail Asuncion

About the Author

Abigail Asuncion is currently a Master’s of Environmental Science graduate student at the University of Toronto. Other than trying to save the planet, she has a passion for food, fashion and fitness. She is also currently working at Halo Halo Inc and Halo Halo Food brands where she focuses on customer experience and retail operations.