We all want better service.
But when things that are out of your control happen (like a cockroach floating in your glass of water while at a restaurant), you might wonder how such a thing occurs.
Aside from the loss of your appetite, what would you do? How would you respond to the situation?
Of course, when you express your displeasure to the management (Nope, you’re not being a Karen), your intention should be to make them aware of what happened so that they can avoid it from happening to other customers in the future.
But you know what? It doesn’t have to end there. The management ought to give a response and perhaps, offer remediation.
From my experience, watching somebody else raise a complaint, here’s how the manager dealt with it:
- Acknowledged the problem and told the customer how it got to his attention.
- Asked what happened from the point of view of the customer.
- He listened with intent (open posture).
- Pointed areas for clarification, making the complainant feel heard.
- Expressed apologies and promises to make the service better.
The good thing about the complainant is that he was professional enough not to make a scandalous approach. He only intended to raise the issue for awareness and was open enough to accept the apology.
Except it happened again (a floating cockroach in another family member’s drink).
What would you feel about it? Something must be wrong with how the restaurant keeps sanitation, right?
If you’re the manager, it might not be your day to face the same complainant twice, yes?
But I find the manager empathic enough, and was it shame on his face?
So, how did he resolve the conflict, you ask?
Aside from humbly requesting the complainant not to escalate the matter by doing any public shaming against them and asking for another apology, the manager returned with a complimentary cake.
I learned this from the encounter: generosity heaps the burning coals of anger.
jessa 