Improving Service

11:46 pm - Wed, Sep 29, 2010: 5 notes

Improving Service

I have been thinking a lot recently about service, sparked by blogs I have read but also when I started comparing the service I provide as a barista to the service found dining in some great restaurants.

Many baristas in our industry are guilty of providing some down right terrible service at times bought about by what I would best describe as snobbery. While it is a great thing to have product knowledge, this should not always get in the way of us providing what the customer wants.

Obviously I have my limits. I am not going to take a coffee that has been so carefully brought to my bar from passionate farmers and roasters just to cover it in whipped cream and stick a flake in it.Will I make someone a latte hotter than usual by request? Yes. I know a few baristas that would not, I know many others that would but only after feeling the need to explain to the customer why he/she shouldn’t have it they way they want. In the eyes of our customer we are telling them they are wrong. While some may be interested in learning how a few degrees could improve their coffee, many just want their coffee the way they like it.

Education must be carried out in a very careful way. Don’t get me wrong here…I am all for educating customers on coffee quality.

I visited a restaurant recently that I found quite an eye opener. The service was the best I have ever had. Our waiter exceeded anything I had experienced in the past.

Able to answer every question we asked without hesitation
Extensive knowledge of the menu down to the type of cattle and origin.
Able to provide a different wine for each course (starters, mains, desserts & cheese) which complimented each dish beautifully.
When I left the table I would come back to my napkin folded neatly.
A bottle of wine was ordered for the main course, the cork was presented on a small plate awaiting our approval. Wine also decanted while we were working through our starters wine.

The food was also outstanding, but for blogs sake I will try not to divert.

That waiter made me question the way I conduct myself. While we may be part of the coffee industry we must also remember we are equally (if not more so) in hospitality. Some of our best made coffees will go to waste if not enjoyed as a whole experience in both quality of product and service.

I don’t feel I’ve really said exactly what I set out to say. Your comments would be very interesting to hear…