This blog is especially catered to those in the service industry to gain insight on making their life as a server more sustainable. It’s tough being expected to please everyone all the time and making a living at it. It’s one of the most challenging sales jobs out there. Whereas in a typical sales position, one must get used to getting a lot of ‘No’s’. It’s easy to let go of a difficult customer. There’s no way I’m going to try and try and try to sell to someone who shows early stages of not buying. However, in this industry, whether we like the guest or not, they are our customer for the next 30-40 minutes.
That authorizes them to treat us as a servant rather than a server. Their personal lackey at their beckoned call. It’s really discouraging in many aspects to have difficult customers that I wish I could just excuse. I’ve gotten myself written up and even fired due to these customers. The world owes them, hence I owe them. Here’s a challenge for you; let it go! If there is anything I ever say to anyone all the time is let it go. Let it go. Let it fucking go and just laugh it off. Here is why this will serve you...
You are in a rush and you are valuable. Valuable to the store and valuable to your guests. If you’re letting the anger take over, you’ve lost control. Which means you’re still in a rush only you’ve lost your value. What’s the result? Letting people get the best of you because they choose to be difficult allows them to own you. Do you ever think of making people upset? How do you feel when you deliberately upset someone or drive them up the wall. You love it! Hell, I’m guilty of it too. We as humans love to push peoples buttons and get a sick sense of satisfaction when we piss someone off. I OWN the person that I’ve upset merely because they are pissed off and I know their hot button.
Now turn the tables. You’re upset. This person pissed you off. You want to spit in their food and fart next to their booth. That person OWNS you! They’ve literally found that button on you that says “Do Not Touch” and they deliberately push it; over and over and over again. Think about what it does for you, for them, for your teammates, your other tables and the restaurant as a whole. It brings your vibration down and sends a ripple effect through the place while this person is getting a jolly off making you their bitch. It’s happened to me and I know it’s happened to you. What comes after that? I don’t have to go into it, but it stinks.
The simplest way to manage yourself in this case is to let it go. These people are easy to spot. I can feel them sucking the life out of me during the initial greet. Telltale signs: little to no eye contact, delayed response, lack of interaction and/or orders drink (and even food) immediately. The thing with these types is they do attempt to bring you down. Is it laughable? Of course it is! Who really expects to get great service when they have nothing to offer you? Not even what amount of money they may give you in the end is worth having to put up with it.
The solution: Breathe. Hold your tongue and strongly anticipate their needs. Keep their drinks full or even bring them two. Check the quality of their food before it goes out and every stupid little sauce they can ever want is available in a second. Have their bill ready to get them the hell out of there before they create a stir of negative energy among your other tables and turn them against you. That's a synergistic connection that I’ll talk about another time. Keep them up and that keeps them off your back; free to spend quality time with the other tables that deserve your valued service, kindness and friendship. It also allows you to block off that negative synergy being broadcast by this bad apple. Play it cool and unruffled. You’ll have your head in the game, more money in your pockets, and best of all, you will own them.
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