Our goal is to efficiently communicate our offerings to customers within a brief 20-second interaction. We start by describing the food categories, followed by highlighting our unique features.
Please memorize the following categories in the given order:
- Smoothies and smoothie bowls
- Juice and shots
- Hot soups
- Food and salads
- Clean bakery
- Chocolates
- Snacks
While explaining, please remember to emphasize the following distinctive aspects in the specified order:
- We do not use any refined sugar or ingredients.
- We maintain organic standards at all times.
- We avoid single-use plastic.
- All our products are made in-house.
- Our juices are cold-pressed for maximum health benefits.
- Our guarantee: everything tastes delicious.
Additionally, it is essential to understand that the most crucial moments in a customer's experience occur from the moment they approach the door until they leave satisfied. When a person walks through the door, our second responsibility is to warmly greet them and ensure they feel comfortable in our space. This practice not only benefits our business but is also a display of manners and social etiquette.
While we may sometimes be focused on our tasks and working efficiently, we must remember that we cannot succeed without our customers. Therefore, it is important to make our greeting audible above the music and blender noise, ensuring that the guest hears us and feels welcomed.
Certainly! It is important to provide a polite and full explanation when answering customer questions. Simply responding with a "no" without further explanation can be perceived as impolite. Instead, we should aim to turn negative responses into positive interactions. Here are some examples:
- Bathroom availability: If a customer asks if we have a bathroom, we should apologize and then explain that the health department regulations prohibit anyone except employees from entering the kitchen area. We can say, "I'm sorry, we don't have a public bathroom available as per health department regulations. We apologize for any inconvenience."
- Milkshakes with dairy: If a customer inquires about milkshakes made with dairy, we should apologize again and then inform them that our restaurant is plant-based, using homemade almond milk instead of cow's milk. We can say, "I'm sorry, we don't offer milkshakes made with dairy. We are a plant-based restaurant, and we use homemade almond milk as a dairy alternative."
- After-hours inquiry: If someone comes to the door after hours and asks if we are open, instead of just saying "no," we should apologize and provide them with the information they need. For example, "I'm terribly sorry, but we are currently closed. We will reopen tomorrow at 7:30 AM. We apologize for any inconvenience."
Utensils:
In our business, utensils include straws, spoons, forks, knives, bags, and napkins. It is important to anticipate the customer's needs and offer them the necessary utensils without them having to ask. We can politely ask, "What utensils would you like?" or "Do you need any utensils, such as a bag, extra forks, or napkins?" This proactive approach ensures that customers have a convenient and pleasant experience.
Expressing gratitude:
Maintaining good manners, such as saying "thank you," "please," and "goodbye," is crucial in providing excellent customer service. Regardless of how busy we are or our personal disposition, it is important to consistently display gratitude and politeness. By projecting thoughtfulness, passion for our product and brand, and genuine happiness to see the guest, we create a positive experience that encourages customers to return repeatedly.
It is understandable that busy tasks, personal disposition, or shyness may sometimes affect our ability to consistently exhibit good manners. However, it is crucial to practice mindfulness and adapt our communication style to accommodate different personalities. The ideal personality we want to project is someone who is thoughtful, passionate about the product and brand, and genuinely happy to assist guests. When customers feel valued and have a positive experience combined with a great product, they are more likely to become loyal patrons.
Understanding the product thoroughly is crucial for providing excellent customer service in a retail environment. When we lack knowledge about the product, we may feel hesitant to engage with customers out of fear of not having all the answers.
In situations where you don't know the answer to a customer's question, it is important to respond politely and honestly. A suitable response could be, "I'm terribly sorry, but I don't have an accurate answer to that question. May I consult one of my coworkers to assist you?"
Over time, you will find yourself memorizing frequently asked questions and information that is commonly expected from you. For example, you may become comfortable asking customers if they have an account at GoodSugar or explaining how the glass return program works. These familiar topics will become more natural to discuss. However, discussing the product's benefits can sometimes make us feel uncomfortable.
To help you familiarize yourself with commonly asked questions and customer concerns, I recommend referring to the frequently asked questions page on our website. This page will give you valuable insights into what customers are typically thinking about, including topics like why we don't have nutritional data information available. If someone asks about nutritional data, you can respond by saying, "I'm terribly sorry, but we haven't provided nutritional data information yet since we're currently only at our first store, and it is not a requirement at this stage. It's a significant undertaking."
Similarly, if a customer asks about the calorie content of a product, you can apologize and honestly state that you don't know the answer.
Let's access the frequently asked questions page together to familiarize ourselves with the information that is readily available to customers.