Sometimes things go wrong – really wrong. But how you handle it is really what people remember.
Four simple suggestions to right a wrong with customers:
- Take responsibility
- Take immediate action
- Show the concern and care for the business
- Give confidence
The experience I had recently at Mosaic Bar & Grille in the Hyatt hotel in down town Vancouver is a true testament to service. The first visit to the restaurant was not a good one. I’ll spare details but suffice to say it was disappointing. The saving grace? Her name is Jackie O’Brien (and others to be mentioned below). As the Assistant Manager of the restaurant she was told of our experience and she immediately moved into action.
Here’s what she did:
- She took full responsibility for the events and the team
- She took action. Jackie made immediate effort to make us feel like she cared (paid for our meal and gave us a dessert to take with us (yes, that would be the three-tiered chocolate cake that I’ve raved about on Facebook). She also asked a lot of questions which made me feel like she really wanted to understand what went wrong so she could ensure it wouldn’t happen again
- Offered us another dining experience at our convenience to show us how much they care and want every experience to be exemplary of the amazing team they have
- Walked us out with apologies and not once did she ever lay blame, or make excuses which gave me more confidence in her and her team’s ability
That was the bad night. Here comes the good night:
- We were greeted by the same server, Carleigh who was gracious with just the right mix of humour and service all rolled into one
- We were then approached by one of the Chefs who very nicely suggested we not pick from the menu but allow them the opportunity to surprise us. Before he left our table he said, “ok, let’s do this right this time!” flashing a big grin. (menu will be shared at the end)
- With each course there was a full explanation, and it never hurts to have non-stop wine refills (not gonna lie, I may have had a wee bit too much)
- After the sixth course – yes, 6! – Chef Michael Chan came out to confirm that everything went well and to once again apologize that our first experience was not their standard operating procedure. We had a great chat and we confirmed that their efforts had paid off and did instill confidence for us to return in future.
The big take-away is that things happen: Bad days, bad nights, full moons, crabby customers and what-have-you. What you do in that moment is what matters. We had a great experience at Mosaic and I will go back, and strongly suggest it!
A big thank you to the team that night: Carleigh, Chef Michael, Chef Chris, Chef Tyson, and I’m sure many more who created a fabulous meal. Also a special thank you to Asst. Manager Jackie O’Brien for great leadership and a GREAT reminder that should things go wrong with a customer follow four easy steps: take Responsibility, take Action, Show you care, and give Confidence so they will return.
Our Menu
First Course: Sea urchin cappuccino, coconut panacotta, seared scallop and northern divine caviar
Second Course: Seasonal spring greens with house-made sheep milk ricotta and a citrus mustard dressing
Third Course: Octopus carpaccio with olive tapenade and stinging nettle puree
Fourth Course: Grilled galbi marinated port with pickled radish, snow peas, crispy lotus root
Fifth Course: Beef tenderloin with truffle pomme puree, ramps, morel mushrooms, fiddleheads and a port wine demi
Sixth Course: House-made ricotta cheesecake dipped in chocolate with caramelized bananas
Then to top it all off we were sent home with the chocolate cake. ….again!
Thanks guys!
