Unit 11. Dealing with Complaints

It is clear that the purpose of a restaurant is to encourage customers to enter, enjoy their meal and spend their money. However, some difficulties may arise. If the restaurant staff listen to a guest politely, check the problem and then offer a refund with an apology if needed, the customer will remain loyal and will come back. Sometimes there are complicated problems, such as a complaint about staff rudeness. In this case a manager is usually called in. If the matter cannot be solved, because the customer refuses to listen or to accept the offered solution, it is referred to someone higher up.

1. Pre-reading 1.1. Which actions from the list below you consider correct and which would be incorrect in the case of a customer’s complaint?

1. Apologize to the customer.

2. Be polite and calm.

3. Listen carefully to the customer.

4. Ask questions to find out more about the problem if necessary.

5. Tell the customer that he or she is wrong.

6. Explain the restaurant’s problems in detail.

7. Talk more loudly than the customer.

8. Take prompt action.

9. Suggest that the customer is complaining about something that is not

important.

10. Call a senior member of staff (e.g. Head Waiter) if you feel that you cannot deal with the problem.

11. Tell the customer what you are going to do.

12. Maintain the customer’s confidence in the restaurant.

13. Say nothing and continue serving.

14. Thank the customer for bringing the matter to your attention.

Pre-reading 1.2. A. Make a list of things which customers may complain about:

The food: e.g. cold

The service: e.g. slow

Equipment: e.g. dirty cutlery

The environment: e.g. too hot in the dining room; or smell from the kit-

chen

Accident: e.g. wine or sauce spilt on guest’s clothes

B. Then make a list of problems which customers may create for restaurant staff:

For example: Guests are drinking too much and disturbing other customers.

Pre-reading 1.3. Think about an action the restaurant staff should take if:

- The food or drink is split on guest’s clothing.

- A guests feels unwell.

- The wrong dish is served.

- The food was not served as ordered by the customer.

- The wine was bad.

- The waiter forgot to serve a dish.

2. Reading. Read the dialogues in which customers are complaining about their problems. Make a note of each problem:

1.

C. What do you mean, you’re full and there’s no table in my

name?

I phoned this afternoon and made a reservation.

H.W. I’m very sorry, Madam. There must be some mistake. But we

have a pleasant table in the Blue Room.

C. Well, I suppose we’ll have to manage with that, but I must tell

you I’m disappointed with you service.

H.W. I understand how you feel, Madam, but we will make every

effort to make your evening here a pleasant one.

2.

C. Waitress! I’m not happy with the steak.

W. I’m very sorry, Sir. What’s the problem?

C. I ordered it well done, but it’s completely rare.

W. Yes, Sir. There must be some mistake. I’ll change it for you

immediately.

3.

C. Head Waiter, I want to have a word with you.

H.W. Yes, Sir. Is there something wrong, Sir?

C. Yes, there certainly is. We arrived twenty minutes ago and we

still haven’t seen the menu. The service here is appalling.

H.W. I’m terribly sorry about that,Sir. There must be some mistake.

I’ll send you a waiter immediately, and we’ll make sure you

enjoy your meal.

4.

C. Look! You’ve spilt soup all over my dress!

W. I’m terribly sorry, Madam. I’ll bring some water and a

napkin...

C. No, you’ll only make it worse. I want to speak to the

Manager.

W. Very good, Madam.

M. I do apologize for this unfortunate accident, Madam. We’ll be

happy to pay your cleaning bill, of course, if you’d like to

have your dress cleaned.

C. Oh, you will? In that case…

5.

C. Waitress! Look here, that’s chicken. I ordered fish, the

Rain-bow Trout Normandy.

W. Of course, you did, Sir. I’m so sorry. I’ll bring you your dish

immediately, Sir.

6.

C. Waiter! This wine’s got a most peculiar flavour.

W. Yes, Sir. I’ll take it back. Perhaps you’d like to choose

another wine instead, Sir.

3. Exercise 3.1. Complete the following sentences:

1. I’m … there isn’t a table free till 10 pm.

2. I’m sorry that this unfortunate … should have arisen.

3. We shall make every … to make your evening a pleasant one.

4. We do … for this inconvenience.

5. I’m sorry, Sir. I’ll bring you another bottle ….

Exercise 3.2. Study the useful phrases of dealing with complaints and discuss the situations they could be used:

Is anything wrong, Madam?

Excuse me, but could you tell me what the trouble is, Sir?

I’m afraid we don’t have any just now.

I’m afraid that is not possible, Madam.

That’s rather difficult I’m afraid, Sir.

We’re rather full this evening I’m afraid.

I’m extremely sorry to hear that.

I’m very sorry, Sir, but we are obliged to observe the regulations.

I’m so sorry, Madam, there must be some mistake.

I do hope you will accept our apologies.

I do apologize for this unfortunate incident.

I’m sure you understand.

We’ll attend to it right away.

We will certainly see what we can do about it, Sir.

I’ll see that it’s changed right away, Madam.

I’ll have it seen to immediately.

to attend to - заняться чем-то

Exercise 3.3. If you were the head waiter or the manager of a restaurant what would you say in the following situations:

1. A party of guests want a table but the restaurant is full.

2. A guest complains that the bill is not correct.

3. A waiter has spilt some red wine on a gentleman’s suit.

4. A guest wants roast turkey but there isn’t any left.

5. A guest complains that the white wine is not chilled enough.

Exercise 3.4. What should you say in every case? Match numbers with the letters:

1. ask what the problem is a) Please, accept my apologies.

2. apologize b) I do apologize, Sir.

3. explain the reason for c) I’ll ask the manager to come.

the problem d) What is the problem?

4. offer a solution or e) There aren’t any more tables

compensation available.

f) I’ll ask the chef to heat it up for you

g) I’m afraid we’re very busy this

evening.

h) Could we offer you a coffee on

the house?

i) I’m very sorry, Sir.

j) We’ll pay for it to be cleaned.

Exercise 3.5. Read out another complaint and answer the questions:

W. I’m very sorry, Sir.

G. Look what you’ve done! My new suit is covered in cheese sauce!

W. I do apologize, Sir. Let me try to clean it for you.

G. No. This is a very expensive suit. I want to see the manager.

W. Certainly, Sir. I’ll ask her to come as soon as possible.

H.W. Good evening, Sir. My name’s Susan Davies. I’m the Head

Waiter.

What’s the problem?

G. The problem is your waiter has spilt the sauce all over me!

Look at my suit. It’s covered in cheese sauce.

H.W. Please, accept my apologies.

G. But what about my suit?

H.W. We’ll pay for it to be cleaned, of course, but could I try to clean it

for you with water first? Could we offer you a coffer while you

are waiting? It’s on the house.

G. All right, then. I’ll have a large cappuccino with chocolate on top

and a biscuit.

- Why does the guest want to see the manager?

- What solution does the Head Waiter offer?

- Who pays for the coffee?

Complete the sentences:

1. I do …, Sir.

2. Let me … it for you.

3. I want to … the manager.

4. Certainly, Sir. I’ll ask her to come ….

5. I’m the Head Waiter. What …?

6. Please, accept ….

7. We’ll pay for it …, of course.

8. Could I … it for you with water first?

9. Could we … a coffee while you wait?

10. It’s on ….

Exercise 3.6. Complete the complaints with the words in the box:

a) missing d) dirty g) rude j) draughty

b) busy e) cracked h) slow

c) blunt f) noisy i) broken

1. I’m sorry about the service this evening but we’ve very ….

2. Could you close the window, please? It’s a bit … here.

3. I can’t cut my steak with this knife. It’s ….

4. They haven’t cleaned this place for years. It’s so ….

5. The service in this restaurant is …. We ordered an hour ago.

6. Be careful! The glass is … and there are pieces everywhere.

7. Waiter, could you change my cup? It’s … and I nearly cut my lip.

8. How can I eat my soup? My soup spoon is ….

9. This restaurant is very …. The music is too loud.

10.The waiter’s so …. He’s not polite at all.

Exercise 3.7. Choose the appropriate word:

1. Is everything to your …?

a) pleasure b) satisfaction c) taste

2. This cake is not … enough.

a) salty b) underdone c) sweet

3. I’m … there aren’t any more tables available.

a) apologize b) terribly c) afraid

4. It’s a bit cold here. Could we have another table? It’s too … here.

a) noisy b) draughty c) dirty

5. This couscous is too … for me.

a) spicy b) sparkling c) medium-done

6. Sorry to keep you waiting. We’ve very busy this evening and we are

….

a) missing b) short-staffed c) rude

Exercise 3.8. Match the complaints with the waiter’s answers:

1. This napkin is dirty. a) Certainly, Sir. I’ll ask him to come

2. The service is very slow. as soon as possible.

3. This soup is cold. b) I’ll see to it personally that you’re

4. It’s very draughty in here. served as soon as possible.

5. This wine is corked. c) We’ll pay for it to be cleaned.

6. I want to speak to the manager. d) I’ll ask the chef to put it back on 7. There’s a soup stain on my dress. the grill.

8. This steak is too rare. e)I’ll ask the chef to heat it up for you.

f) I’ll bring you another bottle

straightaway.

g) I’ll close the window for you.

h) I’ll bring you a clean one

immediately.

Exercise 3.9. Answer the following questions:

1. What are the main rules for a waiter to deal with complaints?

2. What phrases can help to calm down the guest and normalize

the atmosphere?

3. Use the situations in exercise 3.3, make up and perform the dialogues between the waiter and the guest.

VOCABULARY

arise (v) if a problem or a difficult situation arises, it begins

to happen

attend to (v) to deal with business or personal matters, e.g. I may be

late, I have got one or two things to attend to.

flavour the particular taste of a food or drink

peculiar strange, unfamiliar and a little surprising

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