[eff around] Subtle engineering = incredible hospitality

Time to revisit how you serve your customers

Last weekend, my wife and I enjoyed breakfast at Plum Cafe in Costa Mesa.

Christine ordered a decaf coffee, which came with unlimited refills.

Throughout the dining experience, the staff did not interrupt us, but gave us what we needed.

Servers dropped off napkins and refilled Christine’s coffee at least three times.

They didn’t interrupt us, but we actually interrupted them lol!

The first time, I stopped the server before she poured the coffee, and said: “Wait, my wife wanted decaf and not regular coffee.”

Server: “Yep, it is!”

Me: “Awesome! Thank you! Sorry; just making sure!”

The next time I stopped the server, who was different this time, I had changed my tone.

Me: “Hey - usually servers ask whether we had regular or decaf, or whether we had diet or regular, or what kind of soda.

HOW DID ALL OF YOU KNOW to give us decaf, without having to ask?”

Server: “Oh! It’s because we put a napkin under your coffee.

That tells the entire staff you need decaf.”

Brill.

I was so delighted, that I had to share this experience with you.

Are there subtle, unnoticeable queues that you can incorporate and train - where:

• Customers get what they need;
• Customers aren’t interrupted;
• The entire service experience doesn’t only rest (and bottleneck) on one or two people;
• There is little-to-no friction on communication
• Your staff can be more present and productive?

Here’s to turning the gears and brainstorming how to better your company through serving customers better.

Any examples? I wanna hear about it!