A customer notices a hair in the salad he made at the self-service salad bar. All kitchen staff are required to wear hairnets.
What would you do?
Politely suggest the hair might be from the customer, given the strict hairnet policy
Share that you wish you could require hairnets for customers who visit the salad bar
Ask the customer if he’d like a fresh salad made in the kitchen
? ?Offer to make the customer a new salad at the salad bar
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is:
Ask the customer if he’d like a fresh salad made in the kitchen.
Explanation:
When dealing with customer complaints in a food service setting, it’s important to approach the situation with professionalism, empathy, and a focus on customer satisfaction. In this case, a customer finds a hair in their salad, despite the kitchen staff following the strict hairnet policy. It’s essential to avoid blaming the customer or suggesting that the hair came from them. Instead, you should be polite, apologetic, and proactive in offering a solution.
Offering to make the customer a fresh salad in the kitchen is a practical and thoughtful response. By doing so, you’re addressing the issue directly, ensuring that the customer’s meal is prepared with the utmost care, and allowing the kitchen staff to prepare the salad in a controlled environment, minimizing the risk of contamination. This shows that you’re taking responsibility for the situation and are committed to providing the customer with the highest level of service.
Politely suggesting that the hair might have come from the customer or making a comment about requiring hairnets for customers would not be appropriate. It could make the customer feel uncomfortable or defensive, which could escalate the situation instead of resolving it.
By offering a fresh salad made in the kitchen, you’re demonstrating excellent customer service by focusing on solving the issue while maintaining professionalism. Additionally, it’s important to reassure the customer that the hairnet policy for kitchen staff is strictly followed, which shows that food safety is a priority for your establishment.
Ultimately, this response ensures the customer feels heard, valued, and confident in the hygiene practices of the establishment. It turns a negative experience into a positive one, potentially increasing the likelihood of the customer returning.