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Complaint handling

Working in the catering and foodservice industry, you are bound to experience complaints and angry customers. However, following these tips may help you deal with customers complaints and stay calm in these situations.

Be patient. Losing your temper will get you nowhere. The customer at the end of the day pays the bills and provides your income. Right or wrong, they have the right to be listened to.
Be courteous. Regardless of how the customer acts, behaving in a courteous manner is essential. This can be very difficult, especially if the customer becomes abusive and ignorant. However, remember, there are most likely going to be other customers watching what your actions and what you say. Leave a good impression on those customers and be sure that they only have good things to say and that no blame can be made to what you have said or done.
Listen attentively. In a lot of situations, the customer making the complaint will be satisfied, knowing that you are actively listening and taking an interest in what they have to say. Give them your full attention. Do not look away, don’t look bored, and don’t act like you have somewhere else “important” to be.
Don’t contradict. A customer with a complaint will not always have a valid complaint. Contradicting the customer or displaced aggression can more often than not make matters much worse, and escalate the situation. Never expect unreasonable people to act reasonably.
Apologize and empathy. Apologizing and empathizing with the customer on the company’s behalf can greatly reduce any emotional energy from the customer may have built up. Perceived remorse and kind words may also help the situation and calm things down.
Give up. You may encounter a customer who is just not a nice person and no matter what you say or do, they will not be happy. Some people aren’t happy and have no intention of resolving the situation and being happy; with these customers, the best thing you can do is ask them kindly to leave. Don’t worry about them giving you a bad name because their friends are probably like them and you don’t want more trouble.

RM and AM can authorise discounts to resolve complaint but only if it's absolutely necessary. All discounts or refunds detail must be recorded by filling the incident/complaint form. Also, note down the total discounted value on the back of the bill.

Social media managers handle online complaints and negative reviews. Managers must respond to complain tickets the same day, or before 1 pm the next day.

Bill dispute resolution and procedure

The customer has the right to pay what he thinks is worth for the meal be he MUST show that he has the money ( or a valid credit card with enough balance to pay for the meal) before he starts eating. If not, He can be charged with intending to avoid payment for his meal.
If a compromise ( ie a discounted value) is not reached we have to get an ID ( preferable with photo) of the customer. And the full name and Address and telephone number before he can leave the restaurant. If he does not comply then we can call the police.
Using the Bill dispute form to record customers detail and keep with the incident book.

Accident and incident recording

The accident book is located behind the cashier.

Every incident must be written down, no matter how minor or major.

The procedure for recording/reporting an incident:

Check if the person is ok, whether emergency services needs to be called out.
Check if the incident was the restaurant’s fault or not. i.e. water on the floor.
Sit down with the victim and ask questions.
Fill in the incident report sheet at the same time.
Make sure to ask for as much detail as possible when describing the incident and also ask for personal details such as name, contact, address etc.
Inform your senior staff
At the end of the report, the victim and the staff in charge will both have to sign the incident report.

In the event of a slip or fall, we must ensure that we safeguard ourselves against potential claims. Please ensure the following is carried out:

All accidents/incidents must be logged in the Accident Book and a record kept of what measures are put in place to prevent them from happening again.
All accident/incident reports must be forwarded to Michelle immediately so that we can forward onto our insurers
Collect written statements from all individuals involved in the incident & from witnesses stating clearly there was no food or spillages on the floor (if this was the case). We should also state this on the accident report too and get the customer who slipped to sign. If they are refusing to sign it then we can ask another customer to be a witness that the floor is clear.
Take pictures of the area where the accident/incident occurred as proof which can be used in our defence of any claim. Please also forward these to Michelle.

Incident recording form

Delivery handling

Generally, the delivery will come between 12 to 7pm.
The staff responsible for delivery handling should check that our order sheet matches the delivery note before checking the items delivered.
Any differences on delivered items; wrong items/extra items/shortfall of items/not acceptable items, must be reported to the supervisor/AM/GM straight away! Any over delivered items must be returned to the driver. Always make note of what is under or over delivered on the delivery note before signing.
After checking thoroughly, the delivery MUST be countersign by 1 member of BOH and 1 FOH supervisor or manager. The delivery notes and paperwork should be filed, ready for collection by HQ.
Take a picture of unacceptable items. ie poor quality, wrong brand etc..
Delivery should then put in the correct place, i.e. kitchen, storage room etc.
To complete the delivery process, a senior member of staff should then enter the stock into the system via https://admin.buffet88.com.

Basic medical knowledge

Basic first aid refers to the initial process of assessing and addressing the needs of someone who has been injured or has been in an accident. E.g. heart attack, allergic reaction etc. Basic first aid allows you to swiftly determine a person’s physical condition and the correct course of treatment to take. Following the correct first aid procedures can mean the difference between life and death, but you should always seek professional medical help as soon as you are able to.

The 3 C’s of basic first aid

Check your surroundings. Do not approach a situation where it may put yourself at risk or in danger. Make sure that there is nothing that may threaten you or the victim before helping, i.e. fire, toxic smoke, electrical wires etc. If approaching a victim will endanger your own life, seek professional medical help immediately and do not try to perform first aid yourself.
Call for help. Call authorities or emergency services immediately on 999 (the UK only), if you believe someone is seriously injured or in a life-threatening situation. If you are the only person on the scene, try to establish breathing in the patient before calling for help. Do not leave the victim alone for an extensive amount of time.
Care for the person. Caring for the victim involves physical and emotional support. Remember to stay calm at all times and try to reassure; let the person know that help is on its way and that everything will be alright.

Caring for a person

Determine responsiveness. If the victim is unconscious, try to wake them by tickling their bare hands, feet or try speaking to them in a loud, clear voice. If they do not respond to touch, sound or any other stimulation, check for breathing.
Check for breathing and pulse. If determined as unconscious and unable to be roused, check for breathing: look for a rise in the chest area; listen for the sound of air coming in and out through the mouth or nose; feel for air using the side of your face. If no signs of breathing are apparent, check for a pulse. The 2 general pulse areas are the inside of the wrist and the hollow area in between the windpipe and the large muscle in the neck. Use 2 fingers (your index finger and middle finger), to check for a pulse by pressing lightly on the area.
If the person remains unresponsive, prepare for CPR.

CPR for adults

Assess the victim’s consciousness. Gently tap his/her shoulder and ask “Are you OK?” in a loud, clear voice. If he or she responds CPR is not required. Instead, undertake basic first aid and take measures to prevent or treat shock, and assess whether you need to contact emergency services.
If he or she responds, CPR is not required. Follow the steps given for basic first aid. If the person remains unresponsive, continue with the following steps.
Call emergency medical service (999 in the UK). Give the dispatcher your location, and notify him/her that you are going to perform CPR. If you are alone, get off the phone and start compressions after that. If you have someone else with you, have him/her stay on the line while you perform CPR on the victim.
Carefully roll them onto their back. By doing this, this opens up their airway for easier breathing. If the person begins to vomit, move them over to their side to help prevent choking.
Keep their head aligned.
Carefully roll them onto their back while supporting their head.
Open their airway by lifting the chin.
Check for breathing. If the victim is breathing, then DO NOT perform CPR. Doing so could cause the heart to stop beating.
If the victim is not breathing then begin chest compressions. Place one of your hands on the victim’s breastbone, exactly between the nipples. And then place your second hand on top of your first hand, palm-down. Position your body directly over your hands so that your arms are straight and rigid.
Perform 30 chest compressions. Press down with both hands directly over the breastbone to perform a compression. You should:
Press down by about 2 inches (5cm).
Do the compressions in a relatively fast rhythm.
Carry on performing compressions until help arrives. You should do CPR for 5 minutes before checking for signs of life. Continue CPR until help arrives, too exhausted to perform, an automated external defibrillator AED is available, until someone takes over for you, or signs of life return.

Online ordering

Weekly process.
Then access the TCB admin system online. (admin.buffet88.com)
Each branch has its own login user name and password.
The cut off point for next week’s order is Thursday at 5:00pm.
Logon admin.buffet88.com to request an orders:
The request order is sent to HQ and an email will generate of the order and send to the manager

Hostile customers

In the foodservice industry, you are bound to encounter hostile or angry customers. There are a few ways to deal with these kinds of customers.

Stay calm and composed. Whenever you encounter a hostile customer, do not react back to their anger. Doing so will only anger the customer more and make the situation worse. Although the customer may be directing his or her anger directed at you, try to remember that (in most cases) the real source is elsewhere. The hostile customer may feel anger towards the company and direct their anger towards you, specifically. Remind yourself that you CAN control the situation and that you need to keep yourself and your emotions under control.
Speak in a friendly manner. Try not to speak in a monotone or angry voice. This will send a signal to the customer that you are not interested in what he or she has to say.
Use the customer’s name. Use the customer’s name if possible and introduce yourself in a calm manner when the situation is right.
Listen carefully. Listen carefully to what the customer has to say. A common mistake is that staff do not let the customer finish what he or she has to say. By paraphrasing what the customer says and showing that you are listening to them, it shows your interest and concern.

Note: Every hostile situation is different and not all solutions will work all the time. However, it’s important to realize that your words and actions can be seen by other customers and employees. Act professionally and calmly and do not react back to the hostile customer, however, insulting they may be.

Refuse payment customers

First, we need to establish whether the customer has any means of payment either by cash or card. If they have, it is a civil dispute, if they cannot, it is a criminal offence and the police can be called in to deal with the situation, however, this depends if the customers are willing to stay until the police arrives, if they insist to walk out, unless you have a SIA license, then let them be and try to write down as close descriptions of the customers as possible and brief the team and ban them from the branch.

However, if they can show they have means to pay but are refusing to pay due to any reasons, we will excise the consumer legal right clause to negotiate an acceptable payment amount between both parties. In the event that they are offering zero amount, we will have the right to obtain legal photo ID and address [ensure you take a picture of the ID within the point of sight of the customer for record] as well as recording the case in the incident procedure, and finally let the customer know that the company reserves the right to pursue this matter through the courts. If the customer cannot provide or refuse any means of photo ID, it will be within our rights to request police assistance to obtain the information request on site.

Contact the police

Emergency calls

In an emergency please telephone 999.

If you are deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, a text,phone is available on 18000.

You should use these numbers if:

A crime is happening right now.
Someone is in immediate danger, or there is a risk of serious damage to property.
A suspect in a serious crime is nearby.
There is a traffic collision involving injury or danger to other road users.

Non-emergency calls

For all other calls to the police in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland please telephone 101.

If you are deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, a text phone is available on 18001 101.

You should use these non-emergency numbers to:

Report a crime not currently in progress - for example, a stolen car, burglary, or damaged property.
Report a minor traffic collision.
Give information to the police about crime in your area.
Speak to the police about a general enquiry.
Contact a specific police officer or member of staff.

Alternative non-emergency numbers LINK

Food presentation

Food presentation rating is the monitoring of food quality from the Back of House in order to keep customers satisfied.

It is a system where SENIOR staff on duty rates the food served.

The 3 key points of food presentation rating include:

Presentation
Portion control
collaboration

Use the online form to rate the food presentation periodically, daily: 1pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, 9.30pm

Standards:

Containers:

Containers should be clean with no 'dried up food stain' in the containers

Food:

Fried food
Food in sauce
Sushi
Raw meats/seafood
Raw vegetables/ noodles
Salad
Dessert

Staff meeting minutes

Meeting minutes are notes taken during a meeting. These notes include all pertinent information that was relayed during the meeting, as well as identifying characteristics of the meeting, and may later be used as a reference. If you are responsible for taking meeting minutes, then it is important that you know what to record in order to provide a clear and accurate account of the meeting.