• All blog posts
  • /
  • Manage expectations with these customer service tips

WMF UK Coffee Machines Blog

Manage expectations with these customer service tips

07-Jan-2020 14:26:14 by WMF Marketing Team

pexels-photo-2788792

Providing a great experience for customers should always be the number one priority for any coffee shop business, and a huge part of that experience is how a customer feels they have been treated. You could have the best tasting coffee in the world, but if customers feel ignored or undervalued, it can have a massive impact on their likelihood to return, and to the overall reputation of your business.

 

Communication is everything

Properly communicating with your customers can go a long way to making sure they have a positive experience. On a basic level this is just being friendly, polite and attentive, but it’s also important to really listen to what a customer wants and to be able to react to any questions they might have. One thing that can be really helpful when training new staff is to have a manual or handbook with all the common questions the customers may ask, and the appropriate responses. Making this a part of your staff training process can be a great way of embedding high customer service standards quickly.

When you do get a complaint from a customer, it’s important to make sure they feel that you are interested in their input, and that their feedback is valued. Rather than looking for someone to blame for the mistake, try to identify why the issue has occurred, and look for ways to improve your processes, either from a communication or a product perspective. All feedback provides a great opportunity to learn, and to better arm your staff for future issues and complaints.

 

Quality controlpexels-photo-302899

The most common complaint in a coffee shop is that the customer has been given the wrong drink, or there is a quality issue with what they have received. These types of complaints will come up from time to time whenever coffee is being handmade, just due to human error. It’s always best to have policies in place to guide staff on how to deal with these complaints quickly, but it’s definitely a good idea to record them to track any reoccurring issues. Something as simple as ensuring staff repeat an order back to the customer can really help to minimise incorrect orders.

 

Managing long queues 

Everyone wants their coffee shop to be busy, but when queues get too long you run the risk of customers having a negative experience, often already being disappointed before they have even made their order. During busy periods you should always aim to be as open as possible with customers about potential wait times and trying to communicate with them as early as possible. Also, just genuinely apologising for the wait can go a long way, and try explaining the reason to the customer wherever possible.

silhouette-of-people-in-queue-2957602

Busy times can be a real test for coffee businesses and arming your staff to deal with serving a large number of customers quickly and efficiently, without a drop in customer service levels can be tough. WMF coffee machines are a brilliant way to make sure your staff are prepared to provide customers with the best experience possible. The WMF Espresso is a classic portafilter style coffee machine, which uses cutting edge technology to automatically grind and tamp each espresso shot perfectly every time. This gives your staff the extra time they need to make sure each customer is given the attention they deserve, without impacting wait times. Download a brochure to see our full range.

 

Topics: Coffee Shop, Coffee news, Customer Service


See all blog posts

Written by WMF Marketing Team

See all blog posts

Subscribe to Email Updates

Recent Posts

Posts by Topic

see all