Customer Service Fails: Are You Taking a Bite Out of Your Business?

The other day I was at a local neighborhood vegetarian cafe. It is owned and operated by my former caterer. His food has always been great, but customer service sometimes questionable.

Key Takeaways

✓As the business owner, you set the tone for every customer interaction, and when you treat yourself like a guest instead of the lead, your staff will follow your example.

✓A customer service failure happens when the owner is too distracted by a vendor to acknowledge waiting customers, fails to apologize, and then returns to the vendor instead of handling the situation directly.

✓Great product alone cannot overcome poor customer service; when the owner models inattentive behavior, it drives away even loyal customers who appreciate the quality.

✓The business owner’s attitude toward customers shapes the entire team’s approach, and like attracts like in both service excellence and service failure.

Are You Taking a Bite Out of Your Business?

For example, there was the last party he catered for me, food was divine, mouth watering bite-size appetizers including such delicious morsels as brie with apricot preserves in fluted pastry shells, mini chicken kebobs, and sliced pear on brioche with blue cheese.

When I looked around at the halfway point to locate Chip since we had a couple of empty platters, I couldn’t find him in the kitchen or dining room.  I did notice and removed a large pile of his business cards from the table (I had not been asked and didn’t think it was appropriate.) Imagine my surprise when I noticed him comfortably sitting in the living room talking with one of my guests, and acting a lot like a guest!

He must have been confused about what customer service means and decided that he was done for the night and could himself act like a customer and be served.

Well, he got out of the catering business, and moved instead to private dinner parties and the cafe.  I’ve been in a time or two for take out. I figure with that, I don’t need service, just good food. I noticed Chip seated with a vendor, not a guest, very focused on whatever the vendor was selling him. There was no one at the counter. I pulled seven containers from the deli case for take out and in the mean time another customer came up to the counter.

She was standing there and no one was paying any attention. I leaned in and asked if she’d been helped, knowing she had not. She said, “no.” I stepped over and tapped Chip on the shoulder and motioned that we both were waiting. He looked startled, got up and yelled to his folks in the back to come out. I was stunned. He then promptly turned and went to rejoin his vendor. REALLY?

I couldn’t believe that he didn’t take care of us directly and apologize. I then remembered the party. He doesn’t realize that the business owner is the lead in the business and sets the tone for all interactions. He somehow mistakenly believes he is a guest in his own business. In the process he is taking a big bite out of his business. Unfortunately since like attracts like, his service staff are not particularly gracious, friendly, or worth returning for.

Despite the great gluten free, dairy free, soy free shakes he produces and vegetarian cuisine, I’ll be hard pressed to spend anymore money with him, I can’t support his attitude. In fact, I’ve actually been stewing over this for a couple of days because it is such an incredible lesson in HOW NOT TO TREAT CUSTOMERS AND CLIENTS.

FAQ’S

What does it mean when a business owner acts like a guest in their own business?

When a business owner acts like a guest, they sit comfortably talking with their own guests or vendors instead of leading customer interactions and managing service. The owner fails to recognize that they set the tone for all interactions and should be the lead in the business. This confusion about their role results in poor customer service and staff who mirror the same inattentive behavior.

Why does a business owner’s customer service attitude matter more than the product quality?

The business owner sets the tone for all customer interactions, and their attitude shapes how the entire staff treats customers. When an owner ignores waiting customers, fails to apologize for service failures, and prioritizes vendor conversations over customer needs, even excellent products cannot overcome the poor experience. Like attracts like, so an owner’s inattentive behavior creates a service staff that is not gracious, friendly, or worth returning for.

What should a business owner do when customers are waiting and no one is helping them?

The business owner should immediately stop what they are doing, personally attend to the waiting customers, and apologize for the delay. Instead of delegating by yelling to staff in the back or returning to a vendor conversation, the owner should handle the situation directly to demonstrate that customer service is the priority. This direct response sets the standard for how the entire team should treat customers.

I’D LOVE YOUR THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES ON CUSTOMER SERVICE IN COMMENTS BELOW!

About Melissa Galt

Melissa Galt is a sought-after business coach, marketing consultant, keynote speaker and workshop leader who empowers designers to build highly profitable businesses, without the burnout. With over three decades as the principal of her namesake successful residential design firm, Melissa brings firsthand experience and proven strategies to guide creative professionals earn more in less time, with less stress.

She is the author of four transformative bestselling books, Marketing Luxury Design: Attracting Affluent Clients; The Language of Success: 35 Words to Boost Your Worth & Wealth; Design Discovery: The Proven Process to Land Ideal Clients & Grow Profit, and Proximity to Profits: 50 Strategic Locations to Meet Affluent Clients.

She is also the host of the weekly Design Business Freedom™ podcast, where she shares unfiltered advice on mindset, money, and marketing for interior design pros ready to elevate their game. When you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, book a complimentary Design Business Assessment with Melissa.

Melissa draws inspiration from her legacy of iconic creatives including her mother, the late Academy Award-winning actress Anne Baxter; her godmother, the legendary eight-time Oscar-winning costume designer Edith Head; and her great-grandfather, American architectural icon Frank Lloyd Wright.