What is Service?
- Service is intangible and difficult to measure
- No transfer of ownership to the customer
- Difficult to demonstrate and cannot be stored
- Cannot be resold or stolen
- Usually requires direct contact between seller and customer
- Customer feedback is often immediate
- Every service situation is unique
- Services are concrete actions or series of actions
Why is every service situation unique?
Customer Encounter
- Customer arrival phase: Create positive first impression
- Sales phase: Identify customer needs and solve problems
- Service consumption phase: Aim for customer satisfaction
- Conclusion phase: Confirm satisfaction and handle payment
First impressions are crucial - use positive body language, tone, and quick greeting.
Why is the customer encounter phase so important?
Customer Types
- Direct customer: Direct interaction with business
- Indirect customer: Uses product/service without direct contact
- External customer: From outside the company
- Internal customer: Colleagues, supervisors, subordinates
Customers can be anyone - no discrimination based on gender, age, origin, religion, etc.
Is the customer always right?
Service Professional
- Everyone in the industry is a service professional
- Requires internal desire to serve others
- Identifies customer expectations
- Respects workplace, products, and people
Key qualities: openness, empathy, impartiality, creativity, initiative, neat appearance, good attitude, professionalism, authenticity
Why is everyone in the industry a service professional?
Product Knowledge
- Essential for servers
- Customers value reliable and skilled servers
- Builds trust and positive image
- Poor knowledge leads to customer dissatisfaction
- Enables effective recommendations and upselling
How can product knowledge be developed?
Confidentiality
- Keep customer information confidential
- Applies to personal data, orders, payment info
- Respect customer privacy
- Creates sense of security and trust
- May be legally regulated
- Also applies to workplace matters
Why might confidentiality be difficult to maintain?
Server Uniform
- Varies by restaurant concept
- Traditional: white shirt, bowtie, pants/skirt, apron
- Shirts: White long-sleeved with chest pocket
- Vests: Black with pockets, adjustable back
- Pants/Skirts: Black, functional with pockets
- Apron: With pockets for tools
- Socks: Black, long enough to cover skin
- Shoes: Black, comfortable, suitable for standing
How does server appearance affect service experience?