Canberra-ites – are YOU interested in opening a cafe? Try this quick quiz to see whether or not your customer service skills meet the high quality we’ve come to expect in our fine capital.
Here is a hypothetical scenario. Read it carefully and then answer the questions below.
- Imagine that it is a typical cloudy, cold winter’s day in Canberra. But there is a break in the clouds and the sun is shining. A customer comes into your southside café in an organicy kind of shopping village, orders a coffee and advises you that he will sit outside on the sunny balcony that you mention on your blackboard. Much time later, say, half an hour, a shopkeeper from a neighbouring organic greengrocers comes in and advises you that he has had a phone call from the customer who is locked outside on the balcony and can’t call you, because your phone number is incorrectly listed with directory assistance, and could you please let them in.
Q1. When the customer came to the counter to order their coffee should you have:
- A. Taken their money and forgotten about them.
B. Prepared a lovely cup of fair trade, organic coffee and served it to them promptly.
Q2. When the customer advised you that your door is locked from the outside should you have:
- A. Said: ‘Oh, well we didn’t expect anyone to go outside today‘.
B. Apologised profusely and assure the customer that you will ensure that from now on the door unlocks from the outside.
Q3. If you answered A, and the customer then says ‘I told you I was going outside, and anyway, whether you EXPECT people to go outside or not, if you have a sign saying there is a sunny balcony, and it’s sunny, you can be sure someone will go outside so how’s about you make sure people can get back in once they’ve gone out‘ do you:
- A: Say ‘Well, did you leave the door OPEN when you went out?‘.
B: Apologise profusely and assure the customer that you will ensure that from now on the door unlocks from the outside.
Q4. If you answered A, and the customer then says ‘The door was closed, so I closed it behind me when I went out‘ do you:
- A: Say: ‘Well it falls closed sometimes?‘
B: Apologise profusely and assure the customer that you will ensure that from now on the door unlocks from the outside, or failing that, ensure the door doesn’t fall closed.
Q5. When the customer advises you that he had to call a neighbouring shop because your phone number is incorrectly listed with Directory Assistance do you:
- A: Say ‘Yeah, they misprinted it‘.
B: Apologise profusely and undertake to phone Directory Assistance and ask them to change their electronic listing NOW.
Q6. When the customer becomes frustrated by your unwillingness to address any of the deficiencies they have just notified you of and asks for their $3.30 back and says they won’t return to your café do you:
- A: Grumble to the other customers and staff that some people are never satisfied.
B: Apologise profusely and give the customer a free cup of coffee and a voucher for a free lunch next time.
If you answered A to any of the above: You have failed the test and will need to re-sit your Customer Service 101 class.
If you answered B to all of the above: Congratulations, your business is bound to be a success.
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