as i observe servers , most are perpetually in motion and working hard, however, i see tasks not directly related to “customer service” consuming a significant portion of their time. prep-time before a shift and clean-up after a shift obviously require additional server time, but it seems many servers prefer to accomplish these tasks during the serving shift time. this leads to the inevitable conflicts inherent in managing time between customer service and doing chores.

additionally, many servers have indicated to me, they prefer to work shifts using fewer servers so what tips they do generate are shared among fewer, if any, other servers. a very popular example of this is a bartender who also is assigned certain tables.

the combination of these circumstances typically leads to servers being overwhelmed and unprepared, which of course leads eventually to an overall lesser quality of service to the customers. the reason is, IMHO, there is no time built into this equation for the inevitable events that occur, or should occur.

the bartender is away from the bar customers for inordinately long periods and rounds go begging, a single server is overwhelmed with an unexpected rush and has no support to count on, new customers arrive to sit among tables uncleaned and dirty from previous customers who have long ago gone, etc, etc. if these are familiar and reqular occurances at your restaurant, maybe your customers are not to blame for insufficient tips.

harried and rushed customer service can never become friendly service and certainly the best service anticipates customer demands. however, when something wrong happens, it’s usually not important to the customer why it happened. what makes an impression is how it was handled. on this note i have found servers are usually their own worst enemies, either blaming each other or else have no economic incentive to help their fellow server.

by no means does this suggest the customer is not the root of many problems and i have observed many instances of saintly servers having to deal with impossible customers. the best insulation i have found to this is to be personally known to the customer to the extent you know each others NAMES and the server can anticipate that customers basic needs. the cheers motto may be corny but the most comfortable word anyone can hear is their own name ! very few customers would stiff a friend. i find myself patronizing a certain restaurant on a certain shift because of a certain server. repeat customers, especially those that request a certain server, will very frequently come to depend on a server, and that cannot be bad for tips.

IMHO, a position of “us” against “them”, whichever side you take, is only counterproductive. as a server, make personalized service a priority to establish a customer following and the tips will follow. as a customer, take into account the service offered and patronize only those restaurant which give good service and tip generously. overreward the overacheivers and underreward the underacheivers and many of these issues will take care of themselves.

frankD