Undertaking Order-taking properly
Last week, I called a restaurant to book a table for dining. The call was answered after 6 rings by a staff member, whose name, I later found out to be Rudy. Here’s how the telephone conversation went:-
Rudy: ‘Eatallyoucan restaurant’. Me: ‘Good A’noon… I wish to reserve a table’. Rudy: ‘For When?’ Me: ‘For tonight’. Rudy: ‘What time’. Me: ‘For 7.30 pm’. Rudy: ‘How many pax?’
Now… those of us in the industry know that in hotel jargon we count persons as pax – but we never say ‘pax’ to customers. It’s like hotel reservations staff asking you ‘How many heads on the bed?’ instead of whether you wish to book a single or double room. Anyways, getting back to my telephone interaction,
Me: ‘For 4 persons please’ Rudy: ‘Under what name?’ Me: ‘Shafeek Wahab’. Rudy: ‘Your contact number’ Me: ‘2476….’ Rudy: ‘No, No, No…you’re mobile?’ Me: ‘Oh…it’s 077 XXXXXXX’.
Rudy’s world of interrogation delivered in a machine gun manner, mercifully ended when he told me: ‘OK – your table is booked’, as he abruptly rang off.
I have come to expect this level of standard, because in the majority of instances this is how the interaction goes. Incidentally, no prizes for guessing how the dining experience went at the Eatallyoucan restaurant.
Once in a blue moon would I encounter the experience of someone answering the phone within 3 rings, with a cheerful…. ‘Good A’noon, Wewishtoplease restaurant, this is Anton speaking, how may I help you? And after I state my purpose of calling… politely driving the call with questions that go something like this:-
Me: ‘Good A’noon… I wish to reserve a table’. Anton: For when do you wish to book a table sir…and at what time can we expect you? Me: ‘For tonight from 7.30 pm’. Anton: ‘May I know your name sir… and how many of you will be dining?’ Me: ‘Shafeek Wahab and there will be four of us’. Anton: ‘Mr Wahab, your table for four, for tonight, from 7.30 pm is confirmed. Could I request you for your contact number - preferably your mobile number?’ Me: ‘it’s 077 XXXXXXX’. Anton: ‘That’s 077 XXXXXXX’. Me: ‘Correct’. Anton: ‘Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr Wahab?’ Me: ‘No…I guess that’s about it’. Anton: ‘Thank you for booking with us, have a great day and we look forward to seeing you and your guests tonight’.
Call-ending was professionally done, where Anton waited until I- the caller, disconnected the call.
Now when that happens, I’m over the moon!
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, ‘Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Ex-Hotelier.
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