What is Remarkable Service?
Monday, September 25th, 2006I get alot of comments and questions about our company name, 4 Remarkable Service. People want to know how and why we came up with that name.
What 4 Remarkable Service means for us is that the businesses we work with and use our products desire to offer their guests Remarkable Service. Not basic service, average service or even good service; Remarkable Service.
I know what you’re thinking, “Sounds great, that is exactly what I want my team to do……so what is Remarkable Service?” 
Remarkable means worthy of notice or extraordinary.
Service is defined as the way a guest is treated, or perceived to be treated (their opinion is the only one that matters). Every guest is going to receive service; it’s just a matter of where on a scale of 1 to 5 that star service rating is going to fall.
Remarkable Service is combining Competency, Friendliness and Knowledge into your guest interaction to create a Remarkable experience that inspires your guests to return more often and to tell their friends about their experience.
Well that sounds easy! It’s the implementation that most restaurants get hung up on
To provide Remarkable Service your staff needs training in the 3 key areas mentioned above: Competency, Friendliness and Knowledge.
Competence:
Competence means your staff understands how everything should be done. From taking the order correctly to serving the right food to the right guest in the correct manner, to understanding the service cycle and timing. Competency comes from the training you provide.
Competent service goes unnoticed much of the time but the guests know they are having a pleasant experience, they just may not understand why.
Friendliness:
Probably the most important attribute a server can have is friendliness. Being friendly can cover up many shortcomings a server may have. Luckily it’s also the easiest to teach your staff. Simply teach the 4 steps to creating hospitality:
1. Look at me
2. Smile at me
3. Talk to me
4. Thank me
Anybody at any time can do those four things and with practice they can do them well. Of course you’ll always have those few that stand up during a training session and say ”so you want me to be fake?”. Exactly!
There will be days when you just don’t feel friendly or hospitable. Maybe your car broke down, you’re having relationship problems or you got your tax bill, whatever… when a server hits the floor they need to project warmth and create hospitality for the guests regardless of how they personally feel. That is a skill that is taught.
Knowledge:
Knowledge, in this case, means having a very good grasp on what you are selling. Being able to explain with colorful words the daily specials or being able to answer questions about a particular menu item. A knowledgeable server will speak with confidence when he or she is asked about an item on the menu.
Just today I had a great example of how knowledge helps provide remarkable service. For lunch I ordered grilled meatloaf (sounded interesting) and my server asked me if I liked caramelized onions and mushrooms because that is what they top the meatloaf with. Yuk! My meal was much more enjoyable because of her knowledge and my meatloafs lack of mushrooms. She provided remarkable service and earned herself a nice tip.
Basic service may meet guest expectations but Remarkable Service creates a remarkable experience. And remember, Remarkable Service is not a destination, it’s a journey. It takes class-room training, one-on-one coaching, pre-shifts that focus on providing remarkable service and constant attention to walking the talk…and a little help from 4 Remarkable Service!