How can you empower your staff to make quick service recovery decisions?

Staff need the confidence to sort out issues on the fly. In a heated situation, by informing the customer that you would need time to consult with your manager is a sure recipe for escalation. Staff should be allowed to at least give a discount, provide comps or to replace a meal for example if we are speaking about the FnB industry. The key thing is to respond quickly. On the spot for FnB and retail scenarios, and within hours if it's e-mail based. The team should also give feedback into every scenario imaginable, regardless of how small or big an issue is and work on coming up with guidelines to each.

Staff need to be enpowered to make on the spot service recovery decisions. Training them in service recovery is great, but if they don't have the authority to make a decision, it's all rather pointless. Many customers will try to get free stuff, and the staff have to be aware of when they are getting played. If it's a genuine complaint, they should be able to do all that they can to ensure that the customer leaves happy. Great service recovery will ensure repeat business.

When you reward your team for their great work in service recovery, it really lifts their spirits and encourages a culture where everyone aims for excellence and accountability. You can set up a rewards system that not only celebrates individual achievements but also team efforts. You could also introduce awards that team members vote on, which helps build a supportive vibe among everyone. And be sure to talk about these accomplishments during regular performance reviews too. This keeps everyone motivated to keep customers happy and solve problems effectively, making it a natural part of what your team values. Customer service and service recovery are as important as new sales, maybe even more important. Treat it as such.

I think this is where this portion would go, in support. Along with supporting with guidance and listening to feedback, a supervisor or manager also needs to be able to hear out new ideas during recovery. Just because a recovery or support plan is in play doesn't mean it will work 100% of the time. Certain events or issues may require very specific or new ways of doing business to operate effectively as a team.

It has been said that one of the secret weapons of Disney is service recovery. Expecting everything to always go perfectly is naive. Disney knows mishaps are inevitable, and therefore empowers its people to make on the spot decisions to remedy a situation and make things right with its customers. No need for delays seeking approval from managers or researching ambiguous policy. Just fix it and make the customer happy. This strategy pays dividends with customers, but also helps staff morale by empowering them, showing faith in their judgement and allowing them to feel they have a voice in the company's actions. Give your people a chance, show them your confidence in them and watch them grow into brand ambassadors.

I have to add a supporting comment to this, indecision is a business and communication killer. Staff members should feel empowered to make decisions in the absence of managers/supervisors. Staff members should also feel confident enough in executing because a plan is reviewed and practiced or if a new decision is necessary then they should feel they can execute without backlash in the best needs of the customer.