Granted, Paris is exactly known for its sense of service, in fact the customer can be little more than an irritant. Parisians in the service industry simply do not buy into the Anglo Saxon belief, that the customer is always right.
The message is clear, "I'm not your slave."
Outside the restaurant, perhaps people are equals, but once back at the eatery, where that awkward feeling of service and the client exists, the waiter become aware of a power struggle and quickly reestablishes authority.
We aren't suggesting being rude, only a armatures do that. But in America and in the UK, food servers are often just that, servers.
They arrive at your table to telling you his or her name, and announcing, "I'll be serving you tonight."
Food servers, after all, only promises to be serving you, looking for a good tip but, in Paris, providing quality is a matter of personal pride. In Paris, your waiter expects to be addressed formally as Monsieur, in exactly the same way he will address you.
Right at the beginning, it's understood, that the customer does not have the upper hand, it's is a deliberate way to take control of the playing field.
The Voodoo Kitchen has been in the food and beverage business for a long time, here's what we know:
When you provide service, do so out of pride, not because of the tip.
You aren't serving food, you are serving people, and it's your talent and knowledge that makes the difference, it's because of that, the tips will come.
It's your self respect, and self confidence that will command respect.
You need customers, but not any particular customer, so never allow anyone to make you feel second class, never!
Remember, not everyone has to be your customer.
You want to serve the best food with the best service, to the best customers.
There comes a time, however, when a restaurant reaches a point where it understands who it is and what it offers. It realizes it cannot be everything to everyone or it will simply become watered-down and meaningless.
When customers don’t understand what your service stands for and complain, weak management often scramble and try to change their service policies into what the customer thinks they want.
But confident management realize, there is nothing wrong with informing a customer that it just isn't working out, and it's best they eat somewhere else.
The problem often is, managers, and business don't really know who they are.
They lack the confidence in what they do and in what they offer.
To be successful, you need to be an expert or the best at what you do.
Why else would someone want to eat in your restaurant?
Because you are the cheapest place in town?
Are those the customers you want?
We hope not.
Why jump through hoops for people who are looking for the cheapest dive around?
If you are the best at what you do, why would you compromise what you do for someone who doesn’t understand what you offer?
Before you grab the pitchforks, you have to understand who and what you are as a restuarnt.
Be sure you have a solid foundation and confident that what make is the best, and be passionate about that.
If you have confidence with an attitude of service to your customers, it is then, you will see that the “customer” is not always right, and not always right for you.
