1. Cultivating a Positive
Customer Service
Attitude
Roanna Martin
Graduate Dietetic Intern
September 21, 2012

2. Outline
 Introduction
 Customer Impressions
 Handling Complaints
 Conclusion

3. What is “Customer Service” ?
 “A series of activities designed to
enhance the level of customer
satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a
product or service has met the
customer expectation."
Turban, Efraim (2002). Electronic Commerce: A Managerial Perspective.
Prentice Hall.

4. WVU Dining Mission
Statement
“We are committed to providing
balanced, nutritious meals in a pleasant
and welcoming atmosphere and
educating our customers about nutrition
and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.”

5. Customers Expect
 To be treated kindly
 To have their needs met
 To receive a consistent product

6. Customer Impressions
 Greet Customers
 Dining Room Atmosphere
 Personal Dress
 Basic Customer Service

7. Greet Customers
 Greet with a smile
 Make eye contact
 Greet customers by name, if possible,
to make experience more personal
 Be open and friendly

8. Dining Room Atmosphere
 Try to see it from the students’
perspective
 Scan the room for
◦ Appearance
◦ Cleanliness
◦ Overall Order

9. Personal Dress
 Take pride in your appearance
 Shower daily & keep fingernails clean
 Do not use perfume or cologne
 Keep hair neat, clean, and away from
face and eyes
 Do not wear loose jewelry that may fall
into food

10. Basic Customer Service
 Treat all customers equally and with
respect & courtesy
 Show a positive attitude of
care, concern, and helpfulness
 Take initiative and anticipate the
customer’s needs
 Provide timely service without making
the customer feel rushed
 Demonstrate good language and
communication skills

11. Basic Customer Service,
cont’d.
 Be flexible to the customer’s needs,
allowing them to make the decisions
 Be sensitive to the customer’s point
of view and give them a sense of
control
 Be willing to take responsibility and
avoid blaming anyone else
 Always have a pleasant attitude,
letting the customer know that you’re
happy to serve them

12. Handling Complaints
 Complaints may be verbal or non-verbal
 Verbal:
◦ The customer uses words to tell you that they
are unsatisfied with the service they are
receiving
 Non-verbal:
◦ The customer uses body language to tell you
that they are unsatisfied with the service they
are receiving
 i.e. A student at the sandwich line crosses arms and
taps foot when panini maker takes too long.
 Rolling of eyes.

13. Helpful Tips
 Actively listen to the customer to find
out how to resolve and fix the
problem. Ask questions to help identify
solutions.
 Manage stress in your personal and
work life to avoid projecting negative
attitude towards customers.
Schieltz, Matthew. “How to develop a positive customer service
attitude.” E-How Articles.

14. Conclusion and Discussion
 Good customer service is an essential
part of operating a dining hall.
 What customer service experiences
have you observed?
◦ What went well, and what didn’t?

15. Questions?

16. Sources
 Unless otherwise noted, information
taken from:
Reinhart Food Service, Dietary
Employee Training Program,
Customer Service- General. 04 April
2012.