Every year for my wife’s birthday we go out to a really nice steakhouse.

She loves steak and it’s become a little tradition.

The two of us go back and forth joking all day long as far as what kind of steak we are going to get and inevitably, our mouths are watering before we even walk into the restaurant.

However, recently, we almost had a bad experience but we were pleasantly surprised with how the restaurant handled the situation and now we can’t stop telling everyone about it. It’s a wonderful example of how great customer service can turn a negative into a positive marketing event.

Take a look…

It started when we entered the restaurant.

There was a bit of a line which meant we had to wait. Not a big deal. Amy and I just went to the bar and got our regular red wine (for her) and iced tea (for me).

While we waited, we looked at the menu so we knew exactly what we wanted before we sat down.

Soon enough we were seated and we placed our order.

The food came quickly which was really nice because both of us were very hungry - especially after working ourselves into a “steak frenzy” during the day.

One appetizer rolled into another and before we knew it the steaks had arrived.

That’s when I noticed my steak wasn’t quite cooked the way I wanted it. I’m a “medium” kind of guy and the steak was a little too pink/red for me.

Normally I don’t turn away food but Amy suggested I ask for it to be cooked a little more.

Reluctantly I agreed (I just don’t like putting up a stink).

That’s when the restaurant amazed me with their response.

The Keg (that’s the restaurant) prides itself on their steaks and so to have a customer turn a steak away means that they go above and beyond in order to make it right.

Soon after the waitress took my steak back to the kitchen I had the manager of the restaurant approach our table and apologize for the inconvenience. Then about 3-5 minutes later, the manager returned again with my steak (cooked just the way I like it).

He then went on to say that he was terribly sorry for the inconvenience and that they would like to offer both of us a free dessert.

Amy’s eyes lit up.

As much as she likes steak, she LOVES her dessert as well.

Now let’s take a look at what happened…

The Keg used this negative experience as an opportunity to create a couple raving fans. It wasn’t a big deal that my steak wasn’t cooked the way I like it.

In fact, initially I wasn’t even going to say anything.

And this makes a good point…

Most of your customers don’t like to complain and so therefore they probably won’t. However, when they leave they are bound to tell friends and family that they didn’t get what they want and that means you have a negative message being passed along by your customers. So when someone does complain, use it as an opportunity to create a powerful positive message.

In this case, I did say something and The Keg reacted in a very positive way.

First, the manager immediately came to our table and apologized. This showed that my concern had been addressed and that they took it very seriously.

Secondly, when the manager returned with my steak cooked just the way I like it, it once again demonstrated that it was important to him (and the restaurant) that they get it right the second time (this was something they didn’t want happening again).

Then when the manager offered Amy and I a free dessert, it immediately took a negative situation and turned us into raving fans. Heck I’m sharing it with the world on this blog!

By offering us both a free dessert it also did something subtle that most people would overlook. It showed concern for Amy’s experience as well.

Even though her steak was cooked to perfection, she ate most of it by herself as they took mine away. For the most part it didn’t matter at all as we continued to chat and enjoy ourselves but for some people, it could have been awkward.

By offering a second dessert, it proved to be a subtle (but powerful) way to make it a wonderful night for her as well.

Sometimes it’s the subtle things in business that make a big difference and in this case it was a combination of these subtle tactics that turned us into raving fans.

So if you are ever looking for a great steak in a restaurant that appreciates it’s customers, don’t forget to visit The Keg

Have you ever had a similar customer service experience? Share it below.

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About The Author
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Stu McLaren is an trainer, consultant and affiliate manager for some of the world's top internet marketers. Access his free training sessions by entering your name and email in the form provided below in the "Get Updated" section.

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Other Websites of Interest:
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IdeaSeminar.com
MarketingWebGraphics.com
GetStartedWithInternetMarketing.com
GetStartedWithInfoMarketing.com
BasicListBuilding.com

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