The Gospel of Good Service, According to Small Business Owners Who Know It Best

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The service industry is something of a crucible for millions of Australians. Ask anyone, and they probably spent some time as a teenager or student working in retail or hospitality. It's mandatory for anyone looking to gain some valuable life lessons while they're learning basic employment skills and saving some cash. Love it or hate it, we've all got to do it at some point.

Gruelling as it sometimes is, the service industry is of immense importance. Who else can make the world's coffees, package their orders, cook their dinners — and do it all while putting a smile on the faces of customers? The simple act of good service makes all the difference for any business; it's a key ingredient to building up a customer base and ensuring loyalty and word of mouth to keep that base growing.

Maybe what the world needs is a shortlist — a pocket guide, if you will — to the secrets of good service. If you're an aspiring business owner or an existing member of the service industry, you could probably use some tips from the pros on what good service can and should look like. We made a few calls, and we've got your good service guide right here.

RULE 1: DON'T OVERCOMPLICATE IT

Service, like anything, is easy to overthink and overcomplicate. But at the end of the day, it's all about the basic fundamentals. In hospitality, you might overthink the prioritisation of good food vs good service, but Alex Brawn of Cremorne's Amatrice Rooftop Restaurant and Caffe Amatrice understands that one takes precedence. "The reality is that we need to be nailing both. But going out to a cafe or restaurant is about an 'experience', and we all like to leave feeling good — and that mostly comes down to good service. Looking after our guests, making them feel good, that's what hospitality is about."

"It's a common gripe for people where they try a restaurant, and the food and ambience were amazing, but the service was terrible, and they declare "I will never go again". So it goes to show that it doesn't matter how good your food is, or how expensive or beautiful your fit-out is, if you have poor service then you [as a business] just won't be successful long term."

RULE 2: DON'T SHY AWAY FROM BEING PERSONAL

It's absolutely key to maintain an professional attitude in any line of work, but in the case of service and hospitality, making things personal can go a long way to keeping a customer happy. It's the little things like smiling, remembering a name, or if you're able, going the extra mile in your service. Brawn, who's also a part of the team at the Williamstown waterfront spot, Sebastian Beach Grill & Bar, puts it plainly: "We keep it simple, just focusing on friendly, genuine service that makes people happy. Remembering regulars' names and having a chat about how their day is going — just those little things that make our guests feel a little bit special."

"Recently, a family dined at Sebastian to celebrate an 80th birthday. The host of the dinner was telling her family how she remembered being in San Sebastian many years ago and having a special cheesecake. Our team overhead this conversation and arranged for a Basque cheesecake with a candle…looking after our guests and making them feel good is the key to good hospitality."

RULE 3: GOOD SERVICE IS A PARACHUTE IF PRODUCTS FAIL

The fact of the matter is this: it's hard to crack an original idea these days. If you're planning to open a bar, restaurant or café, you need something memorable. Good food and drinks are newsworthy and get tongues wagging, but if people don't have a good time consuming those products, you're going to burn out before you know it. Slipstream Brewing Co. is one of Queensland's most awarded breweries, so it is safe to say that director Elisa Stanley-Hunt knows all about the balancing act of products and services.

"Great service fosters a welcoming atmosphere, encourages repeat customers, and helps build a strong reputation — especially in the early days. Even if the food isn't perfect yet, exceptional service can turn a first-time visitor into a loyal customer. That said, quality food is a close second. Once service is dialled in, focusing on a menu that's consistent, delicious and suits your brand will solidify your success. Ideally, both should go hand in hand, but if you lead with service, your customers will be more forgiving as you refine your offerings."

RULE 4: LEARN TO SPOT A TELL

We've already established the importance of personal service, but the ability to listen for and spot little details in a customer's preferences, routines and interests can elevate just another meal into a truly memorable experience. You likely know how good it feels to have a regular barista remember your coffee order, for example. For Andrew Garling of Fortitude Valley's Mr Valentine, that attention to detail is paramount.

"Good service at Mr Valentine is anticipating a customer's needs from the moment they walk in the door, nothing more, nothing less. When you spend long enough serving people, they give you small cues as to what they need. We try and take those cues and act on them before they ask. These can be as small as taking a to-go box to a table as they are finishing before they ask, making a coffee when you see a regular walking from afar…they're all very simple things that make our customers feel important, and they cost us nothing to provide...the transaction is the last thing we think about."

RULE 5: SAVE TIME ON THE TECHNICALITIES

What we've learned here is that good service, above all, comes down to authenticity and human interaction. A smile, listening for special occasions, paying attention to what makes your regulars tick. What you don't want to do is take away from precious staff-to-customer contact time by having to fiddle with terminals and tablets, so having a smooth system to take care of the nitty-gritty makes a world of difference; ask any business owner.

That's especially true when products like Square make things as easy for the customer as for the operator. Alex Brawn experiences that often; "the simplicity of the Square POS and EFTPOS units means we spend less time looking at a screen and more time looking after our guests." Andrew Garling agrees: "[Square] allows us to do the things we talked about before and leave the transaction as the last thing to worry about…we can tailor the use of software and [the] hardware experience so the customer has the smoothest possible transaction."

Find out how Square can kickstart your business at squareup.com.