Pizza Today - April 2017 - 30

front of the house / SERVICE
Robert Edell, CEO and
co-founder of Servy, Inc., in New
York, agrees that one of the biggest mistakes servers make is not
interacting with the guests in the
right way.
"Servy data overwhelmingly
shows that server body language,

"You can teach people
to carry a tray, but you
can't teach them how
to be nice."

- Paul Paz, service expert

Get Wrecked

Break servers of annoying habits
STORY DEANN OWENS PHOTOS RICK DAUGHERTY & JOSH KEOWN

H

abits are hard to break, and
annoying server habits can
break an operator's bank and
damage a guest's experience. Servers are
responsible for a guest's happiness, and if
all they serve up is a hot plate of annoying...well, their guests will not be paying
customers for long. And, that gets --
dare it be said? -- annoying for everyone.
Since breaking a habit is difficult,

3 0 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / A P R I L 2 0 1 7

how can operators deal with their
servers' most annoying patterns?

One of the most annoying habits servers display is service with a shrug instead
of a hospitality mindset, says Paul Paz,
founder of WaitersWorld in Portland,
Oregon, a service expert site.
"They appear annoyed or bored, disengaged and disinterested, acting like, 'Can
we get this over with?' They roll their
eyes. They huff and puff," Paz says.

tone and overall friendliness have
the greatest impact on the guest
experience," Edell says. "Servers
should greet each table by introducing themselves with a smile and
eye contact. In each guest interaction, they should be courteous and
respectful. They should maintain
eye contact and smile when
appropriate."
In order to establish service with
a smile, operators need to hire
people who have a passion for service and who like helping people,
says Paz.
"You can teach people to carry a
tray, but you can't teach them how
to be nice," Paz says. "A tool we can
use is how to learn to smile under
pressure. A smile sets the tone of
hospitality; a smile is an invitation
to service."
In addition to not acting the
part, not looking the part is
another misstep for servers.

Paz says servers should present
a professional uniform appearance
that is clean and sanitary and not
looking like it's been stuffed in a
hamper. Servers should be wellgroomed and stay away from very



http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM

Pizza Today - April 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - April 2017

Pizza Today - April 2017
Commentary
Contents
Contributors
Expo Spotlight
Interact
Conversation
Man on the Street
Respecting the Craft
On Tap
Destinations
Knead to Know
Most Annoying Server Habits
Handling Gratuity
Trenton Tomato Pie
Rotini
Adding Pasta to Your Menu
Negotiating a Commercial Lease
Pizza Today on the Road: So Delicious
Pizza Today on the Road: On Point
Product Showcase
Pizza Today Yellow Pages
The Marketplace
Reader’s Resource
Trending Recipe
Pizza Today - April 2017 - CT1
Pizza Today - April 2017 - CT2
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Pizza Today - April 2017
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Cover2
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Commentary
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 4
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 5
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Contents
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 7
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 8
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 9
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Contributors
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 11
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Expo Spotlight
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 13
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Interact
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 15
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Conversation
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 17
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Man on the Street
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 19
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Respecting the Craft
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 21
Pizza Today - April 2017 - On Tap
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 23
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Destinations
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 25
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Knead to Know
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 27
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 28
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 29
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Most Annoying Server Habits
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 31
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 32
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 33
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Handling Gratuity
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 35
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 36
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 37
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Trenton Tomato Pie
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 39
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 40
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 41
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Rotini
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 43
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 44
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 45
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Adding Pasta to Your Menu
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 47
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 48
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 49
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 50
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 51
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Negotiating a Commercial Lease
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 53
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 54
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 55
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Pizza Today on the Road: So Delicious
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 57
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 58
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 59
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 60
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 61
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Pizza Today on the Road: On Point
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 63
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 64
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 65
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 66
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 67
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 68
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Product Showcase
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 70
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 71
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Pizza Today Yellow Pages
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 73
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 74
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 75
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 76
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 77
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 78
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 79
Pizza Today - April 2017 - The Marketplace
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 81
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 82
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 83
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 84
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 85
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 86
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 87
Pizza Today - April 2017 - 88
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Reader’s Resource
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Trending Recipe
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Cover3
Pizza Today - April 2017 - Cover4
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