Dealing with a team member who is rude to customers. Are you ready to address the issue head-on?

When I encounter a rude coworker, I find it helpful to take the following steps- I initiate a polite, private conversation with the coworker to discuss the incident. I express my concerns without being accusatory. Understanding their perspective helps me decide how to proceed. Additionally, I reflect on what might have led to the rudeness, practicing empathy.

Document Specific Instances of Unacceptable Behaviour: - Observe Interactions: Discreetly observe interactions between the team members and customers, taking note of specific instances of rudeness. - Gather Witness Accounts: If possible, speak with other staff members who have witnessed the behaviour to gather additional information. - Review Customer Feedback: Check for customer complaints or negative reviews mentioning the team member's behaviour.

Yes, addressing a team member who is rude to customers is essential for maintaining a positive guest experience. Start by speaking privately with the employee as soon as possible, outlining specific instances of the behavior and explaining how it impacts the team and guests. Emphasize the importance of professionalism and respectful communication. Offer support, such as additional training or mentoring, to help them improve. Set clear expectations for behavior moving forward and outline the consequences if the issue persists. Follow up to monitor progress, ensuring the situation is resolved effectively.

I have found that the mirror is a great way to change behaviour for the corporate good.............................................

A few other additional points that I can think of are- I seek input from trusted colleagues to see if they’ve noticed similar behavior from the coworker. Objectively observing the situation and minimizing interactions with the coworker can also be effective. And when appropriate, I use humor to dispel negativity and maintain a positive work environment. Remember, addressing rudeness fosters stronger relationships at work.

Hold a Private and Constructive Conversation: - Choose a Neutral Setting: Select a private location to talk without distractions or interruptions. - Express Your Observations: Clearly describe the specific behaviours you have observed or heard about, focusing on their impact on customers and the team. - Encourage Open Dialogue: Give the team member a chance to share their perspective and listen actively without judgment. - Identify Root Causes: Collaboratively explore any underlying causes or contributing factors to the behaviour.

As a leader, always look inward for how you can better equip, have the communicative tools, and train your team to handle those combative moments better. Truly bring home and train your service and hospitality ethos, always do whatever possible to enhance and blow away the guest experience, if a guest is non-aggressive and simply curt or rude in how they engage with your service team members, train your team to initially try and kill them with kindness and giving incredible service, as to almost make the guest feel bad in the end with how they behaved. If a guest is crossing a line, your teams wellbeing is number 1, period; at that point, train your team on when to tap in management to take it from there, to have your teams back.

Set clear expectations for customer interactions and enforce them consistently. Provide comprehensive training on customer service standards and behaviours. Clearly communicate the consequences of not meeting expectations, including disciplinary action if necessary. By establishing clear guidelines and enforcing them consistently, you create a culture of respect for customers and reduce the likelihood of rude behaviour.

Communicate Expectations and Offer Support: - Reinforce Company Values: Emphasize the importance of providing excellent customer service and upholding the company's values. - Set Specific Goals: Collaborate with the team members to establish clear and measurable goals for improvement. - Offer Training and Resources: Provide resources or training programs on communication skills, conflict resolution, or stress management to help them develop new strategies. - Mentorship Opportunities: Pair the team member with a more experienced colleague for guidance and support.

Monitor Progress and Provide Ongoing Feedback: - Regular Check-Ins: Schedule frequent follow-up meetings to assess progress and offer additional support. - Positive Reinforcement: Recognize and acknowledge any improvements in the team member's behaviour. - Address Recurring Issues: If the behaviour persists, promptly address it and consider implementing corrective actions.

Support a positive team culture to prevent rude behaviour towards customers. Emphasise the importance of excellent customer service and the impact of employee behaviour on the company's reputation. Foster open communication and encourage team members to provide feedback and support each other. By creating a culture of respect and teamwork, you can prevent and address instances of rude behaviour effectively.

If you have a team member who is having a difficult time engaging with guests, address this head on immediately. Help them understand that affects your whole service culture, and that it is toxic and infectious. Remind them that technically, you and the owners do not pay your staffs wages, the guests pay them. Without them nothing would exist, and that in handling guests poorly it affects their individual tips, but if a pooled system, also affects the rest of their teams total pool, one of the most infuriating aspects of a pooled system. If this happens more than 2 times, it is an easy decision to be made and the operation must move on from that type of employee. A wise woman told me (my Mom); "Make mistakes, just not the same ones"

Implement a performance improvement plan outlining expectations and consequences. Provide additional training or coaching if necessary. Monitor the employee's behaviour closely and offer support. If the issue persists, take disciplinary action as a last resort. Consistent follow-up ensures the issue is resolved and prevents recurrence.

Address this head on!! Obviously and immediately!! What is there in our business besides guest (customer care). That’s our bread and butter. Spend some time understanding if this is temporary and triggered by some challenge. The reasons could be as varied as a relationship breakup to lack of training. Important to address this on priority. However if you made a bad choice in selecting the employee, harsh as it may sound, let them go. Such bad behaviour is “infectious” and can soon spread among other employees too. Both a difficult so make sure you have all relevant “data” while taking a call. Involve a mental health professional if required.

Absolutely! In hospitality “guest is god” and by no means any one can talk rudely to the customer. That is the basic training that is given to every joinee in hospitality. Being rude with a guest is a complete red flag & if not nipped in the bud, it could spoil the culture of the place & result in loss of guests.

Empathy with zero tolerance. Understand the employee's perspective while maintaining firm boundaries. Clearly communicate unacceptable behaviour and its consequences, emphasising the impact on customers and the team. Offer support and resources for improvement, but be prepared to enforce disciplinary action if necessary.