Here's how you can handle difficult customers in a restaurant setting with assertiveness skills.

We are at Marriott hotels Performing THE L.E.A.R.N. Model as follow. Listen. Empathize. Apologize. React. Notify. To eliminate recurring problems. To create an atmosphere of valuing guest feedback. To delight guests who experience problems, with a prompt and appropriate response. To provide timely and accurate data on customer issues. To impact the guest perception that no one really cares and change it!

Give the customer your full attention, showing empathy and understanding of their concerns. Validate their feelings and concerns without necessarily agreeing with their complaints

To handle difficult customers assertively in a restaurant, stay calm and composed. Listen actively to their concerns without interrupting. Show empathy and acknowledge their feelings. Clearly and politely explain any policies or solutions. Set boundaries if necessary, while maintaining a respectful tone. Offer practical solutions or alternatives to resolve the issue. Involve a manager if the situation escalates. Focus on finding a resolution that satisfies the customer while upholding the restaurant's standards.

It's very important aspect to listen and understand the base of the situation...this will allow you to resolve the situation or issues.

In a difficult situation with a customer complaining, imagine a balloon. Full of air waiting to explode. Your job is to take the air out of the balloon. Deflate it. The first step to taking the air out is to listen. Without interrupting. When a customer realises that somebody actually listens, they internally start to build trust. And the more they talk;k, the more air is coming out of the balloon. Active l; listening is the first step is the first step towards turning a complaint into a compliment.

In a difficult customer situation, when they complain, let's use the analogy of a balloon full of air. Your job is to take the air out of the balloon. Not to inflate more air. So, the second step to deflate the balloon is to actively listen while keeping your calm. You influence your environment by your life state. If you are getting angry, it will show in your environment and affect everyone around you including the unhappy customer. Stay calm, listen without interrupting and keep your calm. You are already halfway there in turning the co plaint into a compliment.

It's never personal. As a individual we have been paid to handle and assist the situation in a better manner. Stay calm listen carefully and the demonstrate as per your experience which allows you to do so.

Ballon effect is the best way to train yourself and your staff when dealing with a difficult customer. Listen without interrupting and stay calm. The more they talk, the more air comes out of the balloon and it deflates. Never interrupt. Interrupting, especially using the word "but" will inflate the air into a ballon and will make the situation worse. After they finish, it's your turn to talk. Repeat the last sentence they said (it builds trust), apologise and offer the solution. This will turn the complaint into a compliment.

Be clear and firm about what you can and cannot do, while remaining respectful. Provide practical solutions or alternatives to address their concerns. This demonstrates a willingness to help.

I always find this helpful when I'm addressing any sort of issues with the guests. Always start with indroducing yourself to the table. Then ask for the feedback. When the guest finishes their sentence, allow yourself to apologize for what has happened and acknowledge the mistake. The solution always doesn't have to be monetary. Sometimes all they need is a second voice to acknowledge that the restaurant has made a mistake and it will not happen again. Wait until they have finished their entire meal. And have a friendly chat and mention that we always try our best to give the best experience to all of our guests but, sometimes we cannot and we are very sorry for that. Slowly drift the topic to their travel plans and how's their journey been

I always believe it's easy job to tackle human error if it's handled well by individual. Never go personal, never get frustrated always ready to deliver more than promise . Your alternative offering can be sympathy also which can create a wow moment for guest.

We always put these guest in circle to avoid further embarrassment for them..this always helpful to get better results around . Good to engage guest and their fond farewell must be a wow factor so that they always carry something memorable .

Check with other F&B leaders and flag their room and see if the guests are dining in different outlets the next day and make your appearance for a personal touch to make sure to check how they are feeling and how was their sleep and is their stay going well? and apologize and follow up for what happened last night (by this moment guests would have already forgotten what has happened) but it saves you the step to go on the guest reveiw most of the times. Depart the table by wishing them a good day and safe travels.