Do Customers Forgive Poor Service?

There is an Indian restaurant near Sacramento, California, that is notorious for poor customer service. The owner is also the waiter and the cook, and he has a tendency to speak to customers with a sour attitude that likely comes from being overworked 16 hours of the day, 7 days a week. He can single handedly cause customers to have a poor experience, and his history with getting orders right leaves a lot to be desired.

Yet his restaurant also remains very popular. While not packed full of customers by any means, it receives generally favorable reviews and has a lot of repeat customers. Why?

The simplest reason is that his food is spectacular. Ask any customer that eats there regularly and they will tell you that they have never had a meal quite as tasty as the one that this restaurant makes. They are, by far, everyone’s favorite Indian restaurant.

What this teaches us is that product still matters, and meeting the customer’s needs can still help you overcome any lapses in customer service. If your company offers a superior product, you still have the potential to succeed. That’s why researching your customer and finding out the ideal way to meet their needs is so crucial.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that customer service receives a pass either. Keep in mind that, in the case of the Indian restaurant, it’s possible that with excellent customer service their restaurant could be even better. Right now, they still have plenty of space at dinner time and only average/above average public reviews (with all of their negative reviews addressing the customer service).

Had this restaurant showed a willingness to be friendly and open to the customer, the food would still taste delicious but you’d be able to develop a better customer base, more recurring customers, and better online reviews to encourage new customers. Rather than take this as an example that customer service can be overlooked, it should serve as a reminder that a great product can overcome customer service, but all aspects of customer satisfaction are important to create a growing, profitable company.