In hospitality, your staff is the face of your business. They’re the ones greeting guests, taking orders, solving problems, and most of the time, the reason customers keep coming back. In fact, for 86% of businesses, good customer service turn one-time customers into loyal brand champions. That’s why training your staff isn’t just a checkbox to tick off—it’s an essential investment to improve guest experiences.
When your team feels confident and prepared, it shows. They’ll not only provide great service but also handle tough moments with ease and make every guest feel valued. Whether you’re running a cosy cafe or a busy restaurant, the right training can take your service from good to unforgettable.
Here are six practical steps to help you train your staff for better customer experience.
1. Set the right expectations
First things first, your team needs a clear picture of what great service looks like—even a great chef can’t cook up a spot-on dish if they don’t know what goes into it.
Take the time to clearly outline your standards for customer service. For starters, how do you want staff greet guests? If you run a cafe, a casual ‘welcome’ from across the coffee bar might suffice but an upscale venue may prefer more discrete ways.
What’s your go to when it comes to handling complaints or tricky situations? Giving the go ahead to comp meals or add a little something extra to the table is a great way to empower your team to problem solve and prioritise customers.
The key is to be specific — paint a picture of what excellent service looks like in your venue so they can confidently deliver the experience you’re aiming for.
2. Come up with a cohesive training programme
Training shouldn’t feel like a series of random crash courses. Instead, create a training program that’s simple, organised, and covers your restaurant’s standard operating procedure (SOP) step by step.
Start with the basics: walk them through your menu, service style, and technology tools such as your restaurant booking system and POS system. Once they’re comfortable with these, start introducing more advanced skills like upselling or tips on managing busy periods.
Don’t look past the powers of team building. Some ways might be allowing new staff to shadow experienced team members, or hosting activities like family meals or staff trivia nights. The goal is to help your staff feel they not only have the right skills in their repertoire to do the job well, but also a team that can support them in the process.
On top of that, training shouldn’t be a one time thing—it’s something that needs to progress with your team and your business. Set up regular sessions to keep their skills sharp and introduce new ideas.
3. Use real-life scenarios for practice
The best way to prepare for the difficult situations that come with the hospitality gig is to practice them.
To start off, think about the challenges your staff is likely to face, whether it’s dealing with a demanding customer, managing a full house on a busy night, or handling an order mix-up. Turn these scenarios into role-play exercises so your staff can practice in a safe, low-pressure environment.
This kind of hands-on training builds confidence, helps them stay calm under pressure, and ensures they’re ready to handle whatever comes their way with a smile.
4. Emphasise cultural sensitivity
With cultural diversity a valued aspect of life in Australia and New Zealand, it’s important that any hospitality team prioritises cultural awareness and sensitivity.
Train your staff to be respectful and adaptable when interacting with guests from diverse backgrounds. This includes understanding preferences around food, personal space, and communication styles.
Knowing what and how to ask the right questions, and any effort towards curated service goes a long way in making customers feel welcome and valued.
5. Make it easy for staff to leverage tech tools
Tech tools are transforming hospitality, from table booking systems to point-of-sale software and QR code menus. If your restaurant uses these, make sure your team knows how to use them confidently and efficiently.
Offer tech training and break it down into simple steps — no one needs to be a tech wizard, but everyone should feel comfortable using the systems in place. Tech providers also often provide support videos and onboarding workshops that can take the load of training off you.
A team that’s smart with tech tends to keep the restaurant running like clockwork and impresses customers with quick, hassle-free service.
That said, you don’t want to have a million different platforms and leave your team struggling to juggle these.
Look to platforms that offer comprehensive integrations so you can manage it all in one place. For instance, Now Book It’s reservation system seamlessly integrates with your POS system, payment gateway, and more to streamline operations and help you get the most out of bookings.
6. Reward, recognise and help them stay consistent
Celebrate your team’s wins, whether it’s a glowing customer review, handling a tough situation like a pro, or simply going above and beyond in day to day service.
Rewards don’t have to be big—shout-outs at team meetings, a free coffee, or an extra day off can all show your appreciation. When staff feel valued, they’re more motivated to deliver great service.
It’s important to remember that you can’t improve what you don’t measure. Regularly check in on your team’s performance by gathering customer feedback, observing service, and tracking metrics like speed of service or upselling rates.
Use this data to coach your staff and offer constructive feedback. It’s not about nitpicking—it’s about helping your team grow and ensuring a consistently excellent experience for your guests.
Values that make hospitality a better place
Bumping up your online ratings by even half a star can increase your chances of filling seats during peak hours by up to 49%. Investing in your team isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s a smart move for your bottom line.
When your staff members are driven by the same values, it shows in how they treat your customers. As a restaurant owner or manager, here are some to put on top of your list —
Leading by example
Good service starts with you. If you’re approachable, positive, and hands-on as a manager, your team will follow your lead. Whether it’s greeting customers, handling complaints, or keeping things running smoothly, show them what great service looks like.
Be a problem solver
Customers don’t like waiting around for a solution, and staff members can feel helpless when they are expected to come to you for every decision. Empower your team to make decisions within reasonable expectations.
When your staff knows they can handle challenges without waiting for approval, they feel more in control and capable. This leads to quicker resolutions, happier customers, and a more successful team.
Offer the right resources
Whether it’s a user-friendly POS system, an online booking software, or table management systems, giving your team the right resources makes their job easier and your customer’s experience better.
Don’t be afraid to implement tools that can alleviate some of the legwork, such as an AI agent to answer phone calls so your staff can focus on more fulfilling parts of the gig like serving customers in person.
Whether you run a neighbourhood cafe, a bustling bar, a one location restaurant, or a multi group venue, the right restaurant management tools support your team to win.
Listen, listen, listen
Your staff knows the ins and outs of daily operations better than anyone. Take time to check in with them—ask about their challenges, hear their ideas, and be open to suggestions. A team that feels heard will always be ready to give their best (and listen!) to customers.
Stay flexible and ready to adapt
Life in hospo is unpredictable, and you know it! From the latest viral dish trends, sudden service rush to new policies, staying flexible is key.
Be open to new ideas and willing to adjust when needed. A leader that embraces change easily can inspire team members to follow suit.
Encourage growth
Staff tenure can make or break your restaurant. Help your team see a future with your business by offering training to build new skills, giving them opportunities to try different roles, and supporting their growth.
With a clear path for development, staff members can stay invested in their work, extra motivated to deliver amazing service.
Better customer experience, more bookings
With the right training, support and values, your hospo team can take customer experience from good to great, leaving guests coming back for more.
Want some help to make that happen? Book a demo today and learn how Now Book It can support your restaurant to improve efficiency, simplify operations, and enhance customer experience.
