5. How to Serve the Customer

Gino’s Gelato is committed to service. We are consistently dedicated to exceeding every customer’s expectations by providing astounding service. Customers are never an interruption of our work, but the very purpose of it. Gino’s Gelato strives to meet and exceed every customer’s experience in respect of the quality of products served and through courtesy, friendliness, and extending happiness. We do not just sell tasty, fresh products, we aim to offer a positive experience.
Customer service is highlighted in the company’s Vision, Mission and Values.
Overview
A useful tool for the standard requirements of any customer served is remembered by the acronym, G-U-E-S-T
Greet: Our standard greeting at Gino’s is: “Welcome to Gino’s”, or, “Welcome to Gino’s, how may I help you?”
Us: You and I are responsible for making a customer feel welcome at an outlet.
Eye Contact: Making eye contact is key to acknowledging and engaging a customer
Smile: We’re fun, friendly, positive & enthusiastic, Smiling is a non-verbal cue signifying approval and welcoming someone.
Thank: We thank customers for choosing to pay for our products and service: “Thank you very much, Enjoy!”

Customers are the life-blood of every company, by looking after them, we are looking after the company. By looking after the company, the company remains in a position to look after us. Be polite, courteous and respectful to each and every customer. Treat customers how you would like to be treated.

Greeting / Welcoming the Customer
When serving the customer, look into their eyes and smile.
Greet the customer in a friendly manner: e.g. “Hello / Hi, How may I help you?”, “Welcome to Gino’s, how may I help you?”
Assisting the Customer / Decision Making Process
Often the customer is unsure as to what product they would like – this applies particularly to displayed Gelato flavors (usually a customer is more decisive when deciding on a product listed on a menu e.g. crepe, waffle, beverage).
We facilitate the sale by asking the customer what their preferences are e.g. would they prefer fruit, biscuit/cookie, nut, chocolate, vanilla flavor? You can also point out that our sorbets are vegan friendly and have 0% fat.
Offer Samples & Make Recommendations
‘Would you like to sample any flavor?’, ‘This is our most popular flavor’, ‘This is our award-winning pistachio, ‘This is my favorite flavor’
When offering a sample, give a spoonful and make sure that there is a mix of the base + paste and variegato.
You can also explain to the customer that we prepare our gelato and sorbets fresh every day and that our gelato is made from organic milk.
Offer Large or Regular, Cone or Tub – Up Sell
Explain that you can have 3 flavors in a large tub/cone or 2 in a regular tub/cone. It is company practice to offer ‘large or regular’, in that sequence, we do not suggest a ‘small cone/tub’ in our sales pitch. The regular cone or tub secures the best margin for the outlet with respect to profit margin.
Take-Home Tubs 400g / 900g When a customer selects a ‘take-home tub’, experience has shown that a 400g take-home tub’ can be either 1,2 or 3 flavors. When serving a 900g ‘take-home tub’, you can offer the customer, 1,2,3, or 4 flavors.
Offer Toppings – Link Sell
Toppings are a great treat after you have added the selected flavors into a tub or cone. Before handing the product to the customer, ask them if they would like any toppings. Gino’s Gelato displays its gelato toppings in small acrylic cylinders in the front of the Gelato Display Freezer, and in larger dips/topping acrylic containers in the serving area. When the cone or tub has been prepared for the customer, you can point out the toppings/dips in the front of the Gelato Display Freezer and ask, ‘Would you like any toppings with your gelato?’. You can add by saying, ‘We have hazelnuts, marshmallows, crushed oreo, rainbow sprinkles, unicorn sprinkles, Flakes or fresh cream’.
Flake, marshmallows, crushed Oreo, hazelnuts, rainbow sprinkles, etc.
Know your gluten-free products and always refer to the Allergen Chart if the customer has any queries regarding food intolerances or allergens.
Never encourage a customer to make a purchase if they have a high allergenic risk – there can always be traces of an allergen in our products (including sorbets), as we use the same machine to prepare gelato, and we have allergens in the workplace.
Engaging the Customer
If it is not busy, it is always good to say a few extra, non-sales related words to the customer e.g. ‘I hope you are having a good day’, ‘the (flavor they chose) is one of my favorites!’, ‘The weather’s been great today’ etc. The extra touch makes a customer feel valued as a person.
Many customers adopt a routine when it comes to recuring purchases e.g. returning to a coffee shop or newsagent regularly. The personal touch of acknowledging and recognizing a customer is likely to facilitate their return to the outlet on a regular basis.
Completing the Sale
The customer may choose to pay by cash, card, or gift card.
On an occasion where a customer’s credit card / debit card / mobile phone payment app. does not process, never embarrass a customer, or in any way imply that they lack funds. You can, for example, explain that the card machine’s signal has been inconsistent. Try processing the cashless transaction 2-3 times and thereafter may politely ask if the customer has another means to pay for the product(s) e.g. cash.
Ensure you know the procedure for redeeming (and selling) a gift card Re: F. DAILY OPERATING PROCEDURES > 7. Gino’s Gift Cards
Thanking the Customer
After concluding the sale, always thank the customer e.g. ‘Thank you’, ‘Thank you very much’, ‘Thanks, I hope you enjoy your treat!’
Remember to treat a customer the same way you would like to be treated.
Keep a lookout for opportunities to ‘offer extra service’ e.g. a double cup-holder, extra napkins (or indicate and tell them where the napkin dispenser is). If a couple, for example, have purchased one tub of gelato, you can ask them if they would like an extra spoon.