A Customer Service Lesson I Learned From A Neighborhood Italian Restaurant - And Not In The Good Way

At GroupValet, we're often told that our customer service is amazing. We're quick to reply to customers, extremely helpful, often resolving their issue without any back and forth, and we're always friendly and polite. We understand that our users need GroupValet to work for them—they don't want to waste time having to figure things out. So when someone reaches out for help, we solve the problem quickly so they can move on to other things.

The reason we hold ourselves to such high standards is simple: throughout my adult life, I've been repeatedly frustrated by poor customer service. I've never understood why some companies treat it as an afterthought when it has such a profound impact on customer loyalty. A single bad experience can drive people away, while exceptional service builds trust and long-term relationships.

Word of mouth has always been a major driver of GroupValet's growth, and our superior customer service is a key reason why.

To illustrate this point, I want to share a true story—one that shaped my views on customer service and serves as a reminder of what not to do.

It was a perfect storm of bad timing.

At 7:10 pm, my workday had run longer than expected. I needed to grab dinner, pick up my dry cleaning, and swing by the grocery store. The good news? My wife would be home by 7:45, just in time before the babysitter left at 8. That meant I had a little breathing room—I could sit down and eat for a few minutes before heading home.

Then everything changed.

My wife texted to say her meeting was running late. There was no way she'd be home by 8, and she asked me to pick up dinner for her, too. Suddenly, my careful timing was shot. I had to rethink everything if I wanted to get it all done and be home in time.

I quickly formed a plan.

There was a nice Italian restaurant in the same strip mall as the dry cleaner and grocery store. I knew it would take time for them to prepare our meals, so I decided to place the order first, run my errands while the food cooked, and then return to eat mine before bringing my wife's dinner home. Efficient. Smart. A perfect solution.

At 7:20, I arrived at the restaurant. A menu was posted outside, so I took a moment to decide: Chicken Marsala for me, Chicken Alfredo for my wife. With my choices locked in, I stepped inside and explained my plan to the host.

"I'd like to order two dinners. I need to run a couple of errands, and I'll be back to eat mine here while taking the other to go."

I expected a nod of understanding. Instead, I got a polite but firm roadblock.

"I'm sorry, sir. We can't place an order unless you're seated in the restaurant."

Time momentarily froze.

What?

I had crafted the perfect plan—only to be thwarted by a rule that made no sense in this situation.

"But I'll be back in ten minutes," I tried to explain. "I'm just running two quick errands."

"I'm sorry, sir," he repeated, unflinching. "We can't take an order unless you're at a table."

I sighed, thanked him, and left. He smiled and waved goodbye.

Luckily, there was a Chinese restaurant next door.

They had no issue taking my order while I stepped out for a few minutes. When I returned, my food was hot, ready, and waiting. Simple. Seamless. Exactly what I needed.

I wasn't particularly in the mood for Chinese (and, as I later found out, neither was my wife). But at that moment, convenience won over craving. They provided the service I needed, so they got my business.

The Customer Service Takeaways

As I left the Chinese restaurant with my food, I spotted the host from the Italian restaurant standing outside. He apologized again for the policy.

I smiled and said, "I understand. The Chinese restaurant was happy to accommodate my needs—and they got my business."

This experience stuck with me, and years later, I still think about it every time I see that Italian restaurant.

Here's what I learned:

1. Customer Service Is About Finding Ways to Say Yes

I used to tell my team that most programmers explain why something can't be done. The best programmers find a way to make it happen.

Achal Goswami, the former General Manager & Chief Operating Officer of Frenchman's Creek Beach & Country Club—a club famous for exceptional customer service—once told me, "I didn't go to school to say no. I went to school to solve problems." That's the mindset of great customer service.

2. Policies Should Serve the Customer—Not Inconvenience Them

I doubt a small Italian restaurant in a local strip mall has a big problem with fake orders. More likely, management put this policy in place to prevent potential issues without considering how it might frustrate real customers.

Meanwhile, the Chinese restaurant next door had the opposite approach—and in this instance, it won them my money.

The takeaway? Don't create problems just so you can feel good about solving them.

3. You're in Business to Serve the Customer—Always

We've all heard the phrase, "The customer is always right." That's not entirely true. If I had walked into the Italian restaurant and demanded sushi, I'd obviously be wrong.

But at GroupValet, we don't just focus on whether the customer is right—we focus on helping them be right.

If a request is reasonable, we accommodate it. If it's unreasonable, we look for an alternative that works for both parties. Because at the end of the day, without our customers, we're nothing.

The Missed Opportunity

Rather than letting me—and my money—walk out the door, the host could have taken a different approach.

He could have asked a few simple questions to better understand my situation. Maybe he could have even checked with the manager to see if they could make an exception. Would that have converted me into a loyal customer? You betcha!

Instead, they lost a sale. And years later, while I've returned to that Chinese restaurant many times, I haven't set foot in the Italian even once.

All because of a policy that said no when they could have found a way to say yes.