Interpersonal Communication Issue (Problem) - Breakdown at the Bar
I started part-time work as a waitress at a newly
opened wine bar recently. I turned up early only to realise that on top of my
waitressing duties, I was to bartend. With no prior background or training in serving alcoholic beverages, I was daunted at this task. I hurriedly took notes
15 minutes before the shift started as my manager was having a client meeting
at the bar. To ask for
drink recipes and ensure billing had been done properly, I had to interrupt
that meeting.
I did not want to interrupt too many times and thus
had to figure out a lot myself and made a billing mistake in the process. She
seemed frustrated and even shouted at me for the help she needed the next few
hours. There was a tense atmosphere and I felt intimidated which led me to
having a breakdown because I felt like I did everything I could have done. I
think this happened because of the lack of training.
I was wondering what you think could have been done to
resolve this issue? I look forward to hearing your suggestions. Thank you.
Hey Athena, I'm sorry you had to go through this rough experience in your part time job. As it sounds like there was no one else to ask besides your Manager, I think you did the right thing by asking her when you needed help instead of trying to settle everything on your own which could have resulted in more mistakes being made. However, when it comes to money related issues (e.g. billing), I felt you should have asked instead of figuring it out on your own. Thought, I understand why you did not want to do that.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, after you were done with your shift I think it would have been better to clarify with her why the mistake was made and explain your side of the situation in a calm manner. Your actions were justified as it was your first day, you had only fifteen minutes to learn everything, and you had no other colleagues to ask. Hence, she should understand your mistake. It would also be important to listen to her explain why she did what she did, as she may have been flustered about something related to the meeting hence took it out on you.
All the best, and I hope this will be a good learning experience the next time you are tasked to do f&b!
Dear Athena,
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that you had to go through this sour experience as a part-timer. It does not sound easy. I am sure you might have reconsidered on whether you should work in the F&B industry again. However, here are some of my suggestions on what could have been done to resolve the issue.
As what Rachel stated, I am glad that you made notes before your shift and asked your manager whenever you needed help. It shows that you took pride in your work and you did not want to make mistake or cause any inconvenience to the business. Basically, I believe she might have reacted to you in such manner due to her meeting. Maybe it didn't go well or something cropped up. I personally feel you could have read her emotions and her tone and understood that she had a rough day. I know this might not have been easy. However, by reading and understanding one's action, you might be able to identify the emotions and would not have let it affect you throughout the entire shift.
As told by Rachel, I believe the best thing to do is to wait till the end of your shift and sincerely apologise to your manager. Not only that, it will be good to explain why you made the mistake. It could be pointing out the lack of training or even the lack of manpower in a polite tone. You could have also justified that you are saying all of this so that operations can be improved and this will help to build a better guest experience and a better guest experience means more guest satisfaction and repeat customers. It is also important to give her some time to explain why she reacted in that way. This will calm the situation as she will feel that you are willing to listen to her side too. It is also important for you to make an arrangement with her within the week to learn about the operations. This will show your interest and dedication in wanting to learn, stay committed and give your best.
I hope this suggestions help and that one day you can use it when faced with a similar experience with a colleague or guest in the industry.
Best Regards,
Justina Steven