|
How do I deal with my co-worker?
I'm a 21 year old female and I'm a server at a popular restaurant/sports bar. There's a dining area, then a separate room for the bar, then a bar top where the actual bartender works. When I wait on a table and they order any type of alcohol, I have to ring it in, then the bartender gets the order and makes the drink. Once it's ready, she puts it in a window for me to pick up and take to my table.
The problem is that she doesn't make the drinks very fast, causing my tables to get angry at ME because they have to wait so long on their drinks. Now, I understand when there is a dinner rush and we're busy and she has several drinks to make (after all, she makes the drinks for her bar customers, and every server's customers) In fact, she makes drinks fairly fast when we're busy because she HAS to. But when we're slow at 2pm on a Wednesday, she hangs out in the kitchen talking to other servers or managers, not even paying attention the drink orders.
With any other bartender, I just go tell them that I have a drink and politely ask them if they could go make it. But with this specific bartender, she gets mad if you ask her to do anything and she purposely waits longer. Even if she sees you put in an order, she doesn't find it rude to continue a conversation with another server and wait until SHE'S ready to make the drink. I don't understand how she's okay with purposely taking a long time to make drinks when she knows it makes our tables upset with us.
I would go tell a manager but they're all friends with her outside of work and the whole situation would blow up in my face. At one point, I even emailed corporate, in a very professional manner, stating how upset I was that she wasn't doing her job correctly, causing not only me, but ALL servers to suffer, and NOTHING was done about it. What do I do? I can't continue to have dissatisfied tables because she wants to slack off!
[ ]
Want to answer more questions in the Relationships category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Work/School Relationships?
Find another job. Its the best thing to do. There is no use working at a place were nobody respects you. You need to quit. Let them fail on there own, you work too hard to be a part of an unsuccessful business. There are plenty of job openings as waitresses at restaurants, I would strongly suggest that you find one. It was very professional of you to email the corporate. You don't deserve to have tables mad at you when your the one working and others are slacking off. So do tell them that you refuse to work in a facility with so little respect and athoratey.
]
If writing corporate had no effect but to cause push back on all the servers - then start looking for another job. Some places are just toxic, and there is nothing you can do to change it.
As other people have mentioned - reaching out to corporate was a good idea if you felt you'd be punished for speaking up by management.
Other than reaching out to corporate again, there are only a few things you can do - As Dragonflymagic suggested, you can offer to upset patrons to speak to a manager. That can be a good way to make management feel the 'pain' of a slow bartender.
Do NOT tell the patrons as much as Dragonflymagic suggested however. That kind of 'gossiping' could be grounds to fire you. Instead be honest, but not gossiping or chatty. If you tell people the truth, they are likely to understand where the problem lies. Tell them you had put their drink orders in right away, and that'll you'll follow up with the bartender. If they aren't satisfied with that, or if they complain second time, offer the manager.
Riling customers up with 'secrets' between you and them is NOT OKAY. It's a horrible customer service technique, it tacky and childish, and prone to backfiring. The truth is your best defence. Get their drink orders in ASAP, check back in on those orders each time the costumers mention it. Ignore her rudeness when you ask after something that a customer is waiting for. Then direct the issue to the manager.
]
I think I know the restaurant where you work or at least the corporate name of it. If I'm correct they have a tip out policy where a percentage of your tips go to the bartender and the host/hostess.
You should remind this young lady that both you and her survive off of tips. If customers are upset with service the tip generally suffers. Now is her percentage is off the value of the check you have a problem for she gets her value regardless.
You did right by writing corporate. They in turn most likely wrote the manger. If what you say is correct they did nothing about it. If this is a Franchise location there is not much more you can do. IF it is a corporate location then if you wish you can write again. This time explaining that the managers and her are quite friendly outside of work. You could go on to say something to the effect that unless she out and out poisoned someone she would not face any type of disciplinary action for her behavior or work ethic.
Other than that the best thing you could do is find someplace else where you could earn the same or better money. In a perfect world managers would manage and not let outside influences interfere with how they do their jobs. Unfortunately this is not a perfect world.
]
I think you did the best thing contacting corporate. There is a chance the email didn't go through or was accidently deleted or something. I think that trying to call and actually talk to somebody there is a better idea considering you believe the manager being buddies with the slacking employee would not help and could jeopardize your job. If corporate still doesnt do anything about it, such as sending in a fake customer to watch and discover what is really going on, then you have two options, quit working there and find a company that cares about customer satisfaction. They would love to have an employee who has high standards in quality service. If you prefer to stay, you're going to require some cooperation and help from the customers. Once they complain and get angry at you. I would discreatly advise them of than situation and ask for their help without any other servers overhearing...so lower your voice.
"I understand your frustration, you Have had to wait extra long for your drinks. But I am stuck in the middle. I have brought the orders and advised the bartender there are orders to fill but she is the problem here. We need a new bartender with good work principles. The problem is my manager is close friends with her and that clouds her judgement on handling this. I think what would help is having customers complain directly to the manager about the bartender taking too long.If you ask me to go tell my manager that you want to talk to her, I will go get her but You must promise to not divulge I told you any of this. Some customers wont have the guts, others will be angry enough and you'll see their anger switch from you to the manager. Once your manager has had to face angry customers at their table and placate them once too often, she may tell her friend bartender that she needs to speed up things cus they can't afford to lose customers. If the manager is not willing to come to the customers, you could take the customer to the manager. I was once at a restaurant that was almost empty and after an half hour of being seated, no one had come to take our order. There was only one server visible for the entire place. Finally got orders taken and after another hour and still no sign of our meals and no wait staff to flag down, I got up and walked into the kitchen. Come to discover the entire staff except for the one cook and waiter were out with the flu. I told them it would have been more appropriate to approach each new arrival and advise them of the situation and give them the option to find another restaurant if they were short on time or stay if they didn't mind. The right customer willing to do this will make an impact. While you could give them the contact information for corporate to make a complaint, the great likelihood is that once home, they forget about it or removed from the moment have gotten over being angry and don't feel like doing it.
]
More Questions: |