martha burton
Customer service representative
Whitinsville,MA
Summary
Dynamic hospitality professional with a strong work ethic and exceptional customer service skills, honed at Friendly's Restaurant. Proven ability to enhance guest experiences through effective team collaboration and suggestive selling techniques, resulting in increased sales. Adept at multitasking and maintaining cleanliness standards while ensuring compliance with food safety regulations.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Server
Friendly's Restaurant
04.2013 - 07.2019
- Served food and beverages promptly with focused attention to customer needs.
- Collaborated with team members during busy shifts for efficient workflow and excellent guest experiences.
- Maintained a clean and orderly dining area for an enjoyable guest experience.
- Performed opening and closing duties, ensuring the dining area was prepared for seamless service transitions.
- Demonstrated strong multitasking skills by managing multiple tables simultaneously without compromising service quality.
- Worked with POS system to place orders, manage bills, and handle complimentary items.
- Maintained clean and organized dining areas to uphold restaurant hygiene standards.
- Resolved customer complaints promptly and professionally to maintain positive reputation.
- Addressed customer complaints or concerns professionally, ensuring swift resolution and maintaining positive relationships.
- Bussed and reset tables to keep dining room and work areas clean.
- Followed health and safety protocols crucial for maintaining safe and sanitary environments for customers and staff.
- Set positive tone for entire dining experience as first point of contact for incoming guests.
- Assisted in training new hires, providing guidance on restaurant standards and best practices.
- Increased sales with upselling techniques and thorough knowledge of menu items, specials, and promotions.
- Supported colleagues during peak hours, fostering a collaborative work environment that enhanced overall productivity levels.
- Provided attentive service during high-volume periods without sacrificing attention to detail or guest rapport.
- Handled cash transactions accurately, contributing to balanced daily financial reports.
- Used slow periods to restock supplies, ice, trays, and delivery bags.
- Improved dining experience by providing prompt, attentive service to guests.
- Kept up with fast-paced environments, ensuring timely delivery of orders during peak hours.
- Maintained thorough menu knowledge to sufficiently answer questions regarding menu item sourcing, ingredients and cooking methods.
- Displayed enthusiasm and promoted excellent service to customers, successfully increasing referrals, and walk-in business.
- Presented menus to patrons promptly after seating and answered questions about menu items, making recommendations upon request.
Front End Supervisor
Ocean State Job Lot
10.2011 - 04.2013
- Greeted visitors and customers upon arrival, offered assistance, and answered questions to build rapport and retention.
- Oversaw employee performance, corrected problems, and increased efficiency to maintain productivity targets.
- Monitored cash drawers in Number checkout stations to verify adequate cash supply.
- Responded to customer concerns with friendly and knowledgeable service and remedied issues promptly and effectively.
- Resolved escalated customer complaints with diplomacy and professionalism, maintaining strong relationships with clientele.
- Enhanced overall shopping experience, making sure that front end was always clean, well-organized, and customer-friendly.
- Managed inventory levels in the front-end area to avoid stockouts or overstock situations, ensuring optimal product availability.
- Addressed and resolved customer complaints, restoring customer confidence and loyalty.
- Trained new hires in customer service excellence, contributing to noticeable improvement in customer satisfaction ratings.
- Increased employee retention by fostering a positive work environment and providing ongoing support to team members.
- Managed customer returns and exchanges efficiently, ensuring a smooth process for both customers and employees.
- Enhanced accuracy in financial transactions by training staff on new, more efficient cash handling procedures.
- Led by example in customer interactions, setting high standard for service that team members followed.
- Ensured compliance with company policies and local regulations through regular audits of cash registers, transaction records, and employee behaviors on duty.
- Optimized merchandise displays at checkout area, enhancing impulse purchases and increasing sales.
- Ensured compliance with inventory management procedures, reducing discrepancies and losses.
- Maximized sales opportunities by promoting in-store offers, credit card applications, and loyalty programs at the point of purchase.
- Maintained focus during busy times and delegated tasks to employees to keep business running smoothly.
- Submitted reports to senior management to aid in business decision-making and planning.
- Maintained clean, adequately stocked, and organized store by streamlining daily operations and introducing new procedures.
- Effectively allocated tasks during high-traffic times to keep operations running smoothly and employees focused.
- Volunteered for extra shifts during holidays and other busy periods to alleviate staffing shortages.
- Marked-down clearance items and relocated merchandise to proper store areas.
- Kept close eye on department employees and customers to assess theft risks and maintain loss prevention goals.
Server/Trainer
Friendly's Restaurant
03.2009 - 10.2011
- Trained new team members on restaurant procedures, menu items, and performance strategies.
- Demonstrated strong knowledge of food and beverage service standards and led by example to instill in new servers.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by providing efficient and friendly service during peak hours.
- Monitored new server performance and offered continuous support throughout training period.
- Assisted in new server onboarding and orientation to cultivate seamless transitions.
- Instructed servers on proper techniques for taking orders, serving food and providing customer service.
- Led by example, demonstrating exemplary customer service and work ethic, setting high standard for trainees.
- Ensured accurate order taking and input into POS systems, reducing errors in food preparation and billing processes.
- Optimized scheduling of training sessions to minimize impact on restaurant operations while maximizing learning outcomes.
- Coached servers on proper food handling techniques to maintain compliance with health department regulations and uphold food safety standards.
- Mentored new hires through the training process, ensuring they became productive team members quickly and efficiently.
- Reduced order errors and improved service speed by implementing hands-on training approach for POS system usage.
- Trained and mentored Number new personnel hired to fulfill various roles.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Babson College
Babson Park Ma 05-1987
Skills
Strong work ethic
Safe food handling
Guest engagement
Hospitality service expertise
Cleanliness standards
Team collaboration
Cash handling
Task prioritization
Order management
Exceptional customer service
Memory retention
Professional appearance
Quality control
Sales expertise
Guest relations management
Relationship management
Food spoilage prevention
Point of sale operation
Regulatory compliance
Suggestive selling
Inventory management
Customer service
Shift management
Multitasking and organization
POS operation
Positive and professional
Team member support
Organizational skills
Teamwork and collaboration
Time management
Reliability
Excellent communication
Time management abilities
Adaptability and flexibility
Multitasking Abilities
Adaptability
Timeline
Server
Friendly's Restaurant
04.2013 - 07.2019
Front End Supervisor
Ocean State Job Lot
10.2011 - 04.2013
Server/Trainer
Friendly's Restaurant
03.2009 - 10.2011
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Babson College