Hear: The first step is to listen to the customer. Hear them out. Don’t interrupt. Sometimes a customer just wants to vent. Of course, other times they have a real problem that needs solving. Try to listen for cues about what’s really bugging them. Is it the problem with their meal or their room? Or is it that they are now running late? If the real problem is time, then that takes a different twist to your solution; you have to solve the problem fast.