Customer service and satisfaction will continue to be the crux of a restaurant’s success in the new decade. Most Americans express satisfaction with the level of service they receive at restaurants. As many as eight out of 10 consumers feel that they receive friendly and timely service at tableservice restaurants. But young people, who are today’s limited-service customers and tomorrow’s fullservice guests, are tougher to please. Eighty percent of consumers in the 18-to-34 age group reported that they had complaints, compared with just more than half of consumers aged 65 and older. As we head into the second decade of the 21st century, where today’s younger audiences will predominate, their needs will carry more weight.
in reference to:
"Customer service and satisfaction will continue to be the crux of a restaurant’s success in the new decade. Most Americans express satisfaction with the level of service they receive at restaurants. As many as eight out of 10 consumers feel that they receive friendly and timely service at tableservice restaurants. But young people, who are today’s limited-service customers and tomorrow’s fullservice guests, are tougher to please. Eighty percent of consumers in the 18-to-34 age group reported that they had complaints, compared with just more than half of consumers aged 65 and older. As we head into the second decade of the 21st century, where today’s younger audiences will predominate, their needs will carry more weight." - Service Excellence: A Full Service Future (view on Google Sidewiki)
Customer service and satisfaction will continue to be the
crux of a restaurant’s success in the new decade. Most Americans express
satisfaction with the level of service they receive at restaurants. As many as
eight out of 10 consumers feel that they receive friendly and timely service at
tableservice restaurants. But young people, who are today’s limited-service
customers and tomorrow’s fullservice guests, are tougher to please. Eighty
percent of consumers in the 18-to-34 age group reported that they had
complaints, compared with just more than half of consumers aged 65 and older.
As we head into the second decade of the 21st century, where today’s younger
audiences will predominate, their needs will carry more weight.
Speed — that seemingly addictive quality that permeates all aspects of today’s
society, as ever-faster computers, 24-hour information, and the Internet turn
the world a little more quickly each day — will be at a premium.
The market segment that because of economics, dines out only on fast food will
be interested in speed, and the service will need to be clean, friendly and
fast—with no surprises. Other segments, such as folks who because of time, use
fast food for certain meals, will be looking for the same things. When they
want something more experiential, though, they’re going to be very
discriminating about where they go, what they eat, and the kind of service they
receive.
To complicate matters, Americans want their restaurants to deliver what they
want, when they want it and provide a good value too. Given the economics of
the restaurant business, with its relatively low profit margins coupled with a
full-employment economy, recruiting and retaining the staff to deliver those
expectations will make all the difference in this, next, or any, decade.
The crystal ball
Forecasts about the future of foodservice are as easy to come by as predictions
at a psychics convention. I see a growing trend in more women serving in
fine-dining establishments. It used to be almost a requirement to hire men. I
don’t see that anymore.
Eyster foresees the hiring of an increased number of part-time employees as an
essential way of keeping service costs down and quality up. “If the economy
stays strong, I think restaurant operators are going to have a much harder time
finding qualified full-time employees,” he says. “We must try to attract good
part-time employees, develop their skills and pay them well.”
And they’ll be younger. In the old days, we hired a crew. We could expect the
crew to be there for several years. Those days are gone. My prediction is that
we’re going to see a younger work force and more part-time employees. And to
keep them, we need to provide more attractive packages to personnel and maintain
systems of recognition and reward.
Many analysts expect service to continue to be less formal. Casual fine-dining
is really big right now, and it’s going to continue. Many restaurants have
opened in Florida
recently that are focused on the user-friendly aspect of fine dining. It’s more
comfortable, and people are more excited about dining out than they have ever
been before.
Servers will also need to be more knowledgeable. You’ve got cooking channels,
you’ve got Emeril [Lagasse] and celebrity chefs raising the awareness level
about food. Healthy options have come full circle now the public is more
knowledgeable, their expectation level for service is going to get much higher.
As a result, they’re going to demand more details, initiative and overall knowledge
on the part of the server.
Mother nurture
Fortunately, restaurateurs are an ingenious lot, and problems are more often
than not opportunities for solutions. It’s a tough business, there are lots of
pressures, but that’s life. You have to look at it realistically and come up
with solutions. Like the Wheeler Law, which contends that if you pay attention
to a problem, it will go away. He explains by relating the story of the law’s
namesake, Wheeler Manufacturing Company.
It seems that production was on a downward spiral, prompting one executive to
suggest that the problem was low lighting. They installed brighter bulbs, and
sure enough, production went up. Taking advantage of a good thing, they
installed even brighter bulbs. Production went up again. Then, one executive,
who had a hunch that they were missing the real meaning of this phenomenon,
suggested they only act as though they were installing brighter bulbs.
Production went up again.
They discovered that the production increases had nothing to do with the level
of light. They were due to the fact that the employees felt that the company
was doing something for them. In restaurants, I believe making the workplace
more comfortable, keeping kitchens cooler, placing mats on the floor for tired
feet, and having incentive-reward programs, training, and perks will improve
the spirit and in turn, productivity.
I suggest to take that thesis a step further. I’d encourage operators to make
the work environment more like a home away from home and treat their employees
as though they were their parents in order to improve retention.
When managers act like mothers or fathers toward their associates, they will
respond. For instance, a friend of mine is general manager of a golf course. He
told me his groundskeeper and pro were fighting like kids, and he didn’t know
how to handle it. I asked him how often he was there, and he answered about two
hours a day, three days a week. That means the general manager is only
physically present six hours a week. That’s not enough. I told him these guys
need a dad around. If he wants to solve their problems, he needs to show up
more, give them some attention, and take them to lunch, individually or
together.
In a word, both employees and customers need to be nurtured. That’s why
restaurateurs, from Poinciana rural Florida to chic cafes in South Miami Beach
that are looking forward to the challenges of the second decade of the 21st
century and beyond, are creating a place where not only everybody knows your
name, but that also feels like home sweet home.
On the hiring line
It’s all well and good to say that the ideal staff needs to act like Ward and
June Cleaver, but how do you find the people you will need to carry your
operation further into the 21st century ? Look for character. It is
very feasible to hire the unexperienced. We need to hire them for their
personality and teach them the skills. I’d like to encourage my clients to hire
for personality and the desire to learn.
Personality is important. You can teach product knowledge and other skills, as
long as you have the core traits to work with.
After many years in the food service industry, I’ve learned that when you show
respect to your employees, they will recruit their friends to work for you. If
people are happy somewhere, you won’t hurt for staff, because they will bring
in people they know.
training on track
Recent studies have shown that training also goes a long way toward making
workers more contented and reducing turnover. I am an advocate of expressing
clear expectations and offering direct feedback, developing informative menu
descriptions and wine seminars, and having open communication.
I recommend extensive staff training before opening a restaurant and ongoing
training in wine tasting, service-manual review, and updates on menu and wine
descriptions. I also suggest frequently discussing the importance of working in
tandem with the kitchen staff—a crucial and often overlooked component to a
successful restaurant—with your front-of-the-house employees.
Even making a good cup of coffee requires training. Chris Gimbl, spokesman for
Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Company, says that baristas in all of the
chain’s 3,200 coffeehouses worldwide go through 24 hours of customer-service
training before they start working in the stores. “That gives them a great
basis before they actually get on the floor and undergo the pressure of the
line heading out the door or that crazy morning rush,” says Gimbl. He believes
that Starbucks lower 60-percent annual turnover rate is due to training,
atmosphere and benefits. “It’s a tight market. We feel that we have an
advantage because we offer a very competitive benefits package available to
anyone who works over 20 hours a week, including medical, dental, 401(k) and
stock options.”
Loyalty lessons
The goal of excellent service is loyalty — of the employees and the customers.
Satisfaction is not enough — it’s loyalty that keeps them coming back and
spreading the word. That’s what has been going on at the Frost Diner for 44
years, and no mere turn of the decade and this crisis will budge its customers’
loyalty. And why should it, when they’re doing everything right in the first
place? “Everybody seems to be well contented,” Andrade admits. “Most everything
is home-cooked, and we’re a nice, friendly restaurant. I’m sure everything is
not exactly perfect, but we try. And if we have complaints, we try to settle
them. The customers all seem to think that we do a good job. We’re like their
home away from home.”
Managing employees has never been easy, but these days it seems that new restaurant managers face even more potential pitfalls. Seemingly inconsequential actions can send managers tumbling down into a dark morass of complaints, conflicts and possibly even lawsuits.
Managing employees has never been easy, but
these days it seems that new restaurant managers face even more potential
pitfalls. Seemingly inconsequential actions can send managers tumbling down
into a dark morass of complaints, conflicts and possibly even lawsuits.
Here is a roundup of the most common management missteps and some common-sense
suggestions restaurant owners can use themselves or share with their management
teams to keep management-related problems at bay.
Manager does not communicate effectively
with employees: A well-informed group of employees is one of the most
important ingredients in a healthy, upbeat workplace. Managers who communicate
just the big-picture issues and skip the "little stuff" — such as a
broken coffeepot, slight schedule changes or a new format for payroll checks —
may unintentionally pass over things that are important to employees. By
talking about seemingly little issues, managers can prevent resentment and
foster a sense of ownership among employees.
Also, if the manager offers only infrequent performance feedback, or none at
all, employees will not know when management is dissatisfied. If the manager
does not discuss performance problems with employees until performance-review
time, employees can be shocked and defensive, and much of the potential for
improving their work performance will be lost. Managers should act on problems
as they occur.
Manager does not delegate responsibilities
to staff members: This is a common problem among inexperienced managers. By
delegating certain tasks, a manager is able to keep his or her own desk clear
and to give employees the opportunity to develop problem-solving skills that
will improve their own career potential.
Manager takes work-related issues
personally: Naturally, a manager might be angry when an employee is late
for three days in a row, or when an important task isn't completed on time. But
managers must be careful not to turn work-related issues into personal ones
that could spark animosity between them and the staff. The management team must
maintain professional objectivity and decorum — no matter what issue arises.
Manager does not set parameters: Every
management style establishes a certain set of employee expectations. So a
manager needs to alert staff members if he or she wants to know the instant an
inventory problem occurs in order to handle it personally. Or, if the manager
prefers to have employees suggest their solutions when reporting a problem and
then have the employee handle the situation, the manager needs to communicate
that policy. Be sure employees understand what management expects of them.
Manager never shows appreciation to
employees: Running a restaurant is an extremely demanding job, so it's
understandable that managers may not always remember to say "thank
you" to employees. But expressing appreciation to employees for a job well
done should be the rule and not the exception for the restaurant's management
team. Regular words of praise for top-notch work performance, or even just for
commonplace dependability, will affirm your employees' value to the operation.
Managers should remember that most employees need positive reinforcement to
perform at their peak.
Manager fails to motivate workers: It
may be easy to assume that the weekly paycheck alone will motivate employees,
but experienced managers know that isn't true. Other motivators, such as
benefits packages, opportunities for personal and professional growth,
friendships made on the job, and the chance for additional training to enhance
skills, can all be vital to employees. A wise manager discovers what is
important to each employee and then responds accordingly to motivate that
particular worker.
Manager treats all employees the same:
That might seem like a smart move — but no two employees are the same; they
don't possess the same skills, temperaments or experiences. Therefore, no two
employees require the same kind of supervision. Some employees need a fixed
routine with a lot of direct supervision; others prefer to work independently.
Managers should figure out what management style works best with each employee.
Manager does not obtain necessary
information: Inadequate information leads managers to make poor decisions.
Valuable information comes not only through formal channels but also from
casual conversations with workers, staff conferences, informal networking and
regular tours through the restaurant. Managers should keep three or four information
channels open to minimize unpleasant surprises.
Manager does
not demonstrate loyalty to employees: Managers usually expect employees to
show loyalty to them, but they may forget that loyalty is a two-way street. The
management team can demonstrate loyalty to the restaurant's workers by making
positive comments to staff members, by acknowledging their special occasions,
by paying attention to their personal needs and by using workers' mistakes as
an opportunity for mutual learning.
The worst mistake?
There is one management misstep — lack of planning — that is possibly worse
than all the others. Lack of planning can lead to mismatched priorities, poor
scheduling and improper allocation of the manager's and employees' time. In
fact, many of the 10 most common mistakes have their roots in poor planning.
Establishing clear goals and objectives — together with the use of other
effective management techniques — will keep the restaurant management team in
step with employees.
Happy new year to all of you, it is my wish that each one of you have a very prosperous nad productive 2010, and may it bring lots of happiness and a well balance life.
Over the years, many types of leaders have been identified. We have charismatic leaders, coach leaders, bureaucratic leaders, Machiavellian leaders, democratic leaders, authoritarian leaders, yadda, yadda, yadda. Like I said, dozens. Who can remember all that?
in reference to:
"Over the years, many types of leaders have been identified. We have charismatic leaders, coach leaders, bureaucratic leaders, Machiavellian leaders, democratic leaders, authoritarian leaders, yadda, yadda, yadda. Like I said, dozens. Who can remember all that?" - Service Excellence: Are You a Builder or a Climber? (view on Google Sidewiki)
Over the years, many types of leaders have been identified. We have charismatic leaders, coach leaders, bureaucratic leaders, Machiavellian leaders, democratic leaders, authoritarian leaders, yadda, yadda, yadda. Like I said, dozens. Who can remember all that?
As one who believes simpler is better, I've boiled down all those styles to two basic types: Builders and Climbers.
Builders do just what their name says: They work to build a solid organization. They invest in their people. They want others to improve their skills. The keep the blueprints in mind and stick to them (parallel: company Vision/Mission statements) so no extraneous projects take over the schedule. Also, they keep an eye on quality because they know whatever they leave behind them will be a direct reflection on them.
Climbers are different. Like Builders, they want to achieve, but they're concerned about padding their own resume, not anyone else's. They seek the limelight, often at their coworkers' expense. In fact, they think nothing of standing on the backs of coworkers if they can get away with it. Climbers are often talented, but they use their talent to further their own career, not to build up the organization or others around them.
Climbers may look at the blueprints, but only to plan their next move. They're daring and aggressive. Their focus is on how they look, not on how the team performs. Also, they don't care what happens to an organization after they leave. It's "not their problem."
Frankly, I think it's safe to say that Climbers are selfish.
But here's an unfortunate problem: Many who are Climbers perceive themselves to be Builders. Even more unfortunate, this misstep in self-awareness is especially common at the senior levels of an organization. Ask people at the C-level if they're Builders or Climbers, and chances are good you'll hear "Builders."
Ask the next level of managers that same question, and they'll tell you they, too, are Builders. But ask that second level of management about the C-level and you'll hear something like "Oh my! Are they ever Climbers!"
The same phenomenon occurs as you inquire down through the management chain. Each level sees themselves as Builders, but those higher on the org chart are usually described as Climbers.
Since the only person we really have control over is our self, might I suggest that each of us stop and look within?
Warning to Climbers: This can be a difficult self-assessment, because Climbers easily rationalize how their efforts help the team. Accordingly, they see themselves as Builders.
Perhaps a few questions can help cut through any fog. Here are ten self-confrontation questions that can give you a clearer view of reality.
These are simple yes or no questions, but be ruthlessly honest with yourself. Your answer to a question might be "yes" 40 percent of the time, but that means you answer it "no" 60 percent of the time:
1. Do you encourage and even help other people work toward the same professional growth activities that you choose for yourself?
2. Do you sacrifice your time in the spotlight to train others to be better at what they do?
3. Do you ask for help on projects – and share the credit when accolades come?
4. Do you truly enjoy giving a boost to someone else's self-esteem?
5. Do you prioritize looking for ways to solve problems over looking for someone to blame?
6. When someone comes to you with a problem, do you listen more than talk?
7. Do you share new knowledge and information with those around you?
8. Do you look for ways to help others be better at what they do?
9. When things go wrong, do you take responsibility as quickly and to the same degree as you take credit when things go right?
10. When you do something for others, is it done without expectation of something in return?
If you can answer "yes" to these questions, chances are you are a natural Builder.
If you can answer yes to most but not all, that's a good sign, but there are still areas for improvement.
But if you answer "no" to most or all of these questions, chances are you're a Climber and you are unaware of the negative impact you have on your company. It's been my experience that some Climbers sincerely want to become Builders and genuinely contribute to a cause bigger then themselves.
If that's you, then revisiting the ten questions listed above is as good a place to start as any.
