Ah Restaurants, its really all about SERVICE!
· What is the purpose of business? To acquire and maintain customers! In store this should be your focus. “Making Memories”
· Customer Service excellence. The goal of business is money, but money is not the purpose. The purpose as illustrated above is about customer service excellence.
· Is the customer always right? No, yes, maybe, it doesn't matter cause THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS THE CUSTOMER. It’s not a matter of right or wrong, the fact of the matter is this remains a customer, and their expectations have not been met.
· The boomerang concept. In unskilled hands the boomerang disappears, but in skilled hands it returns. Same as your customers. Skilled staff and management will lead to returning customers.
· S = R – E. Success equals results minus expectations. What are your customers’ expectations when they enter your store? If they expect it to be an 8 out of 10, and you Deliver a 5 out of 10. That’s means its: 5 – 8 = -3. This is based on their own criteria!!! What are your customers’ expectations in store? Consistent food, friendly staff, safe dining environment, vibe in store? Identify your own customer’s criteria and expectations, and then meet them!
· CUSTOMERS WILL RETURN VISIT YOUR STORE BASED AND MEASURED ON THEIR OWN CRITERIA. What is right for your customer? You need to meet and exceed expectations of your customers for them to return. The BECAUSE FACTOR. We dine here at your store BECAUSE……(Family offering, service, safety, good food, great SERVICE)
· Each guest is unique. Don’t try and be phenomenal, DO THE RIGHT THINGS RIGHT. Sometimes we get caught up in trying to do stuff our customers don’t expect, and we forget about the basics. Do the basics, like service with a smile, fast with drinks.
· Chase negative people out of your business. Look through your management team, anyone who is negative does not serve a purpose in a service driven industry.
· MOT: Moment of Truth. When something goes wrong, do your management run to the problem, or do they run away. Too often management shy away from problems instead of dealing with them head on and confronting them in a professional manner.
· Leaders in store. Leaders take complexity and turn it into simplicity. Management too often complicate things, keep it simple, more will get done.
· Customer LOYALTY. This is something we should demonstrate to our customers, and not our customers to us. Look after your regular loyal customers, demonstrate your loyalty to them
· TRAINING IS CRITICAL. Keep people, and train them PROPERLY. So more training. What if we train them and they leave? What if we don’t and they stay? Train employees before they see the FIRST GUEST. Critical in our business, too often we hire out of necessity. Trainees shadow for a shift, then become waitrons.
· The CUSTOMERS DON’T SEE YOUR SLOGAN, THEY SEE YOUR PEOPLE!
· Love your Job. Life is no rehearsal, you were born to live. Embrace diversity.
· Rate your hand. It’s not about the hand God dealt you, but how did you play that hand?
Some wise words from Arthur Gillis, with some additions from me!