All things purple - Edition 18!!

So, here we are in March already, lighter nights, and spring on our doorstep so there is a lot to be greatful for! Having said that, a lacklustre budget, an American election that looks to see Trump get back in and idiots stealing Landrover Defender Headlamps for naughty purposes makes it feel like a very random world at times! Fear not - edition 18 of my ramblings is here to provide some respite!!!!! Grab a brew and lets dive into all things Purple!

So what am I covering?

• The latest adventures of Purple Story brought to life
• Mitigating the National Minimum Wage - my 5 point action plan (and a cheeky film)
• Why ROI is fast becoming irrelevant!
• Ripping up the world of local marketing - one poster at a time!

The latest adventures of Purple Story brought to life!

This week at Purple Story (The Home of Operational Excellence) has been nothing short of extraordinary, marked by a whirlwind of collaborations, new beginnings, and heartening engagements. As the voice of Purple Story, I'm thrilled to share our journey, emphasising the belief that collaboration outshines competition, and the power of a supportive tribe in fostering success and growth.

Our week kicked off with promising meetings with potential new partners: Emma Roderick from Clearing Clouds and the Alan Armstrong from Spaceman Marketing . These encounters reiterate our commitment to building a community where mutual support and shared visions pave the way for innovation that drives performance and is always professionally rebellious in approach.

Richard Tudor-Thomas dedicated his expertise to the wonderful team at Care UK , enhancing their Future Deputy and Home Manager programme through his invaluable insights. Meanwhile, Andy was found spearheading another edition of the Supercharged Leadership programme with Parkdean Resorts , a project that fills us with immense pride and joy, especially given its impact on leadership dynamics and team cohesion.

A highlight was our serendipitous interactions with Barrie Robinson PgDip and Kate Smith , talking all things intentional leadership. Loved being back at Woodland Grange!

Looking ahead, I cannot wait for an immersion call with the vibrant Samantha Coll Reynolds and the L and T training team from Greene King. Sam and I go way back and I do mean way back to the days of Wacky Warehouse!!!!!

Today saw me visit Chelmsford for an engaging session with Ego Mediterranean Restaurants with a deep dive into generational dynamics within the workplace, a topic close to my heart.

Joe Whibley has been in sales action with Eudelo and Verity Milns heartfelt support for the Girls Out Loud programme embody the diverse impact our team is making across sectors. Our upcoming partnership with McManus pubs is a significant milestone, where we'll drive a person-centric, performance-led culture, showcasing our commitment to transformative learning and development and making sure Tom McManus fulfils his people vision.

As we wrap up the week, Verity and I are gearing up for a new accreditation, introducing a ground breaking tool designed to facilitate colourful conversations with our clients, enhancing engagement and understanding at an unprecedented scale. Watch this space its new and its epic!!

This whirlwind of activities, from strategic partnerships to immersive training programmes, reflects the essence of Purple Story - my crazy idea that developed into a community of innovation, collaboration, and unwavering dedication. Even with Sara Parry new adventures in Australia (temporarily) and Lynda Merryweather rejuvenating break in Spain, our momentum remains undeterred, a testament to our resilient and dynamic team.

In the entrepreneurial world, our journey this week underscores the relentless pursuit of excellence, the joy of meaningful connections, and the transformative power of collective wisdom. This is the spirit of Purple Story, and it's a privilege to have created and now be leading our next stage of growth through supporting other businesses to find their edge!

Mitigating the National Minimum Wage - my 5 point action plan (and a cheeky film)

In 2002, two visionary academics warned that if leadership and management within the hospitality sector failed to innovate, staff turnover would become a widespread issue. Fast-forward more than two decades, and their cautionary words still echo loudly in our industry corridors.

It’s high time we confronted this ever-present challenge head-on, rewrite the narrative on employee retention in hospitality once and for all, and address the all-too-familiar discourse surrounding turnover with the urgency it demands.

Adding a new layer to this age-old dilemma is the unprecedented spike in human capital costs, with projections by S4Labour indicating a potential increase in average pub labour expenses of approximately ￡15,000.

This stark reality has been a focal point in our recent series of workshops aimed at demystifying the art of driving sales, developed in collaboration with Mark Bentley and Hospitality Data Insights (HDI).

A critical question we posed to our attendees was whether they could quantify the financial impact of the national minimum wage hike on their operations and strategise accordingly to offset this burden through increased sales. Alarmingly, the number of those who could was low, underlining a concerning gap in proactive commercial management among our managers.

The prevailing mindset of awaiting directives from above is a relic of the past. Today’s dynamic business environment demands that managers not only anticipate change, but also spearhead strategic initiatives to mitigate its impact.

At Purple Story, we’ve devised a pragmatic five-point action plan designed to empower managers to proactively enhance sales performance without waiting for the proverbial baton to be passed.

Chunking

Break down daunting sales targets into manageable milestones. Transform a seemingly insurmountable ￡6,000 goal into bite-sized, achievable objectives, making success not just possible, but expected. Most team members will never have had ￡6,000 in their bank, therefore they cannot connect with delivering that number.

Speed

Evaluate and enhance speed of service. Managers must adopt a no-excuses approach to streamlining operations, recognising that efficiency drives profitability, and the sooner the food comes off the pass, the more food can come out.

Technology

Leverage tech solutions to elevate efficiency. The underutilisation of features like “pay at the table” options not only hampers service speed, but also squanders opportunities to boost transaction volumes.

Delivery

In the wake of the pandemic, delivery services have woven themselves into the fabric of our society. Managers must capitalise on this trend, maximising both in-house and external delivery capabilities. The conversation now is just as much about how much food is sold outside of the restaurant as is sold inside!

Personal development plans (PDPs)

Invest in your team’s growth. Simple, yet transformative, our “Purple Hack” to PDPs, revealed in our webinar, exemplifies how incremental skill enhancements, such as improving a team member’s ability to carry an additional plate, can significantly impact operational efficiency.

These strategies are not ground-breaking, but they are revolutionary when actioned. The real challenge lies in their consistent, deliberate implementation. The pay-off to this investment is to not only alleviate financial pressures, but also create an engaged team less likely to leave.

Imagine a future where managers proactively present their solutions, transforming the traditional dynamic into a collaborative, forward-thinking partnership. This is not just an aspiration, but a necessary evolution for our industry.

Let’s lead this charge as architects of change, shaping a more resilient, innovative and sustainable hospitality sector where managers are empowered to truly grow their business through the tools they already have.

Why ROI is fast becoming irrelevant?

All of the finance teams reading this will be quaking in their boots reading that but I do mean it! At Purple Story we are asked all the time to detail what the ROI on an investment into a people programme is and I struggle with it! Of course, there is an ROI and we do positively impact financial performance but we do it through human behaviour - on which you cannot put an ROI!

ROI is becoming increasingly challenging to measure effectively in marketing and people development areas of the business. With the rise of inbound marketing and digital strategies, where content and consumer interaction play a crucial role, traditional outbound marketing methods are less effective and harder to quantify in terms of ROI. Consumers prefer engaging with content that interests them, making it essential for marketing strategies to adapt and focus on providing value, making traditional ROI metrics less relevant in this new era! The more important question is what is the impact to the business if I don't invest! If I don't invest in digital strategies to grow the audience of my brand and if I don't invest in the team I will never deliver the proposition.

ROI is a quantitative measure often used to defend an injection of cash - perhaps we need to think broader and an ROI should feature both quantitative and qualitative feedback. If I am happy as a team member then how I feel is an important ROI its just intangible and difficult to measure!

PS this is just my POV!

Let's stop defending an investment and start celebrating an investment and what it has made people feel!

After all when you invest ￡30 in that delivery pizza I am pretty sure you are not measuring the ROI of speed you are more likely feeling sated and happy that you just wolfed down a meat feast! How do you put an ROI on that feeling?????

Ripping up the world of local marketing - one poster at a time!

The days of A boards and posters are fast becoming an thing that should be relegated to the "we used to do that" along with paying wages in cash and other out of date activities!

I continue to be blown away with how Asti Wagner and the team Invyted are trying to re-educate hospitality to the power of the Influencer. Today I spent a wonderful day with Alex Coker and we talked all about local marketing and how we must help operators become future fit and not past perfect! We live in a world where the people we watch on our favourite social channels have a much bigger impact on our lives than ever before! Whether you are influenced to make a new dish in the air fryer or book a table at a restaurant you have seen on Insta, there are a wealth of voices out there ready and able to propel your brand forward!

Step forward Invyted that matches content creators with brands and is undoubtedly going to replace local marketing! I often say there are only two marketing strategies moving forward - relationship and influencer! Instead of spending money on a poster that your existing guests will see why not invest a little on growing the audience - they might not use you immediately but the larger the audience you are talking to the more likely you are to convert! It is no longer just about talking to your customer base but growing your audience - that is future fit!

Whatever you do - do not miss the opportunity to talk to Invyted and if you want to know more watch this space as I am bringing hangout BACK! A special edition to talk all things influencers! It is going to be epic!

So there we are for now - another edition and some ramblings to get you thinking and talking! Please do reach out and talk to me about partnering in whatever way you would like! If you want some FREE digital content then all you have to do is book an appointment

See you soon

KT over and out!