Why It Pays To Invest In A Customer Experience Program

Attention Restaurant Owners: Are you losing revenue due to slow table turns?

We eat out at a restaurant for at least one meal a week. It's not always pleasurable, this is due to customer experience being of little importance to most restaurants. A good portion of the time it's the service, not the food. Servers, greeters, bussers, and managers don't seem to have a sense of urgency. You would think that pleasing the customer and adding revenue would be at the top of their priority list. Plus more customers means an increase in tips! Many restaurants have slow table turns due to untrained teams.

Why would you not want to retain every customer that walks through your door? Every time a customer leaves because of a long wait or never returns because service is slow is lost revenue. There are many ways you can increase your table turns. Let me give you some ideas that won't cost you additional payroll.

• Cross-train your entire team on how to bus a table - everyone can pitch in to get more business
• When tables are bussed use a tray - much faster than making numerous trips and putting fingers in glasses
• Sweep floors under tables - before tables are seated again, customers don't like seeing a buffet under their table, this eliminates the customer standing by the table till it is done
• Give accurate time quotes - fewer customers walking out
• As soon as a table leaves someone should be cleaning it - this will help get new customers seated sooner
• Roll-ups should be on the table or placed when the customer is seated - fewer trips for server
• Much easier to bus tables that have plates removed before the customer leaves - also removing plates adds to your customer's experience, remember full hand in, full hands out
• Everyone should be able to refill drinks such as tea, coffee, and sodas - pitchers/pots should be used for tea & coffee less steps than taking a glass to the beverage station to refill plus more sanitary
• Servers should be utilizing a digital device to take orders - this way orders will be accurate and will go directly to the kitchen and the server can move on to other duties
• Servers should be well versed on the menu - less time than going to the kitchen or finding a manager to ask questions
• Managers should be on the floor during busy times - all managers should be helping with the flow of service
• Use runners for delivering food - this will give servers more time to spend with customers

These are just a few ideas that will help speed up service and create a better customer experience. The idea is to keep everyone on the floor helping the customers. When you have more employees on the floor customers can get what they need without waiting for their server to check back.

We at The Hart Experience offer customized shop reports that help you see where the server sequence is lacking and how to turn tables faster. When you turn tables faster you increase revenue. Who doesn't love more revenue!!

Contact [email protected] at 602.717.3271, for your complimentary restaurant shop. We want you to increase revenue and have happier customers! https://www.thehartexperience.com

What other ideas can you think of that would help you turn tables faster?