The Restaurant Biz Blog

WhenToGO-MOBILE

Sometimes funny, but mostly about what makes the retail and restaurant industry tick, each Friday the WhenToManage team plays on our company name with a WhenTo(DO). This week's WhenTo(DO) is on the mobile front, or when should your restaurant go mobile? According to the technology website cnet.com, in the first quarter of 2010 over 314.7 million mobile phones were sold, a 17 percent increase year over year. Clearly, mobile is on the rise and now you're thinking: what does it mean to my business and how do I "use" it??? Good question, but one that doesn't have an end-all-be-all answer. The smartphone and mobile space is clearly evolving. Not to mention, all the "pads" that will soon launch. So the answer is stay on top of the trends! As committed and former restaurant executives, managers, cooks and servers, we also have some ideas on how mobile can help, and our software does just that, help...

WhenToWATCH-A-YOUTUBE-VIDEO

Sometimes funny, but mostly about what makes the retail and restaurant industry tick, each Friday the WhenToManage team plays on our company name with a WhenTo(DO). This week's WhenTo(DO) is WhenToWATCH-A-YOUTUBE-VIDEO? Sure many of you out there in restaurant land have wasted time watching youtube videos (or Vimeo). Who hasn't? There's some funny stuff out there, but great video content exists. Many times the authors only want to help educate and inspire; so they're not all a waste of time. In this post, we've added a few videos that made an impact on us. Go ahead, sit back at your desk, or dinner table, and watch, you'll find something in these clips that might make you think about marketing, data and ideas...

In this video watch author Malcolm Gladwells' incredible TEDtalks.com presentation about the impact of multiple spaghetti sauces...

Another must is from the frequently mentioned marketing guru Seth Godin. In this video, Godin talks about tribe and impact building networks increases sales.

So you see, and hear, not all youtube videos are just for wasting time. Many of them have great things to teach and tell us. When you're not busy, or can make time for knowledgeshare, be sure to take a look around to see what amazingly free content is out on youtube.

WhenToGET-BACK-TO-YOUR-DINERS

Sometimes funny, but mostly about what makes the retail and restaurant industry tick, each Friday the WhenToManage team plays on our company name with a WhenTo(DO). This week's WhenTo(DO) is all about the time-to-interaction with a diner or WhenToGET-BACK-TO-THE-DINER! We all know the story here: customer walks in is seated and waits and waits and waits... And who likes to wait? Diners are hungry, thirsty or on a lunch break and truly have limited time. Sure, at the post office, we all turn into professional wait-ers, but in the restaurant business it is service, service, service.

If you haven't heard of a New York Minute, then I suggest you listen to this Eagles' song; you will understand how fast it truly is. And if you don't have time for that, then know a good rule of thumb is (at least in the US) for diners to be greeted within 60 seconds after being seated. Any longer and the potential for an irritated diner grows with each passing second. Interestingly, in Germany and according to German-way.com, you might wait forever. Entering an Austrian, German or Swiss restaurant requires a diner to find their own table. Sometimes a sever may suggest a table, but they’re usually too busy ignoring the people who are already seated.

Alas, we are across the pond... So this WhenTo(DO) begs the question: how do you teach this sense of urgency to servers, and do they understand your "New York Minute" requirements? The answer is make sure you state it consistently, train it and then manage it... We've created a series of report options for operators and managers to know more about table turn times and the resulting server performance.

Using one of our standard reports a manager can drill down into table turn times by employee. In this demo report, you can see that we are looking for an average turn time of about 50 minutes. We see exactly what tables were seated in this time frame, the check average, number of guests and even an option to go to the item level. Armed with this information, a manager can make station adjustments, improve training, optimize floor plans and help drive table turns. The goal here is to monitor and reward great customer service - your diners will.

Thank you to http://www.flickr.com/photos/batega/3775180564/ for the great picture.

Is Your Work Listening Optimized?

Did Lee Iacocca, former turn-around CEO and Chairman of Chrysler, capture how to create a great team in one influential remark? "Start with good people, lay out the rules, communicate with your employees, motivate and reward them. If you do all of those things effectively, you can't miss." Perhaps yes, or no, but who can argue with those principles?

When you really look at it, isn't his point: build great relationships? Motivations and listening are a key part to any relationship. Based on the right rewards, employees become motivated to perform. Perhaps they are monetary, or more intrinsic, such as a feeling of importance. To know any of this, listen. Without listening how would you know what motivates an employee to work that extra shift or, more importantly, add creativity to a guest experience that results in pleasurable dining. According to Inc Magazine, being more effective in an organization, requires active and engaged workplace listening. So, are you as engaged in actively listening all of the time? Hard for some of us, but we have an app for that...

The growth of workplace productivity tools has turned the once unknown project or process into the known. We can now listen to the dining room remodeling process, by engaging gantt charts via project management tools. We can communicate with vendors about orders on upcoming special events (I guess they listen in this example). But what about your employees? How can a busy restaurant operator listen "to it all of the time"? The trick is employee engagement. Below are just a few examples of how to engage your employees, through listening... 

• Pass it on... Managers should be ready to listen to employees and should not be reluctant to pass any grievances or problems faced by their employees to their superiors who have the authority to take the necessary actions.
• Speak your mind and heart... As a manager, speak up and say what you think. As obvious as this point seems, people have a difficult time articulating their needs, wants and desires.
• Actions speak louder than words... an employee’s experience of your organization’s actions influences them much more than communication, but communication creates the linkages and can play a central role in many of those experiences.

Next Blog: The secret is listening to your data

RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES EMBRACE ONLINE SCHEDULING SOLUTION

WhenToManage uncovers communication trend: web-based scheduling application fosters increased collaboration and productivity in the restaurant industry

WhenToManage, the leader in real-time, online reporting and integrated point of sale (POS) business analytics solutions for retailers and restaurants, released the results of a nation-wide user survey proving the critical value of online labor scheduling. Operators, faced with multiple employee scheduling demands, using the web-based communications and scheduling technology, can now more effectively optimize employee-to-management information sharing through a fundamental improvement to the labor scheduling process.

The 2010 Survey of WhenToManage Online Employee Scheduling Users, a national web-based survey of over 700 online restaurant employees conducted throughout June and July, found that 90% experienced improved communications to the point where they would highly recommend the application to employers. Over 70% of respondents stated the seamless communications, enabled by the application, increased productivity through improved workforce collaboration. The survey findings highlight new thinking about personnel management in the restaurant and retail industry. The data posits that increasing employee engagement through seamless and interactive scheduling technology makes for more productive employees and efficient scheduling procedures.

“We were very pleased at the overall survey results. The fact that 90% of employees would recommend WhenToManage to future employers says volumes about our tools. Many of them commented saying that it ‘totally opened up communication,’” said Jeff Schacher, CEO of WhenToManage. “We discovered that many of our employee users ended up being the power-users of our technology. They are one of the driving forces behind adoption at their restaurant. Frankly, because WhenToManage is so easy to use, we believe it will reduce the headache of employee management now and in the future. Some personnel matters will go away leaving more time for essential management duties resulting in happier employees to boot!” said Schacher.

Employees using the application can review their schedules and manage availability requests from either the internet, email or mobile text messages. Using secure log in functionality, employees interact with the system by requesting days off, set preferred shifts, update availability and swap shifts with other employees. Employee requests are then sent back to the store manager for approval. “With employees having less time to accomplish more, the online scheduling application addresses key productivity challenges by opening up communications and encourages employees to work together. This key development keeps the entire operation running smoothly.” Said Schacher.

Demanding Customers - How Does a Server Cope?

Have you noticed that the average customer has become a bit more demanding? A couple of weeks ago we went out to eat and the table next to us was one of those demanding customers, I felt so bad for their server.

To start off with, they ask if the kid's meal comes with drink, of course the parents were drinking the soda, not the water they ordered and must have had 6 refills during their meal. Every time the server delivered a course they would always ask the server to bring something. They didn't ask for this all at once, when the server would bring them what they first asked for then they would say, "Can you please bring some more butter". The poor server would make 2 to 3 additional trips every time they visited their table.

The general public is wary of the economy and what it means for the future and discretionary spending has been replaced by saving. So, when the unique opportunity presents itself to enjoy a meal outside the home, patrons want their experience to be well worth the money they are deciding to spend. I'm sure the tips are smaller as well.

Demands, like the customer I described made, may at times seem a little outrageous. And, with this increase in demands, it can often really affect an employee's morale as they are striving harder for increased customer satisfaction. Managers have to be really careful to protect the interests of the customer and the employees. This is not always easy, but you can accomplish both by first focusing on the needs of the employee. Their improved outlook on work will increase the likelihood of continued focus on customer satisfaction, which in turn, keeps the customers coming back.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Recognition: Build a system whereby your patrons have the opportunity to recognize an employee for a job well done. This is often accomplished with feedback cards. Recognition from management is always good, but when hearing directly from the customers, you know exactly how they felt about the experience.
• Give praise: One of the easiest and best things you can do for an employee is to recognize their contributions to the team.
• Rewards: This doesn't have to be big we are talking about an extra shift off, a free meal, or an employee-of-the-month, the reward for a job well done is appreciated and remembered.
• Vent Sessions: Some individuals find that the greatest release of the associated pressure is to vent to others about the experiences. Give your employees a place where they can do this but make sure its facilitated to it remains a venting session and not a customer bashing session. They can let out their frustration, identify with others who had similar situations, and learn how others handled it.

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Restaurants, Dining Experience and Marketing

Restaurants are a common new business venture but unfortunately, they also have a high rate of business failure.

We ask ourselves... what are the reasons people go to restaurants? Dining out is more than just going for food. In many situations, dining out means a social event or an entertainment experience. The overall atmosphere within the restaurant has a large impact. The manager or owner of a restaurant needs to have a focus on the customers' entire dining experience.

Many times, dining experiences are designed to impress someone, say a new date, a prospective client, or friends. A restaurant manager or owner should consider adding little things that the customer does not expect. The enhancement a restaurant gives its product or service before offering the product to customers. For instance, some restaurants that have targeted children have done an excellent job of creating a theme. The same is true for adults. The mood that is set by the restaurant has a significant impact on our perceptions--wall colors, lighting, furniture, background music etc., all impact the dining experience. The important thing for the restaurateur to understand is that the restaurant success depends as much about the experience as on the food. Central to marketing efforts is the concept of creating the experience that you desire the customer to have.

Every person who enters a restaurant has expectations--here are some of these:

• Clean facility--food and restrooms. 
• Prompt service attention--many times people are going to a restaurant for convenience, speed of service and to be cared for.
• Friendly service--people want to feel welcome and appreciated.
• Convenience--food delivered in a certain amount of time.
• Food quality--consistency.
  
• Quick resolution of the bill.

Every restaurant should have service standards. And training is a big key. The business owner must establish the standards of performance in the business. Left to chance, it will probably not be as desirable as if the business leader creates the experience.

Develop a list of measurables within the restaurant, develop standards for each one, provide training to ensure staff is prepared to meet the objectives and, finally, provide a method for measuring and reporting actual performance in relation to desired performance. Additional reinforcement in behavioral science, the presentation of a stimulus following a response that increases the frequency of subsequent responses, whether positive to desirable events, or for this type of program can be provided by linking feedback or bonuses, both financial and non-financial, to actual performance.

A restaurant grows by generating positive word-of-mouth advertising. Dining establishments develop a reputation, which is the ultimate indicator of future success. No amount of radio, TV and newspaper advertising can overcome a bad reputation. A great reputation, properly maintained, is a fortress that will protect the success of a restaurant.

Word-of-mouth advertising, or buzz, will develop on its own. However, the most proactive approach is to plant the seeds of a great reputation. Here are some strategies to accomplish this.

• Attract influential people (local celebrities, early adopters, leaders)
• Emphasize events and celebrations with special programs
• Offer gift certificates--use them to cross promote the business.
• Get the media involved--get some good press.
• Spark lunch traffic with local businesses and organizations in your local area, think about a "Company Day" where you offer a specific discount to company employees on a specific day.
• Do "date night" promotions--work in conjunction with other businesses to offer a more complete package (i.e., dinner and an movie, etc.).
• Use coupons effectively. If not done effectively they can hurt your business instead of helping your business
• Develop a "valued customer" database to prompt recurrent/forming dining habits.

And don't forget about using Social Media to help promote this, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Linkedin and YouTube to name a few. Social media marketing has become one of the most advantageous avenues by which a business can attract new customers while also maintaining strong relationships with existing clients. By creating a more personal relationship with these customers and clients through social media outlets your restaurant can develop greater brand awareness, build strong networks and establish a loyal following.

While social media does require a time commitment the benefits of exposure it will generate for your business followed by increased traffic and new opportunities is well worth it.

How Great is Your Customer Service?

When guests come to your restaurant, you should treat them as if they are friends visiting your home. Treating your guests with care and providing an exceptional place for them to enjoy a meal is part of the reason they will come back to your restaurant again. They also expect quality in every aspect of the restaurant. Guests are looking for a value in the things they see, taste and touch, and so providing them with exceptional quality will certainly leave a good taste in their mouths; here are a few tips.

Food Quality

Food and beverages are probably the biggest indicator of quality that a customer notices. Food quality is not only important to the customers' impressions of the overall restaurant experience, but it is important for the their health, as well. Guests' health should never be compromised. Although not all restaurants can boast the best quality food in town, they can still take measures to ensure that food is stored and prepared safely. Take the following considerations when assuring food quality in your restaurant:

• Be sure to follow proper first-in, first-out (FIFO) rotation with all food products.
• Properly label and date all food products.
• Never serve food that has expired.
• Prepare products safely, avoiding cross-contamination with dangerous bacteria or cross contact with allergens.
• Wash hands before and after handling food products.
• Prepare and serve foods at proper, safe temperatures.
  

Quality Atmosphere

When guests enter your restaurant, they should feel as though they are in a special, comfortable place. Try these suggestions to create a superior ambience in your restaurant:

• Consider your concept, and be sure the strength of the light suits the tone you wish to portray to your guests.
• Make sure the volume of your music is audible but not distracting. Music should help create the ambience rather than overwhelm it.
• Decorate your restaurant with a special, unique theme or focal point.
  
• Even a quick-service restaurant needs to demonstrate a high standard of cleanliness for customers to feel good about the quality of food.
  
• Maintain a comfortable inside temperature in your building. 70°F is usually acceptable. Minimize drafts or hot spots from lights as much as possible.

Memorable Service

Perhaps even more important than food quality is the service the customers experience from the time they enter the restaurant until the time they walk out the doors. Although restaurants thrive because of sales, the sale should never be put before the customer's needs.

How to Speak with Customers

In any restaurant or food service environment, speaking to customers should always involve the utmost respect and courtesy. This goes for all workers, from drive-thru attendants to servers at fine dining establishments. This is rather idealistic. However, restaurant workers should follow these general guidelines when speaking with customers:

• Use respectful titles, such as "sir" and "ma'am."
  
• Be optimistic, and speak with a smile.
• Never interrupt or talk over guests' conversations if you can help it,
• Know your menu so you can speak intelligently to educate guests.
• Listen with respect and care to what the customer has to say.
• Be sure you ask questions to clarify a customer's order if there is any confusion.
• Be honest and straightforward with customers at all times, especially if there is a problem.

How to Serve and Clear Food

Serving etiquette varies depending on the restaurant serving type. The restaurant types where this matters the most are upscale or fine dining restaurants. Managers should train their servers in proper table etiquette if they are unsure of how to proceed in a serving or clearing situation. The following tips describe the basics:

• Service order is usually an important standard upheld in fine dining restaurants or formal banquets. In these dining establishments, it is appropriate to serve the guest of honor first, then the female guests and then the males. In less formal restaurants, it is acceptable to simply serve women before men.
• Servers should serve and clear food from the diner's left side. Some formal restaurants advise serving with the left hand for these tasks. Serving from the left is best since most diners are right-handed. Politely excuse yourself if you find that you are interrupting or reaching.
  
• Serve or pour beverages from the diner's right side since that is usually where the glasses are set on the table.
• Serving food, servers and food runners should not call out entrées to see whom at the table claims the dishes. Servers and food runners should have a system to identify which plates correspond to which guest without having to mimic an auction house.
• Good service extends beyond the meal to the entire length of time the party is inside the restaurant.
• Unless otherwise requested, clear all plates and empty glasses at the same time, and before presenting the check.

Caring for Upset Customers

Now and again there are bound to be problems. A customer may be dissatisfied with his meal or may find the quality to be below his standards. Sometimes guests will find the need to vent anger or annoyance before the problem can be resolved. Be sure to train servers the proper ways to handle customer complaints. The manager should also visit the customer to ensure the resolution met their expectation. Retaining upset customers can be a challenge. When you put in the effort and respect to recover distressed customers, you may be able to convince them to return to your establishment in the future.

 

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Motivating Your Employees

The best employee-driven operators ask themselves, "What do we want to be famous for with our employees?" Is it favoritism, mercurial moods, daily doubles, endless closing-opening shifts? Or do you offer moral leadership, fairness, energy, equity, balance, challenge and fun? The best operators know that they're not just selling food and beverages, they're selling the server's smile, energy, knowledge, attitude and empathy. The care and maintenance of both your internal and external customers is the key to both guest and employee retention.

Understand that you cannot "motivate" anyone. You can, however, create an environment in which your employees are self-motivated. To do what? Improve performance, profits and productivity. Effective incentives are a key factor to help create a self-motivated wait staff and kitchen crew.

Here are a few ideas you might find helpful to motivate your employees.

• The wall of fame - Showcase an employee of the week, the month, and an employee of the year. Have weekly, monthly and annual award ceremonies. It's important to have both management and employees make the selections. Remember, compensation is a right. Recognition is a gift.

• Employee meals - Employees who have the opportunity to enjoy items on your menu become excellent marketers for your food--a sincere, personal recommendation is the most effective up selling strategy. Make menu items complimentary or available at cost.

• Crew feedback cards - Asking for server feedback sends the message that their opinion and perspective is valuable. It also creates a team-oriented work environment and promotes professionalism. 

• Happy birthday cards - Here's a real easy one: Hand-written, personalized birthday cards signed by the owner and/or General Manager of your restaurant will generate tremendous good will. The employee will be surprised that you even knew it was their birthday let alone receive a card.

• Know your employees - Spend some time during each shift talking one-on-one with an employee about a hobby or interest-anything non-work related. The employee feels important and special, and employees who feel good about work, take better care of your guests. This will help you understand your employees what motivates them.

• One-on-one's - At a minimum you should have sit down one-on-ones with your employees every 6 months but on their hire date anniversary make it special, have lunch or dinner with them. Ask questions, listen to ideas, show appreciation, and let them know they are a valuable asset. You will be surprised how much you will benefit from this as well as the employee.

Today's labor force wants the same things you wanted, and your parents wanted from work: a pleasant environment, fair compensation, appreciation for a job well done, and training to develop skills for advancement.

Keep focused on the basics that have always attracted good employees. And don't forget to ask them what they want. You might be surprised at what you hear.

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A Restaurant Guest's New Year's Wishlist

Joel Cohen at www.restaurantmarketingblog.com listed 34 in total, but here are my 10 favorites.

1. A clean, well-decorated washroom/bathroom.
2. A server who holds my drink glass in the middle, not on the lips of the glass. -- this is the worst (see #1)
3. A server who has tasted the food and has some great personal recommendations -- nothing makes you feel better than the "I haven't eaten here" from their server
4. Never to hear the phrase, “Is everything okay?”
5. Order take-out that has leak-proof packaging.
6. Order take-out where the cold salad is NOT packed with the hot entree.
7. Receive an umbrella if it’s raining as I’m leaving the restaurant. -- now there's a great idea
8. Have the owner/manager of the restaurant greet and thank me for my business.
9. Receive my final bill/check within 60 to 90 seconds of requesting it. -- I'd even accept 2-3 minutes, but when you're ready to go, you're ready to go
   
10. A genuine smile ... because smiling is contagious. -- I have to agree. I've been seated by many bored hosts who obviously dislike their job, makes it a lot harder for the server to recover after a start like that.

In all honesty, I could probably think of hundreds of things I would like in a dining experience as a guest. But as an operator it's very simple, just make the guest your #1 priority, with that as your guide, you'll know what needs doing.