Last night we came back from picking up the boys at school, and we came back to a power outage so the dinner my wife planned was out, and we headed to a national chain breakfast all day restaurant. We should have figured that there would be a waiting period, and they would not be ready for the extra business. What was I thinking?
The young hostess who couldn’t have been more than a senior I she did a decent job, she took names and quoted times, and she hustled drinks and kept up. The downside was she had 2 names with J and called one and the other family was seated first, in all 6 were seated before us, and as a former Maitre’d, I know how hard it is to balance on a night that you didn’t see coming. The Manager was seen twice, and was virtually unseen the rest of the time it was always a floor presence that I was taught.
The orders were skimpy, normally it is good food, and I am sure that the influx of business was due to the power being off. The hostess in question also had the poor skill of misplacing her only pen. Always be prepared we were told in Scouts. I truly believe that the whole experience would have been entirely different if the Manager spent more time on the floor and perhaps the Hostess was given some better instruction. We’ll go back, I just hope they are better prepared.
Monday, February 28, 2011
The Difference Between One and the Other..
Do you know the difference between an order taker & a sales person?
Generally about 25% in added sales….
Ten Tips for Increasing Sales & Customer Satisfaction
1) The Greeting & Spill Drinks – "Hi, my name is Rick and I'll be your server tonight." Is not what I want to here as your guest — Talk to me — engage me — Ask me how I'm doing — Ask if I've been here before — Thank me for coming - anything to engage me & make me glad that I chose your restaurant!
2) The Beverage Order & Tips – DON'T ask — what would you like to drink — Offer me a beverage — Would you like a cocktail or a glass of wine while you check out the menu — If I ask for water — don't say sure — DO Ask "will that be flat or sparkling"! (This is one of my personal favourites — more opportunities missed here than anywhere else...)
3) The Appetizer – After bringing my beverage — DON'T ask if we are ready to order — offer me a specific appetizer or starter — if I hesitate, offer something that we can share…
4) What's Good Here? – never say EVERYTHING — give me a couple of real suggestions — what is your favourite? What is the Chef featuring tonight? What did your last table rave about?
5) "How's Everything?" – DON'T ever ask this when checking back on food - Be specific — Is your steak cooked to your liking? Does anyone need more sauce? Have you tasted the chicken yet? Don't forget to mention to save room for dessert — "the chocolate cake here is to die for…"
6) Drink Refills – This is the easiest sale of all — and quite often overlooked — Be alert — don't miss the opportunity to refill our drinks — Don't make me chase you for it.
7) After Dessert & – thank me for coming — invite me back — and DON'T ask me if I need change — if you have done your job well — you will get a tip — a good one if you have earned it!
8) In General – Know your restaurant — It goes without saying that all wait staff should have an intimate knowledge of the food & beverage menu — In addition Always ensure that everyone knows - what time do you open & close, how long have you been established, how do I make a reservation, do you offer group menus or packages, when was it remodelled last — All the little things that create a positive impact on curious customers.
9) Pre Shift Meetings – Never, Never begin any shift without a pre-shift floor staff meeting — everyone needs to know what is happening — what are the specials, what do they look like — what are they served with — what beverage or wine should be suggested with them — Coaching is critical — Always & Continuously!
10) Training, Training, Training – It never "just happens" It must be a conscious effort on the part of management & ownership — It must be intentional — focused - & repetitive, as necessary -
When guest \ server interaction improves - everyone wins — customers feel appreciated, they return more often, sales increase, tips increase, staff turnover decreases…
We have all heard the old adage about the cost of training;
What happens if I spend all that money training someone and then they leave?
What happens if you don't train them and they stay?
You decide...
Generally about 25% in added sales….
Ten Tips for Increasing Sales & Customer Satisfaction
1) The Greeting & Spill Drinks – "Hi, my name is Rick and I'll be your server tonight." Is not what I want to here as your guest — Talk to me — engage me — Ask me how I'm doing — Ask if I've been here before — Thank me for coming - anything to engage me & make me glad that I chose your restaurant!
2) The Beverage Order & Tips – DON'T ask — what would you like to drink — Offer me a beverage — Would you like a cocktail or a glass of wine while you check out the menu — If I ask for water — don't say sure — DO Ask "will that be flat or sparkling"! (This is one of my personal favourites — more opportunities missed here than anywhere else...)
3) The Appetizer – After bringing my beverage — DON'T ask if we are ready to order — offer me a specific appetizer or starter — if I hesitate, offer something that we can share…
4) What's Good Here? – never say EVERYTHING — give me a couple of real suggestions — what is your favourite? What is the Chef featuring tonight? What did your last table rave about?
5) "How's Everything?" – DON'T ever ask this when checking back on food - Be specific — Is your steak cooked to your liking? Does anyone need more sauce? Have you tasted the chicken yet? Don't forget to mention to save room for dessert — "the chocolate cake here is to die for…"
6) Drink Refills – This is the easiest sale of all — and quite often overlooked — Be alert — don't miss the opportunity to refill our drinks — Don't make me chase you for it.
7) After Dessert & – thank me for coming — invite me back — and DON'T ask me if I need change — if you have done your job well — you will get a tip — a good one if you have earned it!
8) In General – Know your restaurant — It goes without saying that all wait staff should have an intimate knowledge of the food & beverage menu — In addition Always ensure that everyone knows - what time do you open & close, how long have you been established, how do I make a reservation, do you offer group menus or packages, when was it remodelled last — All the little things that create a positive impact on curious customers.
9) Pre Shift Meetings – Never, Never begin any shift without a pre-shift floor staff meeting — everyone needs to know what is happening — what are the specials, what do they look like — what are they served with — what beverage or wine should be suggested with them — Coaching is critical — Always & Continuously!
10) Training, Training, Training – It never "just happens" It must be a conscious effort on the part of management & ownership — It must be intentional — focused - & repetitive, as necessary -
When guest \ server interaction improves - everyone wins — customers feel appreciated, they return more often, sales increase, tips increase, staff turnover decreases…
We have all heard the old adage about the cost of training;
What happens if I spend all that money training someone and then they leave?
What happens if you don't train them and they stay?
You decide...
Before you write up an employee..........
It would be nice if all employees came to work on time, performed efficiently and pleasantly, and were thankful for their paycheck. But employers know that employees sometimes fall far short of your hopes. Here are the steps to work through as you decide how to proceed:
Most employee lawsuits stem from employees’ perceptions that they got a raw deal. So before you discipline an employee in writing, ask yourself these questions:
Most employee lawsuits stem from employees’ perceptions that they got a raw deal. So before you discipline an employee in writing, ask yourself these questions:
- Does the punishment fit the crime? Sending someone home without pay for being 10 minutes late is excessive, unless the tardiness is a repeated violation and the employee has been told that repeated incidents could end in dismissal. Document all violations.
- Did you discuss it first? Talk over the problem before you commit it to writing; it may help you draw a more accurate conclusion.
- Are the facts clear? If everyone agrees on the events in question and you have proof that what happened violated company rules, your case is ironclad. But don’t make a final decision to put it in writing until all ambiguities are gone.
- Are you acting consistently? Review the discipline handed out over the past year. How does what happened then compare with the current situation?
Monday, February 14, 2011
Service and Manners @ Home or Away…Shouldn’t They be the same?
Over the past week I have been in and out of several establishments, Recently we took the boys to the local mall food court for dinner since my wife had to work later than normal, even the college junior tagged along. A family came into the food court from the movie theatre located on the other side and brought food from the theater, and bought more in the food court itself. They sat after we did and they ate rather quickly, my back was to them. As we prepared to depart we cleaned up and being an hotelier I try to make sure we leave it as clean as when we arrived. I was truly amazed at the mess these people behind us left on the tables unfortunately for the crew that had to clean it up, and I understand having to wipe the tables, and pick up trays, but this was 20 times worse. It seems to me that people some, not all, have this sense that they are above picking up and cleaning up after themselves.
I often wonder and think in my head, do people behave like this at home? Then I ask why act like that in public? I see it in public restrooms also when I was a houseman a long time ago I cleaned a lot of public restrooms like 18 sets. I saw a lot, but not to the degree I see today, Seriously are people that much of a slob? Where are their manners, the same can be said for kids I can’t recall acting like that, I admit we weren’t perfect, we had our faults, but not like this and discussing what you hear young teens talking about today topics that we didn’t dare talk about in public especially around others. I find it hard to believe that they act like that but then again I’m not surprised anymore either.
You see it and it’s sad but true. Do people act like that at home? I think we need to get back to the basics and it seems to me in a lot more ways than one.
I often wonder and think in my head, do people behave like this at home? Then I ask why act like that in public? I see it in public restrooms also when I was a houseman a long time ago I cleaned a lot of public restrooms like 18 sets. I saw a lot, but not to the degree I see today, Seriously are people that much of a slob? Where are their manners, the same can be said for kids I can’t recall acting like that, I admit we weren’t perfect, we had our faults, but not like this and discussing what you hear young teens talking about today topics that we didn’t dare talk about in public especially around others. I find it hard to believe that they act like that but then again I’m not surprised anymore either.
You see it and it’s sad but true. Do people act like that at home? I think we need to get back to the basics and it seems to me in a lot more ways than one.
Friday, February 11, 2011
The WOW Factor – The Power Selling Partnership of GMs and Sales
Carol Verret writes about the WOW Factor, and my having sold food as a Sales Manager and my background in hotel operations, the applications are the same, and can and do achieve the desired results..
Carol wrote as follows..
Many hotel General Managers underestimate the power of their positions. In the day to day running of a hotel it is easy to lose perspective of how the hotel team and more importantly the customer perceives the General Manager.
Their perception is that the GM is the ultimate authority in a hotel. To the guest, the GM can fix anything and make anything happen in his or her hotel. Now while many GM's probably have a wry smile on their faces as they read this, GMs often don't use the power of the position to leverage sales.
When I ask this question of GMs at seminars "How many of you can name your top ten accounts?' I get a lot of hands raised. When is ask "How many of your can name the sales contact at these accounts?" about half of the hands go down. When I ask the question "How many of you have spoken to the sales contact of your top accounts in the last three months?" I usually see only one or two at best and some of those may be exaggerating!.
The Feedback I'm getting from many corporate offices is that they would like to see their GMs more involved in sales, out on sales calls. Many GMs get so caught up in the day to today issues in their hotel that by the time they have everything settled it is past five and too late!
There are some very simple things GMs can do to support the sales process in just a few hours a week:
•One Call a Day. Focus calls to your top accounts take very little time. When the GM calls, introduces him or herself and then asks "How well are we serving you and your guests?" it is likely to be met with a moment of silence because the contact is so startled and impressed. Now this is the big - The GM says "I want to give you my direct line and my cell phone number so if you can't get a situation resolved, you can call me directly." Because no one else in the market is probably doing this, the GM has just ‘bullet proofed' the account from the competition. Every client is impressed to have a direct line to the boss!
•Stop in on Site Inspections. Yes, the GM is a busy person but just stopping by the table at a lunch or catching up with the sales person on a property tour to introduce themselves and indicate the he or she would very much hope that they choose this hotel can make a huge impact. The following is probably an apocryphal story. A large account in a market was conducting site inspections prior to choosing a hotel. They walked in to the Marriott and the GM walked up to the leader of the group with a cell phone and said "It's for you." At the other end of the phone was Mr. Marriott who indicated how much this hotel would appreciate their business. Who do you think got the account?
•Going on Sales Calls to Target Accounts. It can make all the difference in ‘tipping' the account when the GM accompanies the sales person on a sales call to a target account that has not committed. They are so impressed to have the ultimate decision maker in on terms of negotiation that they may be less hard on the ‘boss' than they would on the sales person.
•The GM Close. When a contact is wavering and hasn't made a decision the personal guarantee of the GM can make all of the difference. If the GM can't be there in person, a short video of the GM surrounded by the rest of the team indicating that if the prospect chooses their hotel, he/she will personally guarantee that their function runs perfectly or they will make it right. All this requires is a Flip Cam and three minutes of time for the department heads and the Gm to make this video - but how impressive would that be!
•Cultivate Contacts One Level up from the Sales Contacts in all Key Accounts. This ensures that should the sales contact at the account leaves or the hotel sales person departs, there is another contact with a strong connection to the hotel. For local accounts, this can be done through business functions such as the Chamber. For distant accounts, find out who the sales contact reports to then call them with the pitch indicating that you want them to know how much the hotel appreciates their business.
Any one of these could ‘tip' an account in your favor. All of the above in combination creates a WOW factor that would be very hard for any competitor to overcome. The competition won't know what hit them!
Carol wrote as follows..
Many hotel General Managers underestimate the power of their positions. In the day to day running of a hotel it is easy to lose perspective of how the hotel team and more importantly the customer perceives the General Manager.
Their perception is that the GM is the ultimate authority in a hotel. To the guest, the GM can fix anything and make anything happen in his or her hotel. Now while many GM's probably have a wry smile on their faces as they read this, GMs often don't use the power of the position to leverage sales.
When I ask this question of GMs at seminars "How many of you can name your top ten accounts?' I get a lot of hands raised. When is ask "How many of your can name the sales contact at these accounts?" about half of the hands go down. When I ask the question "How many of you have spoken to the sales contact of your top accounts in the last three months?" I usually see only one or two at best and some of those may be exaggerating!.
The Feedback I'm getting from many corporate offices is that they would like to see their GMs more involved in sales, out on sales calls. Many GMs get so caught up in the day to today issues in their hotel that by the time they have everything settled it is past five and too late!
There are some very simple things GMs can do to support the sales process in just a few hours a week:
•One Call a Day. Focus calls to your top accounts take very little time. When the GM calls, introduces him or herself and then asks "How well are we serving you and your guests?" it is likely to be met with a moment of silence because the contact is so startled and impressed. Now this is the big - The GM says "I want to give you my direct line and my cell phone number so if you can't get a situation resolved, you can call me directly." Because no one else in the market is probably doing this, the GM has just ‘bullet proofed' the account from the competition. Every client is impressed to have a direct line to the boss!
•Stop in on Site Inspections. Yes, the GM is a busy person but just stopping by the table at a lunch or catching up with the sales person on a property tour to introduce themselves and indicate the he or she would very much hope that they choose this hotel can make a huge impact. The following is probably an apocryphal story. A large account in a market was conducting site inspections prior to choosing a hotel. They walked in to the Marriott and the GM walked up to the leader of the group with a cell phone and said "It's for you." At the other end of the phone was Mr. Marriott who indicated how much this hotel would appreciate their business. Who do you think got the account?
•Going on Sales Calls to Target Accounts. It can make all the difference in ‘tipping' the account when the GM accompanies the sales person on a sales call to a target account that has not committed. They are so impressed to have the ultimate decision maker in on terms of negotiation that they may be less hard on the ‘boss' than they would on the sales person.
•The GM Close. When a contact is wavering and hasn't made a decision the personal guarantee of the GM can make all of the difference. If the GM can't be there in person, a short video of the GM surrounded by the rest of the team indicating that if the prospect chooses their hotel, he/she will personally guarantee that their function runs perfectly or they will make it right. All this requires is a Flip Cam and three minutes of time for the department heads and the Gm to make this video - but how impressive would that be!
•Cultivate Contacts One Level up from the Sales Contacts in all Key Accounts. This ensures that should the sales contact at the account leaves or the hotel sales person departs, there is another contact with a strong connection to the hotel. For local accounts, this can be done through business functions such as the Chamber. For distant accounts, find out who the sales contact reports to then call them with the pitch indicating that you want them to know how much the hotel appreciates their business.
Any one of these could ‘tip' an account in your favor. All of the above in combination creates a WOW factor that would be very hard for any competitor to overcome. The competition won't know what hit them!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Right Back Where I Started From…
Recently I took a trip to Northern California It was a trip like no other…upon arrival at the airport here it was revolutionary…actually it was pure techno wizardry. Slide in your ID and touch screen your selection and you are on your way. The cattle call boarding process was very smooth on the flight to LAX I sat with a gentleman originally from So Cal, lived formerly in the Bay Area told me of going to elementary school on the campus of UCLA and spoke of the Wrigley’s owning the Cubs and how they trained on Catalina Island which they did from 1921 to 1951.
The service that was given on the flights was as different as the crews. – On the 1st leg the peanuts were passed out and no pretzels and the water was in an airline logo 12 oz can. On the 2nd leg the peanuts were coupled with pretzels but the ratio was 2:1 and the water was in a cup with ice. The return flight was the same. Except that there were no pretzels offered…
At the Airport….
The bus trip to the car rental area was interesting to say the least. I grabbed my luggage from the carousel after getting a burger at the food court area, I proceeded to try to locate Enterprise Rental, and a girl passed by with an I.D. badge, I had never been to the airport before, I asked how to get there, and she pointed out the window, and said ”There”. Which was a bus stop across four lanes of traffic. After getting in line and finally getting the car I asked the young man as he handed the key, ‘How do I get to my destination”?
He wasn’t sure but gave me the first 2 steps, then as I figured out the radio, he showed me how the satellite radio worked and I asked about Sports, and ESPN?, again he stated he wasn’t sure but he thought they were in 100’s..(yes above channel 110).
It didn’t cease to amaze me that as a clerk I would have thought you would have a cheat sheet on these things in a plastic sheet taped to the back of a clipboard. Sometimes simpler is easier…
The service that was given on the flights was as different as the crews. – On the 1st leg the peanuts were passed out and no pretzels and the water was in an airline logo 12 oz can. On the 2nd leg the peanuts were coupled with pretzels but the ratio was 2:1 and the water was in a cup with ice. The return flight was the same. Except that there were no pretzels offered…
At the Airport….
The bus trip to the car rental area was interesting to say the least. I grabbed my luggage from the carousel after getting a burger at the food court area, I proceeded to try to locate Enterprise Rental, and a girl passed by with an I.D. badge, I had never been to the airport before, I asked how to get there, and she pointed out the window, and said ”There”. Which was a bus stop across four lanes of traffic. After getting in line and finally getting the car I asked the young man as he handed the key, ‘How do I get to my destination”?
He wasn’t sure but gave me the first 2 steps, then as I figured out the radio, he showed me how the satellite radio worked and I asked about Sports, and ESPN?, again he stated he wasn’t sure but he thought they were in 100’s..(yes above channel 110).
It didn’t cease to amaze me that as a clerk I would have thought you would have a cheat sheet on these things in a plastic sheet taped to the back of a clipboard. Sometimes simpler is easier…
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