It happens to all of us...we hear of a new place in town that you "just have to try." And just like that, the expectations have been set...high! On the other hand, if you find yourself wandering around an unfamiliar town looking for a place to eat, you have a very different set of expectations, quite possibly, none. Yet again, if you visit a well-know regional or national chain, you have an entirely different set of expectations.
What you have here are very different sets of expectations, none of which, a guest will share with you. Has anyone ever said, "we were just passing by and have no expectations whatsoever?" On the flip side, we may have heard a guest say, "Our friends told us how wonderful this place is! We've been dying to try it!" In order to prepare your team to handle the pressure to at the very least meet the guest expectation, you have to train them to exceed it, time and time again. Give the following some thought and build these suggestions into your onboarding, training and development programs.
Make genuine connections - This starts by fielding a team of people who understand what hospitality is all about and are able to deliver. Start with disciplined, proactive hiring practices that put you in a position to hire the "best" body not just "anybody." Define and share your vision for your restaurant with your team. Work together to come up with ways to over come the many obstacles that prevent you from delivering on your promise.
Reply to negative online reviews - Don't stick your head in the sand when it comes to less than flattering reviews. Responding to a negative review, even though most replies go unanswered, sends a message to others that you care. It shows that at the very least you try! Also, a well crafted response takes the sting out of a negative review and makes your restaurant a part of the conversation.
Allow for special requests...if you have it, make it. Whenever you or your team are interacting with guests avoid using negative words like "no", "can't", "won't" and "didn't." Would it really kill you deliver on a special request? It is important to build a team driven to "be the best part of a guests' day" and that starts by smiling and saying "YES!"
Have options for dietary restrictions - More and more guests have dietary restrictions due to lifestyle choices or allergies. Meeting these needs is not only great for your guest experience, but a smart financial decision. In New England there are around 1 million people who eat a plant based diet. You can enhance your guest experience and exceed your guestpectation by developing menu offerings that take both allergies and diet into account. Gone are the days when guests will accept a "salad" as the only vegetarian or vegan choice.
Empower your team - Disciplined hiring practices lead to building a team of people you can trust to make smart decisions. Empowered teams are your front line and, with proper education, training and development, they will be able to avoid the many service and hospitality pitfalls that plague other restaurants.
Clean the bathrooms ( and everything else ) - A clean restaurant is critical in today's competitive marketplace. But proper sanitation and cleaning practices start with education and systems. Invest in providing Serve Safe training for your entire team. Help them understand the "why" behind the variety of cleaning tasks they are asked to perform. Also, provide them with the tools they need to do their job. Systems provide the guide they need to deliver a consistent guest and employee experience time and time again. Explore the use of technology that is meant to streamline and organize systems as well as improve accountability.
Menu training and education - It is our jobs as owners and managers to give our teams the tools they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability. This is especially important when it comes to menu knowledge. It is important for guests to trust your team and the food and beverage suggestions that they make. A confident and knowledgeable server or bartender can help optimize the guest experience by guiding guests through your menu and helping them create a memorable experience based on their tastes. It also creates a positive employee experience when your team knows they are positioned to be at their best.
These are some of the many elements involved in exceeding your "guestpectations" time and time again. What is most critical to your success here are your hiring practices. It all starts with your team. Make hiring a proactive part of what you and your managers do each and every day. Don't wait for your line cook to walk out to start looking for his or her replacement. Disciplined hiring practices coupled with a well thought out team development and education strategy will best position your restaurant to deliver a memorable guest experience that will fill seats and drive growth.
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