The Restaurant Doctor - Electronic House Call

ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - June 8, 2001

I am finally home for a few days, then off to Maui on Sunday to help attendees at the National Conference of State Liquor Administrators understand how to get more done with less effort.

THE CORPORATE MEETING
The trip to Italy and France was terrific -- lots of good restaurants, good people and good insights. I have made all the corrections and additions to the daily diary of the trip and you can get the blow-by blow description any time you want it.

That being said, the biggest insight from the trip was a reminder that the best memories are always personal. For all we did and all we saw, the social activities at Le Vieux Moulin in rural Burgundy stand out as the highlight of the trip. If you did not follow along on the diary, here is a brief explanation. The owners of the little B&B that we stayed at in Fontaine-Francaise had a great thing going. Every evening, all the guests would gather in the garden at 7:30 for aperitifs (kir made with Patrick's own raspberry, peach or cassis infusions) and some local raw ham (be sure to feed the fat to the dog under the table!) After an hour or so, we would retire to the dining room for a group meal. French country cooking and copious quantities of decent wine certainly helped, but it was the opportunity to connect with other guests from all over the world that made this such a special part of the trip.

My insight as concerns restaurants is that while we should have a memorable physical plant and an appropriately-priced, interesting menu, people will remember the quality of the personal experiences they have. Perhaps another way to say it is that you are not truly in the hospitality business unless you also consistently offer the gift of hospitality. If there is no personal connection as some level, you are just in the hunger-satisfaction business . . . and that doesn't sound nearly as special.

So pay careful attention to the quality of the interactions that your guests have with your greeters, be aware of the personality and caring conveyed by your service staff . . . and monitor your own attitude as well. Not everyone wants to be enveloped in warm fuzzies, but everyone wants to know that they are important, that their business is appreciated and that it matters to someone what sort of an experience they are having.

THE BEST LAID PLANS
As a final note, my colleague Marv Hunt and I had the summer blocked out for a major consulting project but when I got back from Europe, I found the engagement is apparently on "hold." The reasons for the delay are still unclear and while we will eventually get back on track with this project, the clock ticks on. This creates an unexpected opportunity . . . for you.

If you could benefit from on-site "SWAT team"-type management for a month or two to get your operations squared away and your management team thinking straight, Marv Hunt is the best I know. If you have ever thought about a House Call from the Doc to help you figure out what you want to be when you grow up, it appears that I may suddenly be available. While the schedule is still open, give me a call and let's discuss possibilities.

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