ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - December 12, 2003

I am off on my last trip of the year -- a four-day jaunt back to Buffalo to spend a few days with my 80-year old father-in-law. 'Tis the season for family and all that.

Along those lines, I hope you are finding family time during this hectic season. With the crush of business, you have every excuse in the book to keep your nose to the grindstone ... but try to remember why you are doing it ... and make sure your family knows that they are first in your heart. Anything less is crazy.

Wine Brats
In a recent article in "Slammed" magazine, Darryl Roberts, editor of WineX (a wine magazine targeted at those in their 20's) brought up a point that was news to me. Perhaps you will find it new information as well.

He noted that people form their consumption habits (and most brand loyalties) for life in their mid- to late 20s. Meaning, if a person drinks scotch on a regular basis when he's 28 years old, he'll be drinking scotch on a regular basis when he's 58 years old. Equally, if people are not drinking scotch (or wine) on a regular basis at age 28, there's very little probability that they will be at 58.

The reason Baby Boomers are the major consumers of wine today is because they were drinking wine on a regular basis in their 20s. (Remember?) The problem for our industry is that unless we educate younger consumers about wine while they are forming their loyalties, they will not be drinking it like their parents did ... and that is going to change the landscape in a lot of restaurants.

Among the organizations working to correct this (interestingly, the wine industry is NOT one of them) is a group called Wine Brats. They have a number of local chapters and if there is one in your area, it might be a good move to hook up with them. If not, perhaps you can get some guidance on how to devise an effective wine program for your younger guests. I will send more on this topic to the Coaching Program members, but for the rest of you, at least take a look at the Wine Brats site ... and get busy before this market gets away!

For more information on Wine Brats, click here.

Scrapbooks: Not Just For Kids
On one hand, I know you want to keep your office clear of clutter. On the other hand, don't lost track of your history in the process. Make sure to keep (dated) copies of every menu you offer along with photos, ads and other relevant snapshots of your business over time. You never know when you will need that information and once it is gone, you can never recover it again.

If you plan in being in business for a long time -- you do, don't you? -- then conduct yourself that way. A day-to-day attitude tends to preclude long range thinking.

Silence is Golden
Start to notice the noise level in your restaurant. Many restaurant writers are now bringing a decibel meter with them and note the ambient noise level in their reviews. If your place is acoustically aggressive, you need to do something about it.

Look at adding banners or other sound-deadening baffles to a high ceiling. Put inflated rubber tires on carts rather than the hard metal or plastic casters. Start to notice if guests are straining to hear each other across the table.

The Baby Boomers are getting older and after too many rock concerts, may be starting to have trouble with their hearing. Take the initiative to be guest-friendly on the acoustic level and you can create a point of difference from your less aware competitors.

A Super Summit Insight
I received this note from Robert Kausen, one of the faculty members for Super Summit 2004. I thought you might find it interesting. He writes:

"Your PR material is inviting and well written so I've been puzzling over why the event still has some seats left. It is never the cost, of course, always the perceived value. One thing that hits me is that the very people you want to attend are probably people who are evaluating this in their everyday, limited frame of reference. "I've already done everything I can." "What do you mean reinvent. I'm not the creative type." etc."

"The point is that getting beyond your current frame of reference (or vantage point) is always possible. A leveraged stance makes the invisible "obvious." Genius is really nothing more than having a clear connection to infinite creative resources. The faculty will show people how to do that. But you have to be there to experience the benefits. It's called a leap of faith. Going into the unknown puts you where the new great ideas start taking form ­ where you become stunned by flashes of brilliance. And, it doesn't matter how creative and advanced you think you are at this moment, much more awaits the next "aha" moment."

There is a lot that you don't know ... but you don't know what it is. That is the point ... and the promise ... of the Super Summit. To better understand how this conference can help you see a whole new world of possibilities, click on the link below. The Super Summit will be held at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on January 12-13.

For more information on Super Summit 2004, click here.

The Perpetual Question
What did you learn from your staff today?

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