ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - December 10, 2004

My father-in-law is out of the hospital and into a rehab facility/nursing home. The immediate threat seems to have passed but he is still delusional, so we are still not out of the woods just yet. My thanks to those who sent their good wishes to us last week.

His situation got me thinking. It seems a shame that our oldest family members often get more attention after they die than we gave them when they were still with us. If you have an elderly relative ... or just an older friend who is far away from their family ... I hope you will find a way to spend some time with them over the holidays. Let them know that the planet is a better place for their continued presence on it.

Light Up Your Life
Those who have followed this e-letter for a few years (the first issue was July 31, 1997!) know that every year at this time I have to flog you about stocking up on those small clear holiday bulbs ... and so the tradition continues.

It wouldn't be the holiday season without my annual reminder to buy up a bunch of those little clear lights while they are cheap and readily available. (Call them "garden lights" and they have a life past the Christmas season.)

These lights are incredibly versatile at any time of year to brighten up dark corners, add a little zip to a catering presentation or just add visual interest. I have used them for all three ... and more. They add a wonderful sense of energy ... and our operations could all use that!

I once used them to create more street appeal for a client (in the shrubbery and around the door) and to add sparkle that changed his dining room from drab to dazzling! (Sales increased!)

Once the holidays are over, they are difficult to find -- and much more expensive -- so snap some up while they are plentiful . . . and before you forget ... like you did last year!

Wrapping Up Business
One of my all-time great holiday ideas comes from Peter and David Troutman, owners of the Scargo Cafe on Cape Cod. For the past ten years, they have turned one of their dining rooms into Gift Wrap Central during the week before Christmas. They stock it with all the necessities (wrapping paper, ribbons, tape, tags) and make it available to their guests free of charge.

If you have ever tried to "secretly" wrap a present in a house full of children or keep a surprise away from a curious spouse, you can appreciate the service they provide. It gives their guests a reason to come to the restaurant at a time when they easily could be "too busy with other things" and they sell a fair amount of food and grog to the weary wrappers!

Whether guests actually use the service or not, they talk about it to their friends ... which brings up another point about promotions. Whether they "work" or not may be less important than the fact that you have them. When there is something going on, it provides an energy in the place that is compelling.

Sure, it is nice when a promotion brings in a surge of business, but don't let that be your sole standard for measuring success. Promotions break the boredom ... and you cannot afford to run a boring restaurant.

Restaurant Basics
Would you like to know why guests don't come back ... and what you can do about it? Would you like to have that information available for every key staff member so you could incorporate it into your service training program? Would you like to have that information in your hands in minutes?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, do I have a deal for you! I have just published Restaurant Basics as an e-book. The full title is, "Restaurant Basics: Why Guests Don't Come Back and What You Can Do About It" and if I do say so, it has been acknowledged as an industry classic since it was first published. It is the only book on customer service written entirely from the guest's point of view ... and that is the only perspective that counts!

To introduce my new electronic series, I am offering Restaurant Basics for just $29.95 -- less than half the regular price -- but only for until next Friday, December 17th. Think of it as an early Christmas present.

You can find more information on the book itself under "Books and Materials" on my website, but at the moment, the electronic version ... and the deal ... is only available through the link below.

Eventually I plan to offer electronic versions of all my books to allow for immediate delivery ... and no shipping charges. Just place the order and the book downloads directly to your computer as a PDF file. Pretty slick.

Click here to order the Restaurant Basics e-Book edition.

Super Summit 2005
Last week I told you that I moved the dates of the Super Summit back to April 17-19. It is still in New Orleans ... still focusing on "Creating the Effortless Organization" ... and still the only event of its kind in our industry.

Because of the nature of the program and the need to keep the group small, attendance will be on an invitation-only basis. Not everyone is ready for this material, so you cannot just sign up ... you must apply.

The Super Summit application is now available online, even though the main promotional push for this event will not take place until after the holidays. If you have already read the information letter about this event and would like to put your name into consideration, follow the link below to get to the application.

Robert Kausen and I will review the applications and extend invitations to those we feel are ready to benefit from what we will present.

Click here to go to the Super Summit application.

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

[ Home ] [ Top ] [ Email Restaurant Doctor ]

© 2004 Restaurant Doctor