ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - February 18, 2005

The travel resumes again next week. I will be in Salt Lake City for a week of consulting with a downtown restaurant group, then I hop over to Denver for a couple of days to attend the spring conference of the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers (CHART), an amazing resource for trainers from multi-unit hospitality companies.

HELLO?
As you may recall, I was in New York City last week for my eighth year at the NY Restaurant Show. They like to have me present the first program each morning, so I generally have the rest of the day free. It gives me time to check out some of the city's restaurants ... and there is always something to learn, either for better or for worse.

I typically went to lunch a bit late (2:00 or so) which means I usually avoided the rush. You can tell a lot about a place from how they handle themselves during the slow times. For example, I thought I would try one of New York's better-known places. It has several locations in town, is known for huge portions and has been around for years.

I walked in to face an imposing desk, behind which three young ladies toiled away. One was talking on the phone, one was dealing with a waiting guest (planning a party from the looks of it) and the third was doing some sort of paperwork.

For a full two minutes, I stood directly in front of the desk, no more than a foot away from the two young women who were not dealing with guests. Neither of them so much as acknowledged my presence with a greeting, a smile or even eye contact. The think the party planner did a quick eye shift in my direction, but did not acknowledge me either.

Other people came in and the line was building up behind me, but nothing could break these women away from their "vital" tasks. As my internal clock reached three minutes, I just turned and left. They probably did not notice. I went next door to a Chinese noodle shop where they made me feel welcome, brought my lunch quickly and took my money with a smile.

Perhaps you can get away with behavior like this in New York, but I think that anything less than a total focus on the guest will eventually come back to bite you. In my book you have 30 seconds -- and it should happen faster than that -- to acknowledge arriving guests with eye contact and a smile. There is no job more important. Even if you are on the phone with another customer, you can make eye contact and smile.

Once guests know that YOU know they are there, they will wait patiently, provided you don't leave them hanging indefinitely. But fail to make even that simple eye contact acknowledgment and you are likely to lose their patronage ... not only today, but for all time. Do any of you operate in a market that is big enough that you can afford to let ANY business get away?

THE EXPERIENCE EXAMPLE
In an interview in the Boston Globe, Howard Schulz, Chairman and CEO of Starbuck's, said in part:

"We are in the business of creating an experience in our stores that goes well beyond the product. The product is not just the coffee, it's the relationship we have with our guests, the environment, the music, the entire setting. Our primary goal is not to increase transactions; it's to increase the experience in our stores."

A Note from the Doc:
Starbucks has created an empire (and gets $3 a cup) because they do not sell coffee ... they sell an EXPERIENCE based around coffee. What is the experience in YOUR place ... and what are you doing to increase it?

THE FEBRUARY SURVEY
This month I am asking about the quality of one-on-one time that restaurant workers are receiving with management. Unless you choose to leave your name, the survey is completely anonymous, so please answer honestly -- tell me what is REALLY happening, not what you would LIKE to be happening.

My thanks to those who have already contributed this month. I will be sharing some of the comments received at the end of each EHC, so be sure to read to the bottom of the page.

Click here to go to the February survey.

SUPER SUMMIT, PART 2
All 44 seats in the April Super Summit were filled in a little less than five weeks, so Robert Kausen and I have decided to offer a second section of the Super Summit program on June 5-7 to accommodate the additional demand. It will also be in New Orleans ... also limited to just 44 people ... and ten of those seats are gone already!

If the June dates work for you, I encourage you to read the information letter about the program. If what we have in mind seems intriguing, complete the online application. We will contact you to arrange a time for a telephone interview to discuss the program with you in more detail.

This program can truly be life-changing ... but only for operators who are ready to make the leap. Are you one of them? Give us two days and we will give you your life back.

Click here to get the whole story on the Super Summit.

THE PERPETUAL QUESTION
What did you learn from your staff today?

I learned that keeping them informed brings great feedback and suggestions that can help me in my job. We are being faced with a major kitchen construction problem and have to figure out how to still serve our patients while not having a kitchen to work from.

When I brought the scenerio to my staff they jumped at the opportunity to give me insight on how things could work. I get so caught up in thinking that I have to do everything on my own. It is nice to know that I have help from a very qualified staff. – Name Withheld by Request

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