ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - March 25, 2005

Humming a few choruses of "On the Road Again" I am packing my bags and heading for the airport.

Monday and Tuesday I will be in Minneapolis to speak at a distributor food show. Wednesday and Thursday will find me in Las Vegas for Pizza Expo. Then on Thursday night I take the red-eye to Chicago to attend a three-day marketing conference. It's a good thing I am still young and resilient!

Don't be afraid to shake things up. The status quo can be deadly. At the least, it is deadly boring.

A WINE LIST BY ANY OTHER PRICE ...
Last week I talked about the idea of a half-price wine night, arguably a controversial idea but one that is gaining support around the country. Let me share two comments I received on the subject.

First from my friend Gordon Naccarato, owner of The Beach House, an excellent local eatery in my part of the planet. He writes:

We here at The Beach House have been doing ½ priced wine Mondays for many months now. It has built business on what was our slowest night of the week. People often order a bottle they normally would not be able to afford to try, or they have 2 bottles of something they love.

Of course to be able to drink a bit more they have to sit and order more food. After the discount we average maybe $4 less per check average than our norm, but again we fill many more seats than normal -- which of course is a win for us, our clients and our waitstaff ...

My point exactly. But not everyone embraced the idea quite as completely. At least one reader saw what seemed like inconsistencies in my suggestion. She writes:

I loved your idea of half-priced wine night, but in light of your previous newsletters that advocate giving something additional instead of discounting, the thought occurs to me: Would you also try this restaurant on a night when they do not offer half-priced wine? And, would you order a bottle of wine at the regular price?

Chuck Gohn's newsletter recently had an article that equated coupons to heroin. Quite enlightening, after a bit of thought. When you can order two-for one pizzas, will you ever call for one at the regular price? The big chains have given away so much, don't we all just look for coupons for our regular purchases, instead of feeling we get a bonus once in awhile?

Perhaps a quarterly offer for the half-priced wine, or a once-a-year event; perhaps a free glass of ANY wine with early bird specials. Just ideas in light of your previous newsletters. Obviously, we listen to what you have to say, and your formerly stressed point of not discounting because you attract another crowd who do not necessarily become regulars, is well thought of.

(I know you mentioned this was an "insider deal" -- but still! Every one would drive across town for half-priced wine, but after a while, even that wouldn't be worth it. I'm assuming of course that everything else about the restaurant is terrific.)

We have probably been to this restaurant half a dozen times ... but only twice when it was half price wine night. That is a consensus of one, but their wine list is fairly priced to start with and for us at least, the price break lets us order the $80 bottles instead of the $40 bottles that we would otherwise go for.

I also realized that both times we have dined when the half price deal was on, it was with a larger group of people ... that we invited to join us. The other four times it was just the two of us for dinner. Hmmm.

Only the restaurant could tell you if we are typical or if more folks go for half off on the low priced quaffs to keep the average check down. I view their wine deal as a bonus rather than a discount, but again, that is just me.

I do think that the fact that only past patrons of the restaurant know about the deal helps. They mention it on the bottom of their wine list but I have never seen it anywhere else, so essentially you already have to be a full price patron before you find out about the Wednesday bonus.

The big draw at this place is still the quality of the food. Since they never discount their menu, they are consistent with my belief that you never discount your basic products.

WHOSE PROBLEM IS IT ANYWAY?
While we are doing Q&A, here is another comment I received recently from a restaurant staffer:

I am disgusted at the fact that I am expected to handle dirty dishes, wash them and return to a table after handling dishes, and money all the while being paid $2.13 per hour.

I am researching laws in Virginia. I think there must be some law that states a waitstaff cannot be in a dishroom, in a breeding ground for so many germs. Food is expected to be delivered in a timely manner and tables cleared. I wash the dishes ... or they pile up. (The owner does not want to spend the money to hire an individual just to do the dishes.) Then I am to return to tables, serving drinks and possibly spreading harmful bacteria. Got any advice?

I replied ... This is always a dicey part of the business, since there are so many opportunities to contaminate your hands. However, if you are not actually preparing the food but merely presenting the plates, proper plate handling can avoid most problems. Frequent hand washing is always a smart idea and I like the hand sanitizer solutions that are available now as a "quickie" fix. So if you really wanted to be sure that you were not spreading germs, it is quite possible -- if occasionally inconvenient -- to do.

I think your real problem is that you don't like doing what the owner has asked you to do ... and you are totally entitled to that view. As long as you are making a least minimum wage for the total time you put in, I question if there is a legal issue here, but I would expect you should at least receive a different wage base when you are in the dishroom than when you are in the dining room.

That said, owners have the right to screw their businesses up any way they want to ... but you have a choice as well. If you are going to take the owner's money, no matter what the amount, do what you are asked and enjoy it. If you decide that it is not your cup of tea, there are many other employers who would welcome a good worker with open arms and pay you what you are worth.

But there is nothing to be gained from playing the victim. Your life will get easier when you take responsibility for your own success and happiness.

BEING THERE
Having time away from work is not the same thing as having a life outside of work! It all depends on where your head is.

Are you really home when you are home? Are you totally with your kids when you are with your kids? Do you have interests, hobbies or projects that you love ... that have nothing to do with your business? If so, do you regularly immerse yourself in these outside interests?

Do you regularly give yourself quiet time ... when you can slow down, relax, drop distractions and just reflect on things? You may have noticed that those life-changing insights bubble up when your mind is quiet. At this stage of your career, giving yourself that quiet time is appropriate business activity.

Your restaurant is not who you are ... it is what you do for a living. HOW YOU DO IT is a statement about who you are.

THE MARCH SURVEY
In March we are looking at service -- how you define it, how you train it and how it figures as a competitive factor. This is your last chance to add your thoughts to the collective wisdom. We will have a new question next week. Click here to add your thoughts to the March survey.

THE EARLY BIRD ... SAVES $200
If you have been thinking about the Super Summit ... and I know that you have ... be aware that the $200 early registration scholarship expires next week. To keep that bit of change from slipping through your fingers, you must at least submit your application before the sun goes down on Thursday, March 31st.

The early registration scholarship is in addition to any other breaks that you may be eligible for. But the clock is ticking, there are only 44 seats (half of which are already reserved) ... and you could be left out if you don't at least start the process now.

There is no obligation to find out more about what we have in mind in New Orleans

If you are at all curious about what makes this year's Super Summit totally different from anything we have ever done ... the best way to get a sense of what we have in mind is to follow the link below and read the information letter on the program. If that intrigues you, complete the online application.

Once we have your application, Robert Kausen will set up a 30-45 minute telephone interview where you can get all your questions answered. If it looks like the Summit is a good fit, we will invite you to register. After that, it is all up to you.

Why do we go to this time and trouble?

We appreciate that qualifying for this program is an involved process ... but you will come to appreciate that what we are bringing to you in Super Summit 2005 is entirely different than any training you have ever been part of.

After we talk, you should have a sense that we have something very special available for those who are ready to hear it. We will not accept anyone for the program unless we believe that they are one of those people ... which is why we are being so careful about who we invite.

From my own experience, I can promise that if you are fortunate enough to join us in New Orleans, your life -- both professionally and personally -- can, in fact, become effortless. The only question is whether you have the courage to let your life be that easy.

This is the last program of this sort that we have planned. Don't miss it. Submit your application today.

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 they are more than willing to help during short staffing times -- and not just for the money -- if I take the opportunity to show that I appreciate each of them as a person that has choices and who is a valuable part of our team. -- Ramona Butler, Chip's, Palestine, TX

A Note from the Doc:

Ramona and her husband will be joining us in New Orleans in June for the Super Summit. In two days, they will gain an even deeper understanding of what makes their organization tick and how to better tap the natural talents of their staff.

Over time, you may come to understand that my perpetual question is really a lot more profound than it sounds. You may come to understand that improving your listening skills may be the most valuable management talent you can develop.

... and you may not. It all depends on how serious you are about finding out what you and your company are really capable of becoming.

I will continue to collect your answers to this important question. Just click on the link below for a short coaching session on listening and a chance to contribute your answer for the common good.

What did YOU learn from YOUR staff today? Let us know.

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