ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - June 17, 2005

I am back in Gig Harbor and off the road ... for a whole ten days! For someone who is trying to reduce his travel time, I seem to be failing miserably!

LITTLE THINGS
A few months ago I bought my wife a new car. She wanted a Lexus ... she deserved a Lexus ... and she got it! This car is truly an impressive machine, but when I have occasion to tell people what is so cool about it, I comment about how the side view mirrors tilt down when you shift into reverse so you can see the curb when you are backing up.

Tilting mirrors. Now that is a little thing. It has nothing to do with the basic function of the vehicle ... but it is what strikes me. As long as the engine, the body and the big elements function adequately, they become taken for granted. At that point, the fun is in the little things.

To my point. I would suggest that it is probably true in your restaurant. If the big things (food, service, cleanliness) are adequate, they merge into the background ... and then what makes you stand out are the little things.

The more unique, unexpected ... and cool ... those little things are, the more positive impact they will have and the more people will talk about them ... and your restaurant! This is the genesis of WOW!

The Year of the Guest series is about little things that create guest delight. This month's survey is about little things that make guests say, "Wow!" My first book, Restaurant Basics, was a catalog of 1000 little things that can drive guests away.

Whether you prosper, just survive or go out of business is more likely about how well you handle the little things than the big ones.

Click here to check out the Year of the Guest.

LIFE IN THE UNFRIENDLY SKIES
Years ago there was an ad for the airline industry, the premise of which was that "Getting there is half the fun." That once was true ... and some of you are old enough to remember those days ... but having logged over 20,000 miles in the last six weeks, I can tell you that the fun is gone, even without the.

Airline travel these days is a hassle, plain and simple ... even without getting into the issues of what passes for airport security. The major airlines are eliminating amenities left and right -- no pillows, no magazines and no food (although there are mixed feelings about whether this is a negative!)

Even in first class, the linen table covering, cloth napkin and silverware have been replaced with a paper placemat, paper napkin and plastic utensils. The airlines themselves are running in the red and current management seems incapable of pulling them out of their tailspin.

The final chapter is yet to be written on all this, but my take on it is that somewhere along the line, airline management took their collective eyes off the ball. They stopped focusing on the market and the details of the business and got sidetracked with "corporate stuff" that had nothing to do with running a profitable airline. Stupid decisions were followed by more stupid decisions until the end result may prove to be unsalvageable.

It is sad ... but I have seen the same thing happen to restaurants where the owners "forgot to dance with the one that brought 'em." They got distracted by some shiny object or another and let their focus slip away from providing great food, responsive service, solid value and a memorable experience.

These errant owners started to think that it was all about them. They failed to treat their staff with respect, started taking their guests for granted and took more from the restaurants than they put back. At some point, the damage became terminal and the cash cow died of neglect.

Before you think that it couldn't happen to you, take a flight on any major US airline. It should be a reminder that when you take your eye off the ball, the ball will either bounce away ... or knock you flat!

THE JUNE SURVEY ... AND A DEAL!
The world does not need one more place to eat. If you want to be successful, you have to stand out in the minds of your guests.

This month's survey asks about what you are doing to create a WOW in your restaurant. This should generate some great ideas. If you don't have any ideas from your own operation (shame on you -- we had 100 of them in the Year of the Guest series alone!), then tell me about the coolest idea you have seen in someone else's place!

However, after two weeks of the survey, I find it hard to believe that out of 3000 subscribers, only eight of you have a WOW idea to share.

So here's the deal: I will send you a compilation of all the ideas submitted ... but only if you contribute something meaningful to the project. If you are one of the Elite Eight that already sent me an idea, you should be able to go back in and add your e-mail address to your earlier comments. If you are having trouble, send me an e-mail and I will make sure you are on the list.

Click here to add your thoughts to the June survey.

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

I learned that people are really shy and uncomfortable talking about themselves. One really has to put them at ease by being sincere and frank when sharing tidbits of one's personal life. By doing this, they see you as an equal rather than as "the boss". I have shared some of my joys, some of my sadness and a lot of my happy moments with them. This has truly opened doors and they are equally as open and at ease sharing parts of their lives with me. -- Ada Lara Thimke, Lara's Tortilla Flats, Oshkosh, WI

My perpetual question is really a lot deeper -- and a lot more important -- than it may sound.

Improving your listening skills may be the most valuable management talent you can develop. You may see that in a moment of personal insight ... and you may not get it at all. It all depends on how serious you are about finding out what you and your company are really capable of becoming.

The most effective managers I know can give a fresh answer to this question every day -- no problem. If you do not have a response readily at hand, what does that say about the quality of your listening?

I will continue to collect your answers to this important question. Just click on the link below and contribute your answer for the common good.

What did YOU learn from YOUR staff today?

[ Home ] [ Top ] [ Email Restaurant Doctor ]

© 2005 Restaurant Doctor