ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - September 16, 2005

After a brief stop in Columbus, Ohio for the Pizza Expo Conference on Monday, I have been on the New Jersey shore all week on a concept development project. This is a lot like detective work in that it requires seeing what is not there. It requires sniffing out what the market is willing to support, divining what the building is willing to let you do to it and figuring what makes economic sense in light of all that.

Somewhere in the midst of gathering information and asking dumb questions, an idea presents itself that -- so far at least -- develops into a perfect answer to the puzzle. Adjust up or down for owner capability and available talent ... and you have a concept. It has been a great week working with some wonderful people ... and I will be very ready to head for home tomorrow afternoon.

A week on the road is always good for reminders of what to do and not do in restaurants (mostly not do), and I mention a few below as a reminder. You are probably aware of most of these points ... but that doesn't mean that they might not be happening in your place anyway ... and it does not mean that everyone on your staff is aware of them.

SERVICE STUMBLES
Your service staff takes the largest responsibility for guest satisfaction since they are the principal point of contact. They orchestrate the dining experience. Their attitude, presence and skills will highlight or destroy the efforts of the rest of your crew.

That said, here are a few notes I made during recent meals in Ukraine and here at home:

Never Presume the Tip
I have seen this several times in the past couple of weeks both in Ukraine and here. The guest pays the bill in cash with a larger bill and the waiter never returns, apparently having decided on his own that all the change was a tip. Bad idea. Always bring the change back to the table. Never assume a tip. A tip is a voluntary transaction between the guest and the service staff. If you take away the voluntary aspect, you risk losing the tip ... and losing the guest as well. Servers who engage in this practice may be insecure about their abilities and afraid they won't get a tip any other way.

Provide Continuous Service
Talk to your staff about the importance of servicing the table until the guests are out the door. I have seen several instances where a server will disconnect mentally from guests as soon as they pay the check. (I have also seen the same thing happen as soon as the server realizes that the guests are not going to order anything else.)

This is one of those tangible intangibles. A quick disconnect leaves the guest with a cold feeling at the very time that they are formulating their memories of the meal. How do you service a guest once they have left the table? Just by keeping them in your awareness until they clear the door ... and keep sending them a feeling of gratitude. They will get the message

Slow Down. Go Faster
Along this line, I suggest that you coach your staff not to swoop in to clear and reset the table until the guests are out the door. I know that you want to turn the tables as quickly as possible, but if you have the table re-set before the guests have even reached the hostess stand, it is equivalent to rushing the guests out the door. (I have seen the table attacked before the diners got ten feet away -- inexcusable!)

By watching and waiting (with gratitude), your staff also keep their focus on the departing guests and maintain the sense of connection. It also means that the crew is operating at a less frantic pace, which improves the feeling in the dining room and actually helps them get more done in less time. Does this idea seem too nit-picky for you? Try it for yourself and see what it feels like. Better yet, have your service staff experience what it feels like.

Move With the Speed of the Room
The flow of service in the dining room is like a dance. When the choreography is right, good service is almost invisible. Guests should only notice what is going on at their table and not be distracted by other movements in the room. If you are moving fast in a slow-paced dining room, you are a distraction. If you are moving slowly in a fast-paced restaurant, you are a distraction.

The speed at which you move is different from the speed at which you do your job. You can still be very quick and efficient in a slower-moving dining room. The quality of your movements is just different. The process is like the martial arts master whose power comes from a state of focused relaxation. If you can move with the speed of the room, you can give responsive service and your guests will hardly notice you are there. Pay attention to the dance.

LOOK IN THE MIRROR
It is too easy to lay the blame for service problems at the feet of the service staff, but their attitudes only reflect the attitudes of management. Operators who deny this relationship are the ones with a high staff turnover and perpetual guest relations problems. They believe it is impossible to find qualified workers. In the same market, other restaurateurs consistently have excellent staff.
It is not easy to acknowledge our own role in problems.

Still, by taking responsibility for staff attitudes, we can change our level of guest service. We call this phenomenon "the shadow of the leader." The good news is that we can change ourselves -- in fact we are the only one we can change. When our outlook changes, the outlook of our staff follows suit.

THE SEPTEMBER SURVEY
Gas prices are now about $1 a gallon more than they were last year at this time. Where will it end ... and what does it mean for your business?

Some economists suggest that every one-cent increase in the price of gas takes $1.5 billion out of the country's disposable income, surely an ominous statistic for the restaurant industry. The media is talking about a reduction in discretionary spending on such things as restaurant meals as prices continue to climb. This month we look at the impact of rising gasoline prices and how you are addressing the issue.

I will provide a compilation of all the responses to everyone who contributes to this project ... as long as you provide an e-mail address.

Click here to add your thoughts to the September survey.

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

It's amazing what you can learn when you really listen. My partner and I used to joke that we were the highest-paid busboys in town. Not that there is anything wrong in helping out when you are really needed. The trick is in NOT helping out when you are NOT needed. The more I listen, the more I realize this. I think my staff appreciates my encouragement and support more than they appreciate my running dishes for them ... particularly when they don't really need it. -- Grant Webb, East Side Mario's, Winnipeg, Canada

Learning to listen to your staff -- and being intensely interested in what you hear -- will deepen the respect you have for each other. That will show up in the form of increased productivity, lower turnover, a more positive working climate and fewer "emergencies" on the job. Never doubt that the most critical skill you can develop as a manager is your ability to truly listen.

I will continue to collect your answers to this important question ... and you can add comments as often as you want. Just click on the link below and contribute your insights for the common good (and your own as well!)

What did YOU learn from YOUR staff today?

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