ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - April 14, 2006

The project for the next week will definitely be to tie up all the loose ends before we head to Europe on Thursday. The good news is that we have rented a house in Italy for a week (the same one we have enjoyed twice before). Then we spend two weeks in the south of France, an area we have not visited. Frequent flyer miles are a wonderful thing!

The bad news is that there are a LOT of loose ends to tie up. In addition to packing and making sure all the bills are paid up, I have to get out another round of promotional material for two major conferences in June ... and get several other pieces finished and off to the printer so they will be ready when I return in mid-May. The list just keeps getting longer.

But no matter how well we try to organize things, there will always be one or two things that slip through the cracks. You know, the ones that jump into your mind just as the plane is lifting off the runway! I just hope it's not something like leaving an iron plugged in. Oops. Better put that on the list.

MEMORABLE MIXERS
While I was in Southern California earlier this week, I got together with Phyllis Ann Marshall to go over plans for the Super Summit in September. She suggested dinner at a restaurant right on Huntington Beach and since the weather is warming up, I ordered a gin and tonic while waiting for her to arrive.

When they brought my drink, I was reminded how terrible tonic water is when it is dispensed from a gun. There is no sharpness to the carbonation and the drink loses much of its refreshing qualities.

This, in turn, got me thinking about the opportunities that most bar operations miss to make themselves really stand out from the competition. When I had my restaurants in San Francisco back in another life, we made it a point of difference to use only bottled tonic water. We also used freshly squeezed orange and grapefruit juices.

The important part is that when we served these drinks, we were sure to tell the guests what we had done and why. When they went to another watering hole and got the limp tonic or the reconstituted orange juice in their drink, who do you think they thought of? How often do you think they mentioned it to the people they were with? (Answer: almost all the time!)

Before you say that this practice is too time- consuming, I should also point out that we were one of the busiest bars in the City at the time.

If you want people to talk about you -- and you do -- you have to give them something to talk about. You also cannot count on them to pick it up on their own. You have to educate guests as to why they come to you. Word-of-mouth is not some happy accident. It can be and should be a very carefully constructed marketing program.

Does it take more work to use bottled mixers and fresh juices? Of course it does. Is it more expensive than running everything through the gun? Certainly. Might it have been part of the reason that we were one of the busiest bars in the City? I suspect so.

If you question whether the mixers really make a difference, I challenge you to do a blind tasting and judge for yourself. Your bottle of Bombay is exactly the same as everyone else's bottle of Bombay. If you want to make your bar into a destination, make your mixers a point of difference ... and let people know about it. I wouldn't be surprised if this let you ask a premium price for your cocktails as well. If you want the rewards, you must Do the Work!

DVD SPECIAL
Earlier this week I went into the studio to record an updated version of my staff training program, "What Every Service Pro Should Know About People." Lots of folks had been asking for it on DVD and I thought it was time to update the original tapes that I did nine years ago.

So not only do we have my most current thinking on the subject but we also recorded a non-tipped version of the program for those operations where tipping is not a factor for the service staff. The program as a whole is the same, I just put a slightly different spin on it so as not to confuse anyone.

I have sold hundreds of copies of the VHS version of this program for $399.95 -- and it is a bargain. My video producer thinks that I should offer the DVD version at the same price. Until I get a final accounting of the production costs, I cannot say for sure what the regular price will be on the DVD set ... but I know it will be higher than this pre-publication special, probably by at least 100 bucks.

Over half of those fifty sets have already been claimed and I don't expect the remaining two dozen to last for long. If you are interested in making a well- trained staff your competitive edge in the market, you need to look into this deal while you still can.

PS: If you already purchased the Service Pro series on VHS, I have a VERY special price for you. Check out this offer before it is gone.

CREATING THE EFFORTLESS ORGANIZATION
If you missed the Super Summit programs last year, you are about to get another chance. The program is now called "Leadership From the Inside Out" or LIO Program for short. It will be offered only once this year -- in Nashville, Tennessee on June 12-13. But rather than give you a long sales pitch, I will let another one of last year's attendees tell you how it affected him.

My understanding of the core concepts has deepened. It has been an affirmation for me about some of the things Ive been doing about my life. I think Im on the right path. I am thirsty for slowing down, listening and doing the things that have the most impact. I now understand more clearly. This program is a good step toward an effortless organization.

When people are happy, doing what they want to do, and feeling fulfilled, there is a positive energy that sucks in guests. People want to be part of it and be there. Employees stay and good people are knocking on the door to become part of it. That is how this understanding leads to increased sales and more efficient operations. -- Michael Hawkins, Green Street Restaurant, Pasadena, CA

Note: Michael and his partners attended the first Super Summit in April. He has been a regular attendee at every Super Summit since 2002.

This June, 36 operators will uncover their own secrets to creating an effortless organization and regaining control of their lives. Will you be among them?

The LIO Program is not at all like school ... or any other conference you have attended. The learning comes from your own insights rather than a canned curriculum. As your thinking starts to shift and your understanding deepens, you will become aware of more and more exciting new possibilities.

There are more comments from past attendees on the CEO (Creating the Effortless Organization) Project website.

You certainly want to find out more about this unique program.

PS: If you apply before April 30th you can qualify for a $500 early registration scholarship.

Get the whole story on LIO 2006.

THE APRIL SURVEY
Somebody once observed that if you hooked up average independent operators to a lie detector, they would all confess that the only thing they are really interested in is building sales. Whether that is a fair assessment or not, my experience is that operators will always show up for a spirited discussion about marketing. Obviously it is a top of mind issue.

This month the EHC Survey looks at marketing best practices -- what is working for you, what isn't ... and what you are doing about it. I expect a LOT of great ideas.

As usual, I will provide a compilation of all the responses to everyone who contributes to this project. Just click on the link below to participate in the April survey.

You can download copies of all past EHC surveys at http://www.restaurantdoctor.com/surveys.html including the massive WOW Ideas collection.

Add your thoughts to the April survey.

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

I learned that people get excited when they are asked to create. I have a DM who is great with people but gets irritated when things are not on track from the office or a change does not go exactly as expected.

In this case, she received a new spreadsheet for a project that was not tested and perfect. Our Director of Operations must have given her a spreadsheet to design herself. She called me yesterday and asked me to look at it because "it's hard when you are looking at it over and over to keep from missing something."

Wow, I'll bet she is more patient with other's materials from now on. It just takes getting involved. -- Natalie Milholland, Richards Restaurants, Bryant, IN

People do what they do because it makes sense to them. The fact that it may or may not make sense to you is not required. This suggests that the first thing you must do when the wheels come off is to try to understand why someone's actions made sense to them.

How do you do that? By listening ... with respect and a truly open mind. Once you understand their logic, you are in a much better position to offer constructive course correction (and they are much more likely to listen to you!)

Never doubt that the most critical -- and perhaps profitable -- management skill you can develop 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?

WHERES WALDO?
Since people often ask, here are some upcoming public events where you can attend a seminar or an event with the Doc:

* May 22, NRA Show, Chicago, IL
* June 6-7, SYSCO Maryland, Baltimore & Virginia
* June 12-13, Leadership From the Inside Out, Nashville, TN
* June 20-22, Pizza Insight SuperConference, Las Vegas, NV
* Sept 13-14, Northeast Pizza Expo, Atlantic City, NJ
* Sept 20-21, Maryland Restaurant Expo, Baltimore, MD
* Sept 25-26, Super Summit 2006, Charleston, SC
* October 17, New Hampshire Hospitality Expo, Manchester, NH

Contact me for more details

© 2006 Restaurant Doctor