Electronic House Call - June 23, 2006

ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - June 23, 2006

After the 100+ degree temperatures in Las Vegas this week, Washington feels deliciously cool! The best part -- aside from the fact that the first Pizza Insight SuperConference went extremely well -- is that I am now home for the better part of the summer with only a few trips before it all starts again in September.

We did take the precaution of nailing down our award seats for the trip in May (Greece this time) as soon as they were released. If you are thinking about trying to use your frequent flyer miles for a trip – particularly to Europe – and don’t want to be disappointed, you had better be working 320 days ahead!

JUST SAY CHARGE IT!
Speaking of frequent flyer miles, here is an innovative way to pay your vendors quickly and get a bonus for doing it! Charlie Trotter's in Chicago charges purchases from some of their major vendors using a credit card that rewards them with frequent flyer miles for the dollars they charge.

The restaurant pays their card balance in full every month, so they avoid any interest charges. But best of all, they use the card to purchase enough product and supplies to earn, on average, a free trip a week!

Everybody wins with this arrangement. The vendors improve their cash flow because they are paid at the time of delivery. The restaurant gets free travel to attend food shows, charitable events or just to reward the staff!

I think many purveyors would find a plan like this very workable. Propose the idea to your major suppliers and see what sort of reaction you get. They may never have thought of it. The point is that you are writing the checks anyway. Why not get a few “free” trips for your efforts?

This idea was shared by Jim Laube with the permission of – and thanks to – the management of Charlie Trotter’s. It is just one of the great tips in the book, "50 Proven Ways to Build Restaurant Sales & Profit." Get more information on the "50 Proven Ways" series.

DESSERT FIRST
Want to increase dessert sales? What would happen if you offered dessert at the beginning of the meal?

Every time I am in Orlando, I try to have dinner at Le Coq au Vin, a delightful country French restaurant that has become a favorite stop when I am in Mouseville. Among other things, they do superb souffles which they ask you to order at the same time you order your meal. (At $5 they are a bargain but that is another topic.)

Because of the preparation time for a souffle, you really need to place the order that far in advance, but I noticed that the early introduction of the dessert idea had me thinking about it all through the meal.

(The first time I was there I passed on the souffle but did, in fact, order a dessert, something I don't usually do when dining alone. I have since learned that the souffle rocks!)

Perhaps it is just a low-key, subliminal sales technique but in the right kind of operation, it seems to me that offering dessert first could also be a lot of fun.

Server: "How would you like to start off with dessert tonight? We've got a Chocolate Raspberry Bash that is too decadent for words. Have you ever tried it?"

Guest: "Can't say that I have ... but dessert first? What a strange idea."

Server: "Well, what fun is being a grown-up if you can't have dessert whenever you want it?"

Guest: "True ... but I don't know if I'm ready for dessert right now."

Server: "OK, we can do it the regular way too ... but be sure to save some room for the Bash."

100,000 MILE TUNE-UP
How Long Do You Expect Your Car to Last?
Most of today’s cars can run efficiently for 250,000 miles or more. Yet most of them are rusting away in salvage yards long before that.

What does it take to keep a car on the road three times longer?
Experts say that the key is good gas, regular maintenance and the willingness to invest in keeping the car tuned up ... even when it seems to be running OK.

Keeping A Restaurant Performing at Its Peak Is No Different
Just as your car needs a major tune-up from time to time, your restaurant periodically needs some detailed diagnostic attention to continue to perform to its full potential.

When a concept has enjoyed success in the market over time, it is easy to start taking it for granted. The concept gradually – almost invisibly – gets stale ... and staleness is like rust under the paint of your car, weakening the integrity of the vehicle before you ever see it.

Super Summit 2006: Your 100,000-Mile Tune-Up is a tightly focused program that will provide you with specific skills, ideas and plans to make your operation more competitive and let it draws from an ever-expanding market with an appeal that never dies.

The 2006 Super Summit is a hands-on, practical program that will rekindle your passion for your work and reposition your restaurant for success over the long term. If you have 100,000 miles on your present operation and would like it to run smoothly for another 100,000, you definitely want to look into Super Summit 2006.

Click here for a sneak preview of what we have in mind for a select group of operators next September in Charleston, South Carolina.

Since so many of you have asked -- and since I have finally stopped moving for awhile -- I promise to have the pre-registration form available online by the end of the weekend.

LAST WEEK FOR THE JUNE SURVEY
"If we build it, they will come" may work in the movies but it is a lousy way to staff a restaurant. You can't pick the right people unless they apply and the good people are not wandering the streets looking for work.

This month we look at what operators are doing to take charge of their staffing and attract the right sort of applicants. This should be eye-opening information for anyone who sees their staff as a competitive advantage.

This survey will close next week so if you want to get a complimentary copy of the results, send me your best practices soon. 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 June survey.

You can download copies of all past EHC surveys including the massive WOW Ideas collection.

Click here to add your thoughts to the June survey.

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

I learned that some of my staff actually listens to me. I had been at my current position for about nine months when a staff member made a comment on something I said when I first started. I was shocked!

I honestly don't remember the context of the original comment but I know it was something I would have said. It was about the difference between empathy and sympathy -- a huge thing to know.

It made me realize that no matter how absent- mindedly I may make a comment, there is always someone listening. It also made me become a better listener knowing that the staff pays attention to my actions. When I was considering a new job opportunity, it was this same staff member that came to me and said she hoped I wasn't thinking of leaving because it was the first time in a long time they had someone here that listened and cared for the staff. -- J.L., Virginia Beach, VA

You are the role model whether you want the job or not. Your words and actions have a ripple effect through the organization that is often invisible to you.

A few suggestions to keep from sending out unintended messages:
* Engage your brain before operating your mouth. Don't speak while your mind is distracted.
* Watch your tone. The message is always in the feeling behind your tone of voice.
* Continually ask questions of your staff to be clear on what they think you meant.
* Listen to what they tell you -- not only to their words but by the feeling behind them.

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!)

(NOTE: Enhancing your listening skills is just one of the skills you will develop at the annual Foundations level program of the CEO Project. We will soon be accepting applications for the next program, scheduled for June 2007. Mark your calendar and apply early. More details when I finally stop moving.)

What did YOU learn from YOUR staff today?

WHERE’S WALDO?
Since people often ask, here are some upcoming public events where you can attend a seminar or an event with the Doc:
* Sept 13-14, Northeast Pizza Expo, Atlantic City, NJ
* Sept 20-21, Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage & Lodging Expo, Baltimore, MD
* Sept 25-26, Super Summit 2006, Charleston, SC
* October 17, New Hampshire Hospitality Expo, Manchester, NH
* November 13-14, Bill & Joel's Birthday Bash, Las Vegas, NV

Contact me for more details on any of these programs.