ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - July 28, 2006

Out of the frying pan and into the fire, it seems. This week it was Orlando, tomorrow I head for Las Vegas for four days and the CHART (Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers) summer conference.

CHART has been a valuable personal resource for 21 years now. If you are a multi-unit operator and your trainers are not members of CHART, you are definitely doing it the hard way.

A PLACE OF HOSPITALITY
My dinner at Le Coq au Vin in Orlando last Sunday was, as usual, a delightful experience ... and I was reflecting on what it is about the place that compels me to visit every time I am in town.

The decor is comfortable but certainly nothing exceptional. The food is excellent ... but lots of places have great food. So what is it? In my mind it came down to two things, one minor, one major.

The minor reason is that I don't run into a lot of country French menus and Le Coq au Vin has items that I don't see anywhere else. I usually order the Coquilles St. Jacques, the rabbit (exquisite) and a Grand Marnier souffle. I consider this a minor reason because it could be duplicated by someone else ... but so far has not.

The major reason -- the one that is not so easily duplicated -- is that Le Coq au Vin is truly a place of hospitality. The owners, Louis and Magdalena Perrotte are in the kitchen and at the front door. Even though I am only there once a year, they remember my name, greet me like an old friend and are genuinely glad to see me. Both made it a point to stop by the table to chat during the meal.

Their attitude tranfers to the staff, all of whom are personable and well-trained. Not only do they seem to love their work, but I get a sense that they are genuinely passionate about making sure that guests are well cared-for.

I travel a lot, eat out a lot and spend an obscene amount of money in restaurants, yet this is one of the few that goes out of its way to earn my return on every visit. From the time I arrive until the moment I leave, I feel that everyone in the place is grateful that I came in ... and that it matters to them what sort of experience I have.

How many restaurants can duplicate THAT? Can you?

BRAND INSISTENCE
What Le Coq au Vin has done -- at least with me -- is to move beyond brand preference and achieve brand INSISTENCE.

To eat in this restaurant, I had to rent a car and pay daily parking at the hotel, effectively adding over $100 to the cost of the meal ... but the idea of being in Orlando and NOT dining at Coq au Vin was just unthinkable. Having a car was the only real way I could get there ... so you gotta do what you gotta do!

You have heard me say that the world doesn't need another place to eat. To prosper you have to stand out from the herd. In your quest to do this, keep in mind that being their restaurant of choice is great ... but placing yourself in a category of one is priceless.

On the wall of the old Fillmore West, Bill Graham wrote this about the Grateful Dead:
    It’s not just that they are the best at what they do.
   They are the ONLY ones who do what they do.

What are people writing about you?

100,000 MILE TUNE-UP
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. With the quantity and quality of the dining choices that consumers have, stale concepts can't survive for long.

Super Summit 2006 will provide you with specific skills, ideas and plans to make your operation more competitive and allow you to appeal to newer, larger, (younger?) markets. If your primary customer base is graying -- and many are -- your future success depends on your ability to diversify before your concept gets stale.

Respected food consultant Phyllis Ann Marshall will be joining me for this two-and-a half day, hands-on event that will rekindle your passion for your work and reposition your restaurant for long term success. In over 45 years in the industry, I have never heard of a program like this one!

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. For a sneak preview of what we have in mind for a select group of operators next September in Charleston, South Carolina, click on the link below.

Don't Miss This!
The $250 early registration scholarship expires on August 15. Why not save an extra $250 while you can? The true entrepreneur does not hesitate when opportunity presents itself. See the preview of Super Summit 2006.

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

An 18 year old employee, Mike, who will be leaving for college soon has developed a reputation recently in my store for disrupting the crew and being a cut-up. The managers had started to spend all their time trying to counter-act his behavior.

We had a meeting for all staff recently. No one seemed to be contributing so I wheeled around and asked a 16-year old what was making her day so hard lately. She told me immediately that the vaccuum was not working.

I asked the next teenager who told me one deli case was running on the high side off and on and he was concerned about the food so much that he was checking it constantly and couldn't seem to get his mind on his work.

The next was Mike. He said he wanted me to buy everyone gold-plated name tags and waited for the laugh! No one laughed, I told him that was non- essential and that the purpose of this conversation was "needs" and went on by him.

By the end of the next day I had fixed numerous things, replaced missing equipment, called the refrigeration company who fixed the deli cooler and in general fulfilled everyone's needs. The entire staff was beaming, but Mike was rather quiet.

When he saw me trying to piece together two broken fans he jumped right in and worked two hours to try to help. He said he didn't realize how much money it cost to keep us cool in the summer until he heard it at the meeting.

He is now relating told me in a more sincere honest manner because I am relating to him in a more sincere way. Every day at some time I learn that you get what you give. -- Ann Reichle, Angelina's Pizza, North Olmstead, OH

What they see is what you get. You are the role model whether you want the job or not. If you want them to listen ... listen. What I like about Ann's story (and what I think she is coming to realize) is that you don't always have to make things happen.

If you treat your staff with respect, provide clear direction and model the behavior you want to see from them, they will come around on their own ... and do it because they want to. What an easier management model THAT is!

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 ability is just one of the skills you will develop at the annual Foundations Program of the CEO Project. The 2007 program is scheduled for June 11-13. Mark your calendar.

We are also offering a no-cost year-long intern program to those who sign up early ... along with the ability to lock in tuition at the 2006 level and spread the payments over ten months. Those options will go away as the months pass.

What did you learn from YOUR staff today?

© 2006 Restaurant Doctor