ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - December 1, 2006
Since everybody will be otherwise occupied this month, I will try to make the EHC a bit shorter so you can scan it quickly and get back to work.
Speaking of getting back to work, your place is likely to be filled with groups of celebrants for the next couple of weeks. Have you adjusted your menu to take advantage of that? Price is not a primary issue when people are celebrating, so why not add a few higher margin appetizers to the mix? Put together some sampler platters of munchies for groups to share. Have some fun with it, charge what the traffic will bear and make hay while the sun shines.
This might also be a good opportunity to lay in some good champagne and promote that to your parties. Take advantage of the "... oh, why not?" spirit of the holidays. Is this being mercenary? Of course, but people will want to let loose and splurge a little and your job is to help them do it. If you make a buck in the process ... well, that's capitalism for you!
If your conscience bothers you about any of this, you are probably in the wrong business ... but you can always make a charitable contribution with some of the windfall.
ARRIVEDERCI, ROMA
We were scheduled to head off for 2+ weeks in Italy this morning ... a terrific idea that we decided to cancel last weekend. Margene wasn't feeling 100% and you don't want to be sick while you are out of the country. I was looking at everything I wanted to get done before the end of the month and the thought of having to cram everything into the last two weeks of the year just seemed way out of balance.
We already have our annual corporate meeting planned for next May, so we just jiggled things around a bit. Now we'll be in Italy for ten days before we head to Greece. It's nice to know that there will always be another trip. Frequent flyer miles are a wonderful thing!
The cool thing is that I am now looking at 2+ weeks with absolutely nothing on the calendar ... so I can do anything I want ... or nothing at all. I am curious to see how I use the time.
REQUIRED READING
The best operators always have the largest libraries. From time to time I will recommend some industry books (in addition to mine, of course!) that particularly impressed me ... and that I have added to my own ever-growing library.
One book you must add to your professional library is "What to Drink With What You Eat" by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. It is the definitive guide to pairing food with wine, beer, spirits, coffee, tea -- even water -- based on expert advice from America's best sommeliers. I find myself referring it several times a week and I'm not even running a restaurant!
While you are reviewing What to Drink, take a look at Evan Goldstein's "Perfect Pairings." Evan and I were both at the Mid-Atlantic Restaurant Show in September and I was really impressed by how he simplified wine and food pairing.
Click here to check out these two books at Amazon.com.
READY, FIRE, AIM
While we are on the subject of irresitable offers, the initial response to my BFOE has been terrific! Half of my first 100 packages have already been claimed and will go in the mail by tomorrow. If you have not already taken advantage of this amazing deal, you better take a look and grab it it before I come to my senses. You really can't lose!
SUPER SUMMIT 2007
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 2007 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.
The dates for the Super Summit have been changed to February 27-March 1 in Charleston, SC. Find out more about the Super Summit.
THE DECEMBER SURVEY
Nobody will have time to spend filling out surveys this month, so let's take December off! In January we will collect the best sales-building ideas you have ever seen! In the meantime, you can download copies of all past EHC surveys at http://www.restaurantdoctor.com/surveys.html -- including the massive WOW Ideas collection.
THE PERPETUAL QUESTION
What did you learn from your staff today? If you can't answer this question every day, you are not listening. If you are not listening, you are not learning. If you are not learning, you are going to end up as road-kill on the road to prosperity!
Never doubt that the most critical -- and perhaps profitable -- management skill you can develop is your ability to truly listen.
So what did YOU learn from YOUR staff today?
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!)
© 2006 Restaurant Doctor