ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - February 9, 2007
The temperature was 13 below and lightly snowing when I arrived in South Bend on Monday morning ... and 57 degrees and sunny when I got back to Seattle yesterday. That is positively semi-tropical compared to my friends in upstate New York who are struggling with 8 feet of snow! Has this been a screwy weather year or what?
LESSONS FROM THE MASTERMIND
The details of our discussions in the Mastermind Marketing Group are confidential, of course, but there are some larger lessons and themes from our meeting that I thought might be interesting.
* There is real power in thinking big. Once you truly believe that you can double your sales, you will.
* Good ideas are worthless until you implement them. A peer support network will keep you on track to do what you know you should do.
* Take-out can be a huge potential source of new revenue.
* In addition to hotel staff, cultivate the staff at the airport rental car counters. They often get asked to recommend good local restaurants.
* There is no substitute for entangling yourself in your local community. People do business with people they know and like.
* Think of yourself as the mayor of your restaurant. You are always collecting votes and serving your constituents.
* The odds are that your building needs a fresh coat of paint and numerous other updates. Walk through with a video camera and you'll be surprised at what you will see.
* Your staff is closer to your guests than you are. As a result, they are a great source of marketing information. Ask them for their ideas ... and listen to what they tell you.
* Ask your regulars why they dine with you so often. It will tell you what you really bring to the marketplace and how people think of you. You may be surprised.
* Never take on a new project without a champion. If nobody gets excited enough about an idea to want to run with it, you will end up trying to do it all yourself (and burn out!)
The first Mastermind Marketing Group is filled but we are taking names for the waiting list for a second group that will start in the next couple of months. Find out more about the Mastermind Group.
BUILD YOUR LIBRARY
Here's what I am reading these days. These are excellent books that will definitely stretch your thinking. I recommend you add them to your own library. To make it easy, just click on the title and it will take you to Amazon.com where you can get a more complete description of the content and place your order if you are so inclined.
* Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
* Small Is The New Big by Seth Godin
* The Simple Truth About Your Business by Alex Brennan Martin
A PIECE OF CAKE TOAST
In my ongoing video series, I offer what is perhaps the classic of all movie restaurant scenes -- Jack Nicholson trying to order toast in the movie "Five Easy Pieces." This is also a clip I have used in staff training sessions because it can trigger discussion of so many important points. If you haven't seen it, be prepared for a treat. If you have, revisit it fondly.
THE FEBRUARY SURVEY
This month we look at menus and menu items. Never changing your menu is a recipe for boredom. At the same time, abrupt shifts in menu presentation or content can confuse your staff, kitchen crew and regular guests.
How do you balance the need to change with the human tendency to resist change? I think the comments will be eye-opening.
As usual I will send a compilation of the responses to all who participate. In the meantime, you can download copies of all past EHC surveys -- including the massive WOW Ideas collection.
Add your thoughts to the survey.
THE PERPETUAL QUESTION
What did you learn from your staff today?
You just never know. A few days ago, I asked the GM to ask the bartenders to suggest drinks for the back of a menu I was re-designing. I had been faxed new drinks and already printed the revised "Pupu Menu."
Four things happened:
* The bartender looked at back of the new menu for the first time. That it was "new" had not been announced.
* He quickly noted that three of the drinks used Crown Royal, were not special and not relevant to seafood or Hawaii. He was immediately angry to not have been included in the decision making.
* He did not make any further comment to me.
* He soon went to the Chef to complain he felt unappreciated. (The GM does not usually come in on Sunday and I am not sure he would have gone to her.)
So what did I learn? My request to involve the bartenders was correct, even if it didn’t happen. Although the chef has little control over the front of the house, going to him and receiving an animated response often makes the staff feel better -- even if the conversation does not accomplish anything long term.
I also learned that my calmer demeanor and typically analytical response to issues (in this case missing written or verbal communication)insulates me but does not warm others. Consequently, the staff comes to me to fix mechanical things, not feelings. Empathy used to be my strong suit? – Chuck Clarke, Daniel Thiebaut Seafood Café, Kamuela, HI
When you become a good listener you learn a lot. Usually you will learn something about your staff ... but occasionally -- if you are really open to it -- you will learn something about yourself.
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!)
© 2007 Restaurant Doctor