ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - April 20, 2007

Happy Friday the 13th! Did you use it as an excuse to invite guests in for some sort of deal? Why not? The US income tax deadline is Monday. Did you build a promotional pitch around that event? Why not?

A promotion always get a better reception when there is a good reason for it. You can make up the reason, of course, but never lower prices for no reason at all -- it makes you look desperate and it will mess up the integrity of your pricing structure. I am not a fan of dollars-off deals (I much prefer offering value-added deals), but no matter what you do, when you give people a reason why you are doing it, everyone feels better.

ONE SIZE FITS ALL?
It occurred to me that there is a general feeling "out there" that a good server is a good server. So you hire people based on prior experience and a good work ethic ... but does that really work in the best interests of your business? If you were truly passionate about presenting a consistent image to your market -- think of it as the story you want them to believe about you -- it seems to me you have to acknowledge that not every server, no matter how skilled, has a style that is consistent what that image.

Does this make staffing more difficult? In the short run, perhaps ... but in the long run, if every element of your operation is compatible with your story, the word gets around. It becomes very clear to everyone -- guests and staff alike -- what you are and what you aren't. When that happens, you attract more of the right sort of guests and potential workers. At the same time you subtlety discourage those who are not a good fit with what you are doing.

So what is the story you are trying to tell? What sort of people will that story be attractive to? Is everything you do consistent with the way you want people to think of you? DO THE WORK!

CREATING THE EFFORTLESS ORGANIZATION
The CEO Foundation Program

If you are ready to quiet your mind, relieve stress, restore balance in your life and discover how to tap your full potential, you owe it to yourself to take a look at the 2007 Foundation Program.

I am not going to beat you over the head with hard sell sales letters -- you get enough of that from others. The Foundation Program is totally different from any other educational opportunity you have ever attended, so it should be presented differently as well.

Rather than try to describe the program to you, I will just let past graduates tell you what attending this session has meant to them. Either you will be drawn to the results they describe or you won't. If you sense they may have discovered something that you would like to have for yourself, find out more about the program. If not ... well, it is your life and your choice.

Hear what Jack Stone had to say about his experience.

THE WOW SURVEY
The world does not need another place to eat! To keep from becoming lost in the crowd, you have to stand out from all the other dining choices. This month we once again look at the WOW factor and how you are creating it in your restaurant.

This is the survey that has traditionally received the biggest response, probably because everyone wants to get a look at the results for free!

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 first massive WOW Ideas collection from June 2005.

Add your thoughts to the monthly survey.

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

I asked one of our employees why she was always two hours early to work every time I happen to be in that store for an early meeting. She told me that one of the girls who worked in the back and lived near her gave her a lift in twice a week. If she took the bus she would still have to leave her house just as early but it would take her two hours to get to work by bus instead of a 20-minute car ride. So she preferred to get there early and wait then waste her time and money riding the bus.

It just happened that I was discussing with the manager the need to bring in someone early two days a week to do bathroom detailing to really make them shine. It worked out great for both of us. Instead of wasting her time being at work two hours early, she could now get paid and we got our bathrooms really clean. She just happened to be a great cleaner. -- Bob Katz, Cactus Willie's Steak Buffet, Baltimore, MD

People always have good reasons for the things they do -- at least reasons that make sense to THEM. The fact that their reasons may not make sense to YOU is not required.

When a situation come up that puzzles you, the best thing you can do is simply to be puzzled. This will lead you to what we call "innocent inquiry" where your questions will be respectful and purely for the purpose of trying to understand the other person's thinking.

This doesn't mean that you have to buy their story, but you first need to understand how they have things "wired up." Perhaps, like Bob, you will discover something unexpected.

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 above and contribute your insights for the common good (and your own as well!)

© 2007 Restaurant Doctor