ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - September 14, 2007

Time to top off the frequent flyer mile account again. Last week it was San Francisco. This week it was Atlantic City for the Northeast Pizza Show. I got back from that trip at 1am (really more like 4am since I started on the East Coast). I am now trying to get this wrapped up and off to you so I can get some sleep!

After that -- barring an unforseen phone call -- I've got a couple of weeks to relax and regroup before the typical October seminar surge. Good thing, too, since Joel Cohen and I will need the time to develop the program for our annual Birthday Bash in November.

In the past, we have always held the Bash in Las Vegas but this year we have something very different -- and very exciting -- in mind. Hint: it involves the Mall of America in Minneapolis!

SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Keeping it Real
There are lots of sales-building programs out there that promise huge increases in volume. Some of them will actually work well if you apply them properly. That is good as far as it goes ... but unless those big sales boosts also result in a big increase in your bottom line profit, what's the point?

Don't get me wrong. If you want to build your profit significantly, you will have to build your sales -- just keep it in perspective. I would rather see you spend your limited promotional dollars on your existing guests and in direct offers to those who could become regular patrons than in widespread discounting.

For example, a free meal for a new family that moves into your market area is an offer that is difficult to refuse -- that's what makes it so effective. But you must quickly get these newbies paying full price for your products or you will destroy the credibility of your value proposition.

I have watched the pizza industry become its own worst enemy by training its customers not to order unless they have a coupon. It becomes an addiction after awhile and many operators I know can't quit. Sure, you may be able to generate an uptick in sales by cutting prices, but does that really attract the sort of diners you want to build your future on?

Working harder and wearing your place out faster by generating lots of traffic that never makes you any significant additional profit is not only short-sighted, it is positively suicidal! So do what you will, but remember that you keep score on the bottom line, not the top!

SICK AND TIRED
Address the Problem, Not the Symptoms
A quick service operator posted the following question on the Forum: "We apparently have a flaw in our policy of letting people call in sick. We tend to believe them. As a result, we end up short-handed on some shifts. Without becoming tyrannical, how do we minimize the frequency of 'illnesses?' Do we reward those who come to work (by paying them?) or come down hard on those who seem to be ill more often than others?"

My response: You cannot let people go for being sick, however, you CAN let them go for failing to maintain their schedule due to repeated absences. You should avoid threats ... but it would certainly be respectful to discuss your concern that if you cannot rely on them to be there when you need them, you will have to find someone else you can count on.

That said, if they really loved their jobs, they would want to be at work ... so your most productive approach is to find out why they are calling out so often in the first place. Real illness is a possibility, but more likely there is another problem. It could be that they are being harassed by a co-worker, there could be something about the working conditions, they might be bored out of their skulls or have a job that is over their heads. It could be that the job is just not a good fit for them. It could even be that you are the problem for some reason.

I suggest that you sit down with the offenders one-on-one, get "stupid" and start asking good questions. Understand that people do what they do because it makes sense to them ... you just need to find out why this behavior seems appropriate IN THEIR MINDS. The hard part is to not judge their motives or have a reaction to what you learn. The more neutral and genuinely curious you are, the safer an environment you will create and the more information you will get.

When you identify a problem, look for ways to fix the system rather than the people. I suspect we have all had jobs where we were more motivated to show up than others. Get in the detective mode and find out why they have lost interest. With that information you may be able to do something about it. It is always better to salvage trained workers than to toss them out and start from scratch.

TO TRAIN OR NOT ... AND HOW?
In July, I asked about your biggest concerns for the rest of 2007. Among the more common responses was staff training, so let's look at that a little more closely this month.

As usual, I will send copies of the survey results to everyone who participates. In the meantime, you can download copies of all past EHC surveys -- including the massive WOW Ideas collections -- at.

Add your thoughts to this month's survey.

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

I learned that a fresh new face comes ready and willing to learn. To absorb the rays of knowledge we can cast upon them. I've also learned that like a flower, a fresh face needs the constant warmth of those rays, or it too will wither. -- Scott Winer, Restaurant Tour, Maple Grove, MN

Scott's analogy is a good one. Your staff are a lot like seeds -- there is a potential there for something a lot more than meets the eye, but it requires a nurturing environment and skilled attention before they bloom.

Never doubt that the most important (and profitable!) skill you can develop is your ability to truly listen.

What did you learn from YOUR staff today?

I will continue to collect your answers to this important question until they put me in the ground. Just click on the link above and contribute your insights for the common good ... and your own as well!

LIGHTEN UP!
The Noble Experiment Continues
Here is the weekly report on my personal project to lighten up:

Goal: -50 Last Week: -2 Total: -15

A growing number of folks have joined me in this audacious venture. I applaud their courage in "going public." Best of all, the process is working!

Mary Jo Beniger -- Goal: -25 Last Week: -2 Total: -6
Cindy Casady -- Goal: -30 Last Week: 0 Total: -7 (no report)
Tom Combs -- Goal: -65 Last Week: -7 Total -7
Chris Corrigan -- Goal: -25 Last Week: 0 Total: 0 (no report)
Trice Micheals -- Goal: -50 Last Week: -2 Total -6
Steve Ulrey -- Goal: -12 Last Week:-2 Total: +1
Bill Breslo -- Goal: +5 Last Week: +1 Total: +1
Do you have a goal? Do you have the courage to put yourself on record? We all work better when there is someone or something to hold us accountable.

If you are interested in how it's going, scroll down to the bottom of the EHC each week and check out the progress. If you could care less, don't!

© 2007 Restaurant Doctor