How Staff can Make or Break a Restaurant - free marketing advice from promohelp.co.uk

Dec. 30, 2009 - PRLog -- It’s a sad fact that almost 15% of customers who boycott a restaurant do so because of poor service - a disturbing statistic that could so easily be put right. Research shows that the majority of diners who complain will still go back to a restaurant if their complaint is handled sympathetically. When someone feels they’ve been poorly treated they should always be compensated. A heartfelt apology backed up with a gesture of goodwill such as a reduction on the bill can go a long way towards repairing any damage.

How much is a customer worth?
Show your staff how much each customer means to your business. Work out the average spend per head in your restaurant (divide a typical weeks’ takings by the number of covers). If this comes out at, say, £25, that’s £50 for a couple who, if dining once a month, will bring in £600 a year for as long as they keep coming back. Upset just one couple every week and this could mean a staggering £31,200 loss in annual turnover, a figure that few establishments can afford to ignore.

Monitoring staff performance
If you’re the manager of a restaurant, you’ll know it’s difficult to keep a constant eye on your staff, especially during a busy service. Briefing them beforehand is likely to be more effective. Smile and be positive. Remind them what you’re trying to achieve and how you’re relying on them to help. Let your enthusiasm for maintaining high standards show. Get everyone on your side and they’ll want to do their best.

When you do monitor  performance make sure it’s discreet. There’s nothing worse than having a meal in a restaurant with the manager hovering in the background, looking over your shoulder. It conveys a lack of confidence in the staff and makes customers feel anxious. Keep your distance. People come to your restaurant to enjoy themselves and want to relax.

Encourage customers to fill in comments cards by running a monthly draw of completed cards for a small prize - a half-price meal voucher or a free bottle of wine. Questions should be simple and brief and take no more than a couple of minutes to answer. Ask how guests rated both the food and service on a score of 1 to 5 and if there any improvements they could suggest. Include spaces for names and e-mail addresses to add to your customer database.

When it comes honest feed-back, de-briefing customers after the meal is often the best approach. The manager stopping by a table to discreetly check that everything had been to the customer’s liking can, if done diplomatically, encourage frank discussion about areas that could be improved. Customer body language, tone of voice and facial expressions tell their own story

Try tracking front-of-house performance with the help of a mystery diner.
There’s no need to hire someone from an agency. Ask a friend or business acquaintance to help. Offer to pay for their food in return for them acting as a ‘dining detective’ and award a small prize to the staff member who impresses them the most. This might be for good service, doing that bit extra to keep the customer happy, having a pleasant attitude and or even just a big smile. Be open with your staff. Let them know that this will be happening once a week and watch the performance lift.

Don’t wait for the next complaint before you take action
Good staff don’t just happen, they’re trained. They won’t know how best to look after your customers unless you take the time to show them. Start now with some simple measures to raise their awareness of the importance of their role. Show your commitment to raising the standard. Next time you have a staff meeting, use positive and negative feedback as a training tool and start an incentive program. It’s an investment that will pay handsome returns by improving your bottom line and making your restaurant rise in the ranks of the competition.

For this and other free restaurant marketing features go to http://www.promohelp.co.uk

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At PromoHelp our brief is simple. We want to help restaurants to succeed. We are a small team of dedicated professionals, passionate about food, who know from experience that it takes more than a good chef to make a successful restaurant.