The best practice for operators and owners is to just do the basics and focus on what works to grow sales, which will return higher margins.  Many companies will be approached with an attempt to be influenced by spending more money on marketing, design and technology. Those all sound good but none of them can replace what is essential to sustain sales which is improve operations and go back to basics of having great customer service and treating those customers like guests.

There isn’t anything that you will do or any new system that is going to do more for your business than having quality food, in clean well-managed restaurants, with great customer service. The basics of greeting your guests with warm smile and welcoming them to your business should be top priority. Having presentable restrooms that smell good are so critical to making the guest feel comfortable. Well maintained dining room with good music, temperature levels, and clean tabletop items like silverware, glassware and condiments go a long ways. Menu items that are prepared well and with care showing consistent portioning and cooked the same way upon each guest’s visits. Show some care and love with the food as our sight provides us with our first expectations of how it will taste.

Operators need to follow the basics to set up for success on every shift and throughout every day. Systems must be followed in the industry to operate a successful business no different that a pilot doing his pre check flight walk and cockpit check before taking off. Checklists that serve a function must be utilized daily to set up for the shift like the line check with temperatures to insure quality, customer safety and stocked for the shift. Some restaurants may have a separate bar checklist or facility list to insure that all the guest contact areas are exceptional.

Internal quality controls are necessary after or doing your operations walk through to taste the food products and be sure they are of the highest standards to serve. Whatever brand you have that product you serve is your reputation of that brand. Does your product support what you are selling and what you want to be remembered for? The bar mixes and fruit or any garnish should be fresh in appearance and taste without any spots or discoloration. Operators and team members have one opportunity to win over the guest(s) and every encounter should be as if it was there first visit to your own home.

Waiting until things get better or maybe they never do most likely isn’t the right direction and without having the right coaching to operate successfully may shatter your investment dreams. These areas of concern can be discussed and action plans developed to build accountability in which you will achieve improved results. Knowing where you want to go and what you want to improve is the first stage of addressing the issue.

Having a partner in the solution process keeps accountability high and your plan on track once it’s developed.

The most common areas to employ the services of Northwest Consultants include:
• Turnaround Situations
• Site selection and Concept development
• Initial startup & project management
• Recipe and menu development
• Operations and profit assessment
• Marketing
• Operating systems & procedures
• Staff training programs
• Financial and accounting systems
• Interim Management

Email or call for consultation to help reflect on your business concerns and what approach may be best for you and your budget.

rlesage@northwestconsultants.net

http://www.northwestconsultants.net
800-851-3188