subject: Tailored Education Proving A Useful Tool In The Restaurant Management Armory [print this page] As a business owner, do you ever get asked about what you do to keep staff happy? In the hospitality trade it can be tough dealing with employees that are already pressured. Effective restaurant management is crucial.
Servers have to smile and be constantly amenable to customer needs. And theyve got to impress the boss while theyre doing it. Oh, and we all know how difficult to please diners can be.
In many cases, this is with good cause. Eating out, even in a casual eatery, is still a treat. People want to be looked after and made to feel special. And when theyre handing over their hard-earned cash the product has to come up to snuff. This doesnt merely refer to the food, either.
Excellent customer service is crucial to any restaurants long-term success. If your servers are ill informed, surly and downright incompetent then news of your restaurants failings will quickly spread. Thats never good for business.
So, what is the answer to keeping staff happy while staying onside with those all-important customers too?
Well, as an increasing number of restaurant owners and managers are now finding out. And the conclusion is that education is the most beneficial tool.
Learning is fun
Wait a minute. Dont you think that servers have enough on their plates (quite literally!) without having to concern themselves with additional work?
Teaching new skills doesnt have to involve laborious tasks or an endless amount of reading. And workloads wont necessarily significantly increase.
Indeed, it is restaurateurs who understand the challenges facing servers that are actually driving the quest to improve knowledge.
For example, expert wine training is now available. Educating servers on the finer points of a good bottle sends a powerful message. It portrays a positive image of a restaurant management team committed to employee development. It also displays that you care about enhancing your dining experience.
But how are servers supposed to incorporate getting an additional education into their daily working patterns?
Like many other resources, learning has gone online. Because of this there are numerous opportunities to create engaging and interactive teaching materials.
No mountain of textbooks. Rather, interactive videos, animations and slide shows covering relevant points are common features. In addition, these kind of online services are also providing fully customizable education plans.
Furthermore, these can be tailored to suit the individual server so that staff can accommodate them in their existing work schedules.
This all sounds great in theory. How does it work in practice though? And can this emphasis on education mean every type of restaurant stands to make gains?
All about the service
With the benefit of more training restaurateurs are likely to see their customer service improve. And yes, sales will too.
The latter is important to boosting the bottom line. But without decent levels of the former there wont even be the chance for staff to work their magic. People will simply stop turning up. Wine bottles will stay locked in the cellar.
This is true of any restaurant, no matter how large or small they are. Its a fact not lost on the developers of restaurant employee wine training programs.
They understand the key role education can play in driving a businesses success. And that this is just as applicable for a casual eatery as it is for a fine dining establishment. After all, most restaurants have a wine list. But many are not unleashing its full potential.
Have you ever wanted some guidance on which glass will best compliment chefs fish special, and found the response lacking? Once a server can intelligently engage in conversation about wine, sales can quickly increase and the customer experience is improved.
As weve already touched upon, tailored education is not just for the big chains or high-brow independents. A growing number of restaurant owners and managers are discovering affordable learning solutions designed to suit their staff and businesses. Indeed, in such a competitive industry, a little knowledge can go a long way.
