Food & Beverage - Lessons from Smart (& Dumb) Operators - By Ken Burgin

Do your staff do it? Most only experience a narrow range of low-price venues, rarely seeing the big wide world. When they start to be inquisitive about HOW other places do a good job, they wake up to possibilities and ideas for improvement. But in most cases, you'll need to take the lead.

The Visitor Experience:

- How do they attract such nice staff? Or maybe you're wondering who on earth chose chose them! A productive team of friendly, efficient staff doesn't happen by accident - how do they do it?

- How fresh is everything - clean, painted, furniture in good repair, no scuff marks or clutter?

- How are the bathrooms - fresh and dry, or dark and smelly? Most people connect cleanliness there with standards in the kitchen. How good are the uniforms? Could you afford to keep the same standard?

- Do the staff 'compete' with you: cool, distant, fashionable, gorgeous or crazy. Or are they pleasantly in the background, attentive and focused on your needs, not their own?

- How is the atmosphere created? Check music, lighting, acoustics and ventilation. It comes from deliberate design choices - anything you want to imitate?

- How is the seating - for you, or group of friends. How comfortable would it be for singles, or women on their own?

- Is someone in charge? It's always reassuring to know there's a manager or owner guiding the operation. Sometimes though, it's just a happy zoo!

- How do they handle complaints - with style, confusion or resentment?

Productivity:

- How many staff are needed to make it all happen? Count the seats, then count the staff. Is it as good as you, or better?

- How fast are they when you want an order, a refill or the account? Does the equipment and layout make their work faster, or get in the way?

- Do staff have to travel long distances to get the supplies they need, or not? How is the layout designed for a positive customer experience - would you change it?

- What is their cost structure? What sort of rent or fixed expenses would they pay? Chances are you'll also be speculating on their weekly sales and wage bill - it all helps to make sense of the experience.

Sales and Marketing:

- What's on their website? Did it tempt you to visit or make inquiries? Or not?

- What happens when you search for them in Google - do you see their site top of the list, or are they lost in a swamp of bar and restaurant listing services?

- How well did the staff recommend and sell to you? Does it seem to be part of a process or random?

- Check everything about the menu: design, layout, ease of reading, availability of extras, use of 'sales language'. How does their pricing work? Do you sell similar items for more or less...why?

- How good is the '4 Walls Marketing' ie the internal signs, branding and promotions for other services offered? Can you see information (without asking) about parties, functions or catering they offer?

And sometimes you'll be asking: What went wrong with this place? How can we avoid mistakes like these, or are we repeating some of them? Put on your tourist hat and make a few visits...

Profitable Hospitality offers management and cost-control systems (Manuals & CD-ROMs) for restaurants, cafes, hotels, bars and clubs. The systems are based on the extensive consulting and operating experience of CEO Ken Burgin, and enable busy owners and managers to set up complete operating and cost-control systems in minutes, not months. Profitable Hospitality also runs regular management training workshops in the areas of kitchen profit & efficiency, restaurant marketing and functions management. A free monthly e-newsletter keeps you up to date on the latest industry management issues. www.profitablehospitality.com.

Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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