Having a successful, busy restaurant is the dream of many chefs, owners, and managers all over the country. However moving from point A to point B is sometimes an unclear path. How do you know what will be profitable for your business? What are some of the common characteristics of a prosperous restaurant?
"73% of the reason customers return to a restaurant is service." Good customer service can turn even the worst occasion into a fun memory for the customer. For example, once my parents and I were at a restaurant when my mother found a bristle from a grill cleaning brush in her hamburger. Not only was the waiter apologetic, he got the manager who compensated my mother's meal and ordered us free desserts. The sincere concern and apologies that came from the wait staff and the manager turned what could have been a nasty incident for us into an unexpected party. "They could have gone anywhere, but they chose to come to you. Train your staff, and demand that they treat the customers as honored guests."
The sympathy and understanding that the manager gave to us as his customers was very calming and reassuring when we were upset over the mistake. Showing that same understanding to your staff is vital to running a business with good customer service. Sometimes the customer is wrong, whether because the waitress won't serve an intoxicated patron another drink or a customer tries to claim a mistake has been made to get out of paying the bill. In situations where the staff is right, the manager needs to be diplomatic and defend his employee. Concern and sympathy are great for genuine problems, but the customer isn't always right.
Consistent quality is another characteristic of a successful restaurant. Returning customers want to be assured that the fabulous steak they enjoyed on their last visit will be just as tender and tasty on the second go-round. If the restaurant is spotlessly clean when they come the first time, but hasn't been touched when they return, chances are you won't get another chance. If the quality isn't up to par the first time they darken your door, you're probably finished. Having a high quality consistent product isn't easy, but paying attention to detail will make your task a little easier. One manager suggests, "See the restaurant through both the guest's eyes as well as the staff's." That way you can focus on making a more enjoyable dining experience for the customer and a more efficient working environment for the employee.
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