4 Simple Ways Your Restaurant Employees Can
Help You Be More Profitable
As a restaurant or food service provider you have a million things to tend to in an average day. Ensuring that your staff is trained properly will help to alleviate some of this stress and help to make you more profitable in the long run.
1 - Follow recipes and portion control guidelines -
Recipes have two purposes: a) to ensure consistency, b) to control costs. Teach your staff members these two basic principles. This is especially true for center-of-the plate food items and bar pours. Also, make sure that the correct portioning utensils are being provided and used. For example, you cannot expect a bartender to execute a perfect measured pour without having a measure or a jigger.
2 - Do it right the first time -
When staff members make mistakes your restaurant takes a double hit financially. First, your investment in products, equipment, and supplies is lost. Second, labor dollars are wasted. Make sure all employees are capable of completing assigned tasks prior to going "solo", and when mistakes are made, coach or retrain them until you are confident they can do the job properly.
3 - Train your wait staff to be sales people –
First, make sure that your wait staff is selling the items you want sold: the most profitable menu items not the necessarily the most expensive ones. Second, make sure they are up selling as much as possible. Are your servers selling appetizers and desserts to everyone at the table, and are they up selling alcohol with every drink? Your staff should be knowledgeable on all products in order to be able to effectively sell them.
4- Value your staff’s knowledge –
Your staff has the most direct contact with your guests and insights on the function and flow of your restaurant that you might not have. Let your staff know just how much you value their ideas to help your restaurant improve. Ensure a culture of inclusion where all ideas are welcome. The key is to create an environment whereby the staff can come to you with their feedback and ideas; both positive and negative.
Properly training your staff to adhere to operational guidelines reduces waste, lost effort and cost overruns. Continue to follow up to be sure they understand, execute and live by your guidelines. Listen to the feedback you are receiving from your staff and act when necessary. Reward you employees when they consistently meet or exceed your standards.
Ask yourself, do you have the proper operational guidelines and training programs so your staff can help you be as profitable as possible? 4Q Consulting can develop customized operational guidelines and training programs to meet your needs. Call us today for a free business consultation!
All original content copyright Noelle E. Ifshin, 2012-2013.
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