April 2006
WAITER TRAINING - DIRECTING THE PERFORMANCE
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A great service performance cannot occur by chance; it is the result of sound planning and management. To manage the service performance, you must establish goals, design and implement systems to meet them, and maintain service excellence once it is reached.
A good service plan is an organized, systematic method of handling customer service. Planning involves analyzing a goal, situation, assignment, or problem and then developing a step-by-step method for handling it.
Plan your work, then Work your plan
The 5 key steps towards achieving consistent standards in customer service:
1. Identify problems and their causes
2. Set goals
3. Consider available resources
4. Develop policies and procedures
5. Obtain feedback and monitor results
The manager who plans can shape and improve the future by developing the systems and policies that result in a great show. This is much more preferable to the all too common approach of reacting to situations caused by existing policies and unexpected crises.
The following example illustrates the process and value of planning.
Richard Parsons operated a chain-owned family-style restaurant. The system for picking up food from the kitchen- which had been used for years, involved wait staff calling out their table numbers and waiting in line for the chefs to put up the food. The wait staff would then garnish the plates and put the order together. Because of marketing efforts and increased business, the system had become inefficient. Wait staff spent too much time in the kitchen waiting for food and service to customers suffered.
Richard did not question the system; instead, he blamed the cooks and caitiff. During busy periods, he expedited orders himself, keeping him from other management responsibilities. He responded to daily emergencies rather than correcting the underlying problem. The result was confusion, leading to poor staff morale and customer service.
When a new manager, Janet Miller, took over, she was unwilling to accept the inefficient ordering system. She considered her goal, which was to provide friendly and efficient service, and identified the cause of the problem as the faulty system. Next, she considered her resources. She did not have the money for a state-of-the-art system or to hire an expediter, and she was unwilling to expedite herself, since it took her away from other responsibilities.
By considering the goal and her resources, Janet came up with a solution. She asked for a volunteer from the wait staff to act as expediter. She expanded the stations of the other wait staff on the grounds that they would be able to handle more tables when they no longer had to co-ordinate their orders in the kitchen. By asking the wait staff to tip the expediter, that person's earnings did not fall. The system worked and was adopted permanently, the caitiff made more money with less stress, and customer service improved greatly.
The ultimate goal of a commercial enterprise is profit. With increased profits, you can expand your restaurant, improve employee wages, and continually enhance your customer service. Making your restaurant as profitable as possible is your key to success.
Note that profit should be true to the type of enterprise you operate.
Maximizing profit at an elegant restaurant does not mean replacing linen napkins with paper. However, such a move may be made successfully in a coffee shop in order to cut costs and improve profits. Short-term profits made by contradicting the nature of the business can lead to long-term losses.
Your restaurants’ goals should be defined in a clear and well thought mission statement. A clear purpose helps to direct both managers and employees toward the goal of satisfying customers in order to be profitable.
When properly identified and applied, a mission gives a business focus and profoundly affects its success. For example, a 200-year-old historic inn will most likely profit by focusing on providing old-world charm and a caring employees rather than the latest trend in entertainment.
Here are some guidelines on how to define the basic goals of hospitality in your company's mission:
-Define your style of service
-Identify the atmosphere
-Determine the prices
Consider your competition and market niche. More and more, differentiating your restaurant will be critical to your success and part of your mission. The checklist below can be used as a general overview of the areas that should be evaluated as part of a plan to improve service within your restaurant.
1. The systems currently in place ensure that customers are served consistently high quality food.
2. Purchasing, receiving, storing, and issuing standards are effective in preserving the quality of food.
3. Employees have the tools, equipment, and supplies they need to serve customers well
4. Employees are well trained in serving customers and performing their role
5. The facilities and equipment are maintained to ensure cleanliness and efficient food production
Using the checklist above as a guideline, list any relevant goals for improvement in each area.
Goal 1
Goal 2
Goal 3
Goal 4
Goal 5
From your list of goals, set priorities by differentiating between short-term and long-term goals. Decide which goals you can accomplish within the next month; within the next six months; within the next year; and within the next five years. You should review and modify your goals as necessary.
Priority 1 : Time-frame:
Priority 2 : Time frame:
Priority 3 : Time frame:
Priority 4 : Time frame:
Priority 5 : Time frame:
Determining and Applying Resources
Now that you have identified your restaurant's service goals, consider the resources you have to achieve them. Your job as manager is to utilize the available resources to achieve your goals. You have two basic types of resources:
1 ) Human resources- the people who work for you
2) Material resources- the equipment and materials used to operate the business. What food, equipment, and other materiel resources will you need to achieve your goals?
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