5 Ways Everyone Can Improve Their Restaurant Management
They say to work smarter rather than harder, and the restaurant industry is no exception to this rule.
Clinging to outdated management processes while the competition continues to innovate will only put you one step behind in the long run.
As a manager, you’ll know that customer experiences hinge on both the food and the service. Recent studies of Yelp customer reviews have even shown that customers react to bad restaurant experiences with signs of mild trauma!
No one wants to be responsible for that, so here are five ways you can help improve your restaurant management.
Gather customer feedback
Collecting customer feedback is, and always will be, the best place to start when you’re looking to improve.
By asking them to fill out a short survey, leave a review online or fill out a comment card, you can see the areas you’re excelling in and areas that might need improvement.
Remember to stay impartial when reading your feedback–hard as that may be! Some things may be more useful than others, but it’s crucial not to discard feedback because you don’t like it.
Bookkeeping software
Is your outdated restaurant bookkeeping software holding you back?
Time is money and efficiency is always key, so you need to look to save time wherever you can.
New, more up-to-date software will allow you to manage your inventory, look at the cost of your menu, digitize your invoices and expenses.
You can even send checks to vendors in just a few clicks, bringing management admin time right down while maintaining the high level of transparency and efficiency.
Give your team the tools they need
This seems simple but really can make all the difference.
Being fully stocked with linens, trays, cutlery, glasses and pads means your team will have all they need to do a good job.
Making sure you’re properly fitted out isn’t just helpful for the team, it also helps to maintain a high level of quality and consistency for customers.
Ratty old linens and mismatched cutlery won’t do your reputation any favors.
Incentivise your team
Even if you’re lucky enough to have a team filled with compassionate, enthusiastic individuals with a natural tendency towards hospitality, incentivisation goes a long way to maintaining high service standards.
Set goals based on your KPIs and customer service targets and reward the staff members that hit those markers.
You can even make it into a competition to help stoke the fires of participation!
Hold a monthly team meeting
It’s not just the customers who have important business insights to share.
Try holding a team meeting every month or every quarter and collect the feedback that the whole team has to offer–chefs, kitchen porters, waiting staff, and hosts.
There could be processes that are causing friction across the teams or slowing down service, so bring the issue out into the open and try new ways of doing things.
It’s important for staff to feel like they have a voice, so let them speak!
Try implementing a few of these ideas and see the difference they can bring to your restaurant efficiency.