Are You Being Served?

It's impossible to deliver a level of service that you've never experienced. Give your service team the experience of a lifetime.

We want our guests to receive the best service in town...flawless greeting scripts...impeccable plate placement...perfect pacing...a sincere thank you and invitation to return. We want our servers to deliver that first class service. We tell them this during training. We reinforce it at pre-shift briefings. And because we expect it and believe it to be true it happens, right?

I know this for a fact: it's impossible to deliver a level of service that you have never experienced first-hand. Do you think the typical Gen-X server--they account for 75% of all new hires--has been served in a four-star restaurant, or even a two-star restaurant? Or do you think they've ever had subtleties of service pointed out to them by someone "in the know?"

There is no more effective way to communicate your culture and your service expectations than to have your staff experience it from the customer's point of view. So it's time for all of you managers and owners to get to work -- as role models -- to demonstrate how you want your servers to serve.

Invite your employees to lunch or dinner (on the clock), and treat them like "real guests" from they moment they arrive until you thank them and ask them to return. This works at all types of restaurants...full service, fast casual and even quick service. Customer service at a drive-up window or at the counter is just as important as table service.

This will be one of the most valuable training sessions you've ever conducted. And it will generate the most measurable results. Service will improve because your staff will appreciate and understand what it means to be served well. And guests will be impressed at the improvement in your service.

Serve 'Em Up Right

Here are some suggestions for setting up the exercise. And don't leave out the part about getting feedback. As always, you'll hear great comments, and you'll be able to see who's really tuned into spectacular service.

• Schedule lunch and dinner shifts to provide your service staff with the best service you can offer. If you're quickservice, ask your employees to come in during a one or two day period.
• Take Employee Reservations. If necessary, have a couple of seatings throughout the shift or schedule employee reservations on more than one day.
• Make sure the floor is covered and you can wait on a small section of your own employees. Don't let yourself get called away from your duties as a server to solve problems, or get swept up in your management duties.
• Deliver the best food and service your operation has to deliver. Allow wine or specialty beverage tastings. Give them the red carpet treatment. Isn't that what you'd want them to deliver?
• Make sure your service skills shine. Do you pause when you approach the table, or interrupt a conversation? Do you ask if you can "bring a glass of iced tea," or if they "want another one?" Do you "run" out of the special, or "sell" out? Unless otherwise asked, do you wait until all at the table have finished eating before clearing plates? These things will be noticed and hopefully mentioned in the evaluation your employees will complete after their meal. If they're not, you'll know where to focus future training sessions.
• At the end of the meal or after delivering an order, thank the employees, and invite them to dine with you again as a guest.
• And last, but not least, ask your employees to fill out the special downloadable service questionnaire we've designed for this training exercise. Allow them to read the questionnaire prior to their reservation. This will help them be more aware of the subtleties you're striving to convey. These subtleties are what distinguish excellent service from mediocre service.

Bill Main, FMP, FCSI, is a nationally-recognized author, foodservice consultant, and professional speaker. His goal is to help you define who you are, where you want to go, and the best way to get there. Bill Main & Associates (www.billmain.com) offers a wide range of consulting services, resources and tools in the areas of strategic growth, marketing, menu, leadership, training, and management development.