Archive for November, 2009

We hope everyone out there had a relaxing and tasty Thanksgiving this year! Now that turkey day has passed, we wanted to take a moment to talk about ways that restaurants can take advantage of the holiday season. Christmas shopping traditionally takes place at the mall, but it doesn’t mean you can’t get in on the action too!

Offer Gift Cards – Most restaurants offer some type of gift card or gift certificate, but are you pushing them during the holiday season? We’ve noticed a few national chains recently that have been offering discounts on your meal or extra “free” gift cards with a minimum gift card purchase. Make sure your wait staff mention your gift cards to every table, since they make a wonderful alternative gift!

Create A Holiday Menu – It doesn’t have to be extravagant, but adding a few holiday specials and drinks to your menu will add a festive air to your restaurant. Doing this year over year will have people coming back to look for their holiday favorites.

Do A Shopper’s Special – After a long day of buying Christmas presents, many people are in no mood to cook. Create some special offers to get shoppers in and off their feet. Or, offer some to-go options that they can take home and nosh on while they wrap up all their goodies for under the tree!

Everyone needs a chance to get away and relax now and then. Spas are a popular choice for people who need to take a break and recharge their batteries. Any spa owner will tell you that running a popular spa is a demanding, but rewarding business. You want your clients to be blown away by the level of your service and cleanliness every time they walk in the door.

We’ve collected some great advice for running a spa, straight from some of our expert clients:

1. Keep plenty of clean spa towels on hand. You should have an extra stock in every room in your spa, for your patrons to dry off with and also for cleaning your work stations.

2. Have clean and crisp spa uniforms on hand for all staff. It gives a cohesiveness to your business and allows patrons to recognize employees in case they need assistance. A comfortable uniform will also improve your employee’s experience and allow them to do their job to the best of their ability.

3. Listen. Never ever underestimate the importance of listening to your customer. When you understand their needs, wants and even their complaints, you’ll learn how to improve your service and grow your business.

4. Don’t skimp on your spa robes. If someone will be wearing of these all day, they should be comfortable. A high quality robe won’t need to be replaced as often either!

5. Take surveys. Ask your clients to rate their experience at your spa and look for weak points you can improve. Give your employees surveys as well. If you can do things to improve their working conditions, it will trickle down into better experiences for the customers as well.

It seems like time is flying! We were just getting ready for Halloween and now we’re already seeing Christmas commercials on tv. It won’t be long before the holiday season is in full swing, so we wanted to share some easy tips for dressing up your restaurant for the holiday season.

Lights & Décor – The fastest way to dress up for the holidays is to put up some lights and décor. Pick one or two elements that you want to dress up with – twinkle lights are a great way to add a festive twist to your dining room without changing the overall ambiance of the room.

Music – Christmas music is a wonderful way to get your patrons in the holiday spirit! Just don’t over do it. Pick a radio station that mixes Christmas music in with their regular playlist, or throw just one or two holiday cds in to your regular rotation.

Dressing Up Your Staff – Don’t stop at the décor! Ask your staff to get in on the holiday spirit with a few small changes. Get them red or green ties to wear in place of their regular attire, or pass out some Santa hats for those willing to wear them.

Once you have your wait staff looking their best, you need to make sure they’re acting their best as well. A well dressed staff is nothing if they haven’t been trained in proper etiquette and customer service. It’s also a good idea to hold occasional refresher courses to keep your staff in tip top shape. Try to focus on the major areas of good customer service:

1. Be pleasant and courteous – a smile can go a long way towards improving a customer’s mood. Greet them promptly and ask them how they are doing. Simply being nice can go a long way towards a good dining experience.

2. Have a solid understanding of the menu – if your menu regularly changes, this is especially important. The wait staff should be able to describe each dish, and should know what can be substituted in any meal. If they can’t answer basic questions about the menu, guests are likely to question the reliability of the entire establishment.

3. Check in regularly, but don’t hover – your guests shouldn’t have to hunt you down when they need something. Stop in regularly and see if they need anything, but don’t be excessive. Keep your eyes open for customers that are finishing their meals or appear to be looking around for their waiter, and step in to see what they need.

A little extra attention can go a long way towards creating world class customer service in your restaurant.