INTRO
Streamlining Restaurant Retention Rate Through Proven Systems
My Blueprint for Transforming Restaurant Sales:
With over 20 years in the industry and experience in opening more than 25 restaurants, I have fine-tuned a method to significantly boost restaurant sales through systematic changes. Here's a breakdown of my strategy:
Background and Expertise:
- I bring extensive experience in turning around restaurant locations by implementing effective training and systems, improving culture, customer retention, and sales.
I also bring a high level of expertise to new restaurant openings providing them with structured and systematized training that properly help prepare the staff for whats to come.
Focus on Independent Restaurants:
- Transitioning from corporate to independent restaurants, I now share tools previously inaccessible to smaller establishments, aiming to elevate their sales and operational success.
Core Problem Identification:
- I recognized a common issue: Restaurant owners often invest heavily in aesthetics and menus but neglect employee training and systematic operations, relying on outdated systems.
Systematic Approach to Improvement:
- **Weekly Reviews:** Managers start the week by categorizing all customer reviews from various platforms into positive and negative feedback. Positive feedback is used for staff motivation, while negatives are compiled for corrective action.
- **Addressing Feedback:** Instead of direct confrontation, discussions with staff about negative feedback focus on awareness and encouragement for improvement without assuming guilt.
- **Monthly Analysis:** Regular assessments of recurring complaints or praises identify persistent issues or standout features that need attention.
Cultural Shift:
- I emphasize changing the restaurant’s approach from mere service to a hospitality-focused experience, teaching staff to exceed guest expectations consistently.
Impact of Hospitality Over Service:
- I differentiate between transactional service and experiential hospitality, urging restaurants to foster connections that turn guests into loyal, repeat customers.
- I highlight successful models like Shake Shack and Cheesecake Factory, which thrive on systems-based hospitality.
Conclusion:
- My method involves a fundamental shift in mindset from routine service to intentional, system-supported hospitality that aims to convert every guest into a repeat visitor.
- This holistic approach not only aims to refine the guest experience but also solidifies the restaurant's reputation and operational success through strategic, system-driven enhancements.