While there are certainly challenges faced by the restaurant industry - incredibly high turnover rates and razor thin margins, to name a couple - there are also key learnings that any frontline workforce could benefit from implementing. Read on for four secrets in the sauce for a powerful, efficient frontline:
1. A laser focus on the customer experience
For example, McDonald’s not only emphasizes the importance of a warm welcome in their employee manual, it’s come up as an interview question for prospective employees. It may seem trivial, but beginning a customer experience with a smile and a greeting is the foundation for creating and cultivating brand loyalty with customers.
2. Constant learning from the voice of the customer
This one is distinctly and importantly different from #1. Sometimes, despite best efforts, customer experiences can go poorly. Rather than letting this be purely negative, this can turn into an opportunity to learn and grow from customers’ honest, valuable feedback. Many restaurant teams rely on surveys and increasingly, social media activity to better understand the customer perspective. This data can then be used to improve processes and identify potential blind spots that could become bigger issues in the long-term.
3. The need and respect for speed
4. An ever-evolving product line
This is also a great way to enforce regular training and knowledge sharing across your team: when new processes are introduced, it ensures that team members are up to date on how things are done and allows new opportunities for asking questions and streamlining how things get done.