One of the first things we learn as children is to always make a good impression. As we get older first impressions matter even more but often times we forget as restaurant operators, how much the first impression we make on our staff affects the impression our staff leaves on guests. I am a firm believer that all roads lead back to management. This means that instead of griping about your staff as if they were your peers; take control of the situation and determine the role that you played in creating this problem. Once you figure that out you can decide the best course of action to get your store back on track. As a consultant I had a client that presented a problem where the wrong first impression was having a huge impact on the units sales and guest comment reports. Here is the set up.
I was asked to come in and work in operations for a beloved fast food chicken franchise. The store that I took over was in a Louisiana suburb. As a west coast city boy, there was a fair amount of culture shock to say the least. The unit had seen a dramatic drop in annual revenue that correlated with increasingly negative guest feedback. My mission should I chose to accept it was to go in and get food cost, labor and training turned around. During the first few weeks I trained at a store that was a few miles from the store I would be taking over. Whether you are a permanent hire or a consultant, immersing yourself in the brand is vital to success. In this particular situation the managers who were working in the store I would be running knew well in advance that I was coming. what they didn't know was what I looked like.
Anonymity is one of the greatest tools in an operators arsenal, especially in the beginning. When staff knows that a VIP is coming their behavior changes. When I say VIP, that could be a new boss as in this case but in the general sense it means anyone who can effect your employment status. If you have an opportunity to view your operations under the cloak of anonymity by all means take advantage. Why would you do that you may ask. You do it because that is the truest snapshot of your restaurants culture and ambiance. This is how the team acts on a daily basis, when they don't think they're being watched. Mystery shops and guest 1-800 numbers are widely used tools in the industry. Inevitably when you take negative comments to your team they will try to turn it back on the guest. They will say things like "that guy is exaggerating", or "we were so busy". If you have your own experience through the cloak of anonymity you will be able to quickly discern areas of opportunity from isolated events. More importantly you aren't dependent on biased feedback to manage a new unit.
With these thoughts in mind, I went over to the store I would shortly be running to share in the guests experience. The visit was illuminating. I walked in and the girl at the register gave me a flippant greeting. She opted not to give me eye contact since she was busy talking to another employee. The first thing I noticed was that her uniform was a mess and she had no name tag. I asked questions about the menu, identifying myself as a first timer to the brand. My questions were designed to prompt tour guiding and upselling, none followed, I sat down at a table and waited for my number to be called. I sat in the dining room and noted the lobby was dirty, especially the floors. There were only two people in the dining room besides myself . The next thing I noted was the fact that I could hear everything the crew members were discussing. Most of it inappropriate. My food was lukewarm and tasted old, and when I went to the bathroom it left something to be desired. The most alarming part of the visit was the fact that I didn't see a manager until I was pulling out of the parking lot. She was standing outside smoking and talking to a crew member. The conversation was clearly personal. It wasn't the best first impression but it gave me real insight into the stores areas of opportunities. Later that day I called the manager on duty and set up a meeting with the managers. It was time to get their side of the story.
Well that's all for now dear readers! Next column I'll reveal how I approached the situation. In the mean time please share your thoughts. How would you handle the situation? What insight does this give you into this stores operation?
Until Next Time.....
