Restaurant Job Board Blog

Have you ever noticed the quality of service when you go to a fancy restaurant?  The restaurant staff all give an excellent level of service, and they are very polished in their manners and grooming.  Many staff members that we don’t even come into contact with a big contributors to a restaurant’s success.

Approximately one-third of adults have been employed in some type of restaurant at some time in their life.  The food and restaurant service sector grows approximately 12 percent each year providing about 1.9 million which 47,000 of those are management level positions.

Most people in the restaurant business get their skills through their own experience in the job but there is an advantage if you have formal training in the industry.  Restaurants do look for employees who do have the training and  experience and the financial benefits are better for those who do have the training in the restaurant business.

There are many areas to be employed in the food and restaurant industry such as human resources, marketing, food technology, customer relations or even in the business or accounting area.  Hospitality Management colleges or schools offer courses in any of these fields but someone with business education and management skills could also fit in. These courses run anywhere from 2 – 4 years which include the area you want to specialize in.  Some schools also offer interships and co-op courses.  Some people get their training from a particular restaurant’s own training courses. This is a great way to learn the skills and get the required experience at the same time.

There are many different areas to consider working in if you train in the restaurant and hotel industry such as administration, culinary services, hotel maintenance and marketing. A manager’s duties besides learning different functions of all the departments including the kitchen, bar and banquet services, also includes the hiring of employees and the overseeing of them. This industry also requires housekeeping staff who are usually required to work shifts which are suited to a person who can work under these conditions. There are also many important positions just in the kitchen in the restaurant such as the food and beverage manager, chef or overseeing the other kitchen staff.

When working in the hotel and restaurant industry, you need to be dedicated and give your best level of service whether you’re in management or working for management. Customer service requirements are always high when working with the public and this is why you should always be polite, clean and tidy.  Always give your best level of service and keep the customer happy so they want to return to the establishment and will tell others about its success.

Always show off your great personality if you’re working with the public. This will help to form a great relationship with your customers. If the hospitality industry appeals to you and are thinking about a career in it, there are many great schools to choose from and many great places to work which could be close to home or around the world. It could take you anywhere you would like to be!

Have you ever walked into a business like a clothing store or restaurant and the employees there didn’t acknowledge you? You knew that they saw you enter, yet they didn’t feel that it was more important that a potential customer was greeted and served right away than finishing their current conversation or whatever they were doing.

How did you feel?

Did you want to spend your money there?

Not good, right?

I don’t blame you, now that you are the business owner, what are you going to do differently? I don’t have any statistical data of how much it would harm your business; however, it will definitely not be good for potential customers to get this kind of first impression when they enter your business.

Here are some steps you can take to teach your staff how to welcome and acknowledge every customer in your restaurant.

Teach it

Yes, it’s true, most things in life are intuitive, yet in your business, never assume that what you want to be done is known by your staff. ESP doesn’t work in relationships and it doesn’t work in business either. Show your staff what you want them to say to customers, when and why. Demonstrate and role play some possible scenarios. Ask them how they feel when they are ignored?

Repetition

Repetition is the key in every type of learning. Don’t talk to and treat people like they are stupid, just simply practice constistency. Employees prefer predictablility. Good business practices are clear and predictable. If your staff are not clear on the task, then they won’t perform the task. Drill it into your staff’s heads so that when a customer walks in, they don’t think about what they should do, they’ll just do it.

Reward Good Good Modelling

Reward and recognition doesn’t always have to be related to money. A word of praise privately or in front of co-workers, or a pat on the back will do for most things. Recognize the desired behavior no matter how redundant it may seem. Not being appreciated is one of the major reasons of work dissatisfaction.

Fire

Nobody likes to have let staff go, but it is a tough task that is involved in being a business owner. If someone doesn’t buy into your restaurant culture with repeated attempts to persuade them, then they should go to a company where they will buy into that culture. You’ll be doing that person a favor in the long run. One bad apple WILL corrupt the bunch. It takes very little effort to criticize and complain- destroying what you are trying to build. Take notes on the ones who roll their eyes, snicker or offer unwanted advice or comments. Convert or eliminate negative energy. It takes constant positive energy and effort to create and maintain good attitudes and practices in your business.

You can’t lose if customers that feel welcomed and appreciated. The good will generated can’t be measured, except that you will get repeat business and eventually referrals to your business. Stand above your competitors by putting the extra work in creating an environment that is both warm and inviting.