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Manage Your Busy Restuarant With These 6 Ingenious Tips
When it comes to unexpected issues, ups and downs in customer flow, and the need for snap judgments, there is nothing like the restaurant business to keep you on your toes. No two days are the same, and managing an effective team, keeping inventory on track, and handling the day-to-day craziness that comes with the job can be incredibly fun and seriously exhausting. If you are managing a busy restaurant, you’re going to need the following tips:
Be Transparent With Your Employees
Your employees go through the wringer just as much as anyone else in this job, and it’s important to build a team culture that helps them feel valued, safe, and taken care of. Besides doing employee-of-the-month boards or offering them a special bonus on their birthday, consider going the extra mile with your employees by striving to be transparent about your expectations, processes, and overall vision.
Your employees want to be engaged in something more than just day-to-day monotony. Help them feel trusted and important by allowing them to see you working just as hard as anyone else to make this business thrive. When complications arise, do your best to take them with poise and be honest about how it affects your employees. Never leave them wondering if they’ll get paid or not.
Be Social
In this world of internet searches and reviews, your restaurant must have an active and engaging social presence. If need be, hire someone with the expertise to craft original content for your restaurant blog, or manage your social media page. Invite people to weigh in on their favorite entrees or to vote on the name of a new item on the menu. The more engagement online, the more visible you become to potential customers.
Make Smart and Quick Decisions
What do you do when your refrigeration stops working or when a valued menu item suddenly is no longer available due to crop failures or stocking issues? It’s important to have a contingency plan in place for some of the essential aspects of running your restaurant. The best way to deal with this is to have a list of “helps,” like a trusted transport refrigeration service, or a local farmer’s market organizer, who may be able to help in a pinch.
Purchase High-Quality Equipment
If possible, spend the money where you need it: on high-quality, dependable equipment. This is the backbone of your business; making sure that your equipment is well-maintained, efficient, and made to last can benefit you in the long term in saving you time and money and worry in the long term.
We’re not just talking about kitchen appliances, though. Acquire the equipment and software you need to increase security, track sales and inventory, and save time in the everyday tasks you and your employees engage in.
Understand the Customer Experience
The number one aspect of your success is whether or not customers become regulars and whether or not they bring their friends along with them. The best way to improve the customer experience is to first understand it. From the moment they walk in your business to the moment they leave, are they afforded the kind of treatment and amenities that would help them feel comfortable and waited upon? This kind of experience is the type that ends up in great reviews.
Experiment
Keep things exciting – and customers coming back – by offering fun promotions from time to time. Try offering seasonal menus, happy hour, or special items or prices related to local celebrations, etc. Advertise these promotions on your social media, and get your employees on board to spread the energy and enthusiasm.
Use these six helpful tips to navigate the whirlwind that is restaurant management while pushing your business to the next level.
