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Your Servers-Salespeople or Order Takers?
By Shawn Kiley
Lets face it, if you own or manage a restaurant, you are a special breed of operator. Restaurants typically have the highest failure rates, highest employee turnover, biggest WC claims and the greatest investment losses of any traditional service or hospitality business. In order to run a successful operation, you really need to have your act together. Thats not to take anything away from anyone in other service jobs, but if youve worked in a restaurant, you know what Im talking about.
The restaurant business is the only business I know of where the consumer walks in the door prepared to spend their money. Think about it. Even if you pull into your local convenience store that you buy your energy drink from every day, and the one day you come in and theyre out of stock, you are most likely going to leave the store without purchasing anything.
In the retail business, not everyone who enters your store will buy something. Not even the good ole grocery store. If I want milk and youre out, Im out.
But the restaurant industry, thats something all together different. In the restaurant industry (lets include bars and nightclubs in there) your patrons arent there to try anything on. At least not in the literal sense. Basically, everyone who walks through the door of your restaurant should be envisioned with wallet in hand saying Im going to spend some money in here today, I guarantee it.
Thats where your front line comes in. Do you have a restaurant full of order takers or a restaurant full of salespeople. Chances are, its a little of both.
Everyones had experience dining out with both varieties of servers.
The order taker: What can I get you? Have you decided? Can I get you something from the bar?
The salesperson We have a fantastic variety of mouth watering specials today from our chef, let me tell you about them. Our featured wine by the glass is Fetzer Chardonnay, we have a special price today, may I get you a glass? Will that be regular tap water or a bottled water? My favorite appetizer is the fried mozzarella sticks. Theyre the best!
See the difference? Next month I will be sharing tips with you on how to convert your serving staff from order taker to salesperson. Believe me, when you have a floor full of salespeople, your profits will jump and your costs will go down. Stick around. Theres some good stuff coming!
But before I leave you, allow me to recommend what I believe to be the definitive book for restaurant selling (or any selling for that matter). Its called Service That Sells. You will find one of the co-authors Jim Sullivan, a mastermind at restaurant selling.
Until next time.. Shawn
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