The Secret Ingredient in the Restaurant Industry - Essay Example

How “hospitality” has become the secret ingredient in the restaurant Industry

Hospitality is the core of the restaurant industry. Several restaurant operators often use the word 'hospitality' and assume that they already have it simply because they use it. However, it is something intangible, and you can only know its existence when you feel it. It feels too good to go to a restaurant and receive a warm welcome and courteous service that makes you leave with a happy feeling. The usage, understanding and practice of hospitality mean offering customers better services to leave them feeling satisfied and willing to come back for the services. The restaurant industry is continuing to grow with each passing year, and research shows that every 2.5 seconds, a new job in the hospitality industry is created. The competition is now becoming stiff. The best ingredient remaining to make one’s restaurant business more competitive from others is practicing hospitality of the highest order. It all involves treating the clients with care so that they will continue longing for your services. If the business does not treat customers with respect, it might struggle to generate sales.

The restaurant industry mostly relies on the level of client contentment for it to stay competitive. If people feel dissatisfied with the services offered in a particular restaurant, they will stop dining there and choose an alternative restaurant. Therefore, training all employees on hospitality helps them gain soft skills that enable offering quality service and encourage customers to come back. Most restaurant owners struggle to help their workers "get it" and possess a caring mindset (Nepomuceno). The most important thing is to make them understand that hospitality is different from service. Doing what is expected can be described as service, while hospitality involves doing what is unexpected and offer something that seems unique to the guest. To describe it better, what you do is service, but hospitality shows how you are. The little unique things that demonstrate caring leaves the guest with a memorable experience in a restaurant. There is a difference between having a clean washroom and having a sparking clean washroom. If one wants to invite essential guests, they make sure that the environment is inviting. Therefore, hospitality can be described from a perspective of how we look at life and the way we ere in the world. One must go to the extent of not just dealing with the guests well but outstandingly conducting themselves.

It is good to treat your staff members the way you want them to treat the customers. Never say something to workers that you can't say to the customers. What they see you doing is what you will get as feedback. If you want them to listen to customers, then listen to them. Just be the role model because your hospitality will beget hospitality. Everything one does that leads to good, will creates trust and raises the level of the working atmosphere. It there is a positive environment, teamwork, and caring come automatically, a pleasant feeling in the job is created. Workers cannot practice hospitality in an environment that is full of fear and insecurity.

Some secrets of having great hospitality

In this world where the economy is uncertain, every restaurant operator tries their best to ensure that they stand out of the competition. Apart from just having the basic requirements of creating a welcoming environment, an exceptional service must be put in place. Several steps must be taken to innovate and have something extra special and unique to offer to the customers. There is a need for restaurant owners to understand that visiting and eating there is not always necessary. Some may think profit is the most crucial thing (Harmer and Kühn). However, they must understand that generating unique emotions and memories for clients is vital. The following are some secrets to having outstanding hospitality.

Exceeding expectations

There are specific elements that can create a difference in the customer experience. It entails going ahead and findings ways to exceed their expectations. The first thing is to try and understand what kind of service a customer expects to have. One can do this by collecting information about what kind of service they would like to get. When they visit, you can talk to them and ensure you keep the record of what they like and dislike. Sometimes its good to ask one, Am I able to identify every point of my customer's experience? How can I exceed their expectations?

Making the clients feel special

Making the customer feel exclusive works a lot in attracting and retaining clients. It makes them feel that you genuinely care for them. Make them feel that they are the only ones you are dealing with. Make them the center of the universe. For frequent customers that you already know their names, it is essential to address them by their names. Also, reading the client’s signals and body language and responding to them helps avoid unnecessary conflicts.

Reading body language and personality.

In the restaurant industry, non-verbal communication is vital. Customers can read how one we think about them by our body language. Whether we want to care about customer's experience of the business, having a negative facial expression or body language will always send an expression that we don't care for them. Anyone interacting directly with customers must learn to natural and not false. Just be authentic.

Benchmarking and training

For a restaurant to provide exceptional hospitality and create a positive customer experience, education and training are essential for the staff members. Don’t just focus on what's happening in the kitchen. Offering delicious food without remarkable hospitality is all in vain. Also, benchmarking involves comparing your "hospitality “ level with that of other competitors in the industry. Therefore, make customers feel the value of their money by having both excellent food, sauces, desserts etc and quality hospitality.

When things go wrong

At some times in every business, somethings must go wrong. What matters is the deal with the problems. It is all that makes the difference. For instance, when customers make an order, and there is an unexpected delay, explain it politely. It is better to keep them informed about the delay because they will accept it. Don't wait for them to boil tempers. Standing up when greeting guests on arrival. It may seem a small gesture, but it has a significant impact. Restaurant owners to ensure that their staff interact and acknowledge guests where possible.

Putting back “hospitality” to those who don’t fully practice it

Recently, I talked with one of my friends, who owns an excellent restaurant. He revealed to me that being hospitable is what is driving his restaurant's success. I was amazed when he sais that the only secret behind all success is treating all customers as f they're the most important guests in the world. Even when the restaurant is full, all customers are treated to their satisfaction. Whenever I remember that, I wonder why so many restaurants miss the hospitality. Sometimes back, walking into a restaurant was a memorable experience. You would find someone already at the door waiting to greet you, take your coat and take you to your favorite table (Roger 1). Restaurant owners would make sure that you will never forget any aspect of your dining. This treatment aimed to treat everyone as if they were the only customers you have. It is time to come back again and start expressing the true meaning of the word hospitality. Managers should start again and begin looking at the restaurant from the customer's point of view. For instance, they can make a habit of dining in the restaurant once in a while to experience what the customers experience. They should check if they were greeted well by the door and how the team interacts as they serve. Although the staff might treat the owner differently, sitting there and observing how they interact with other guests is essential. Hospitality should never be lost in the restaurant industry. Restaurants must continue developing a game plan that includes practicing the real service and understanding what the guests seek.

“Hospitality” is now the key to the success of the restaurant industry. Apart from having excellent seats, there is a need to build real relationships with the customers and make them feel cared for. For restaurant owners to win the stiff competition arising in the industry, they must work hard to improve their interpersonal skills and establish excellent constant communication. Sometimes, having a customer satisfaction survey helps. It can be done by issuing frequent customers with short surveys asking them about their experience with the services offered. If the customer is not happy about the hospitality level, let them explain the reason and give suggestions for improvement. That information is useful to resolve the existing problems and make guests satisfied.

Restaurant owners and managers should strive to motivate their employees and appreciate them to demonstrate world-class hospitality to the customers. A happy employee always duplicates that happiness by serving the guest happy. It is good to foster a positive culture in the working environment. Otherwise, brewing a negative atmosphere affects the zeal that is needed to boost interpersonal communication. If any problems are arising at the restaurant, it is essential to solving it positively. If the employees are improving in the way they treat customers, show them some appreciation. If you don't do that, they may not feel recognized and might fail to set their foot forward and continue with the excellent work. Schedule meetings with workers to discuss any challenges they are facing when dealing with certain types of customers. Suggest ways in which they can handle those customers and still make them loyal. Those who have done an excellent job can be rewarded.

According to Danny Meyer, "having a great plate of food will never overcome the poor hospitality, however offering an amazing hospitality can help in overcoming a mistake made by a cook or the server." The most important thing to include in the checklist when hiring restaurant workers is hospitality skills. Although employees can still be trained in soft skills for handling customers, sometimes we should assume that hospitality is an internal emotional skill. For any restaurant that wants to succeed, it must hire hospitable employees and only need a little training to keep moving. For restaurants to possess unbeatable customer service, it all begins with hospitality. Therefore let us all value hospitality to shape our guest's experience and rectify the wrong impression.

If people visit a restaurant and receive a terrible experience, it is assured that they will tell the next person who might suggest they go there again for dinner. This implies that that restaurant will slowly start losing customers and sooner or later may shut down. Hence, Restaurants must strive to make customers say good things about them. Having patients with trying guests is also vital. Act with integrity and react to them in a hospitable manner. Excellent hospitality must be the first marketing tool for any restaurant.

Customer service with a faked smile does not show hospitality. Some customers are smart and can sense when one is not genuine. Growing hospitality skillset should be a daily task that every restaurant should focus on improving every day. Having that in mind will help in delivering excellent services and improving the environment for your customers. Let's utilize the secret ingredient, "hospitality," to make the customer experience better and survive in the competitive environment.