Keep it simple . . .

April 24th, 2013

Rube Goldberg DrawingThe best businesses control themselves, keep things simple, stay on track, and do not allow themselves to be overwhelmed, overloaded, or confused.  Their guests and customers are exposed to an ever-increasing daily barrage of messages daily from a million different points in the world.  In order to engage people, it’s smart to understand that there is beauty in simplicity.

That’s not to say that complexity does not sometimes work, as I was reminded when I spoke recently with the Dallas Business Journal’s Ghianda Becerril for her article Boston’s Restaurant & Sport Bar is for families, sport fans alike.

The interesting thing about Boston’s is that they operate two concepts under one roof: a family restaurant and a sports bar. They are a powerhouse in their native Canada and they are working to gain a foothold here.  Their calculation is that a better average unit volume (AUV) can be built with two concepts under one roof.  But let’s face it,  there is certainly a family dining customer who does not want their kids around a sports bar — even if it’s on the other side of a wall.  And I guarantee you there are sport bar fans who may feel a little intimidated about displaying their love of sports and alcohol in a building with kids. If Boston’s could generate the same AUV with one concept,  I’ll bet they would.

A week after I was interviewed for this article I talked about this with a high school team at the Texas State Pro Start Finals where I judged Critical Thinking in the management competition.  One of the teams had invented a concept with a restaurant downstairs, and a live music venue upstairs.  I suggested they read the article, and visit Boston’s to learn how much extra work there is in multi concept.  (Note:  My suggestion was not for them to visit the sports bar side.  We are dealing with high school students here.)

Every time you add complexity to your business it is important to understand and consider what the true benefits are. The lesson  is not to avoid complexity completely, but to recognize it for what it is, and that it’s only worthwhile when it’s paying off.  I love a complex model as much as the next guy — people who know me may say even more so.  Some people even remember when I was part of the first multi-concept nightclub in Texas back in the 80s. It had three concepts under one roof!  But these days  experience has taught me. I am wary of making things more and more complicated in pursuit of a simple goal.

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From the Outside Looking In

April 18th, 2013

Plate and glassBusinesses tend to build their foundation on one thing they do really well.  The best businesses then  import  competence and develop the skills that do not come naturally to them.  Eventually they have the complete package, even though they still rely on the thing that they do the very best.   In that way, a business is no different than a person. We all have things that come naturally to us and we all have blind spots and things we have the opportunity to learn in this lifetime.

There is nothing wrong with  overcoming weakness by focusing on strengths. But when you make weakness into strength,  people experience a game changer that creates the most success possible.

There is a restaurant I enjoy that has some of the finest chef-created food around.  I never forget that someone I took there years ago told me it was the best meal he had ever eaten.

But every time I dine there, I notice a detail, not one on the plate, that is not quite right.  That does not completely deter me, but it makes me eat there less often.  While I’m there, I am so happy about the food on the table that a flaw does not really bother me.  If a server completely omits something or a manager who forgets to set the appropriate lighting level until the middle of dinner service – I am still feeling OK.  Later on I reflect on what could have been improved.

If you know me, you realize how much I appreciate the food and the chef, because details like this tend to become great annoyances in my world.  Inevitably, even when I am dining out for fun — part of me is still working.

When I reflect back on the forgetful server or the lighting problems,  it reminds me that the eyes see out.  From the inside, it can be difficult to see where a business needs shoring up. This is especially true when people are raving about your food, or whatever factor really put you on the map.

Some people naturally see their own flaws.  But most business people either don’t see where they could improve or they do see it but think they can overcome it just by being good at their strengths.  It is a lot easier for an outsider to see opportunities because they are not bought into how things ought to be or defending past decisions or stroking a human ego.  The best businesses look for every opportunity to use outside experts to improve.

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I’ll have the special.

October 21st, 2012

Mi CocinaPeople prefer to buy from people they like.

We like to know a little history about a business.  We like to think we are doing business in someplace special, with special people.  The most successful businesses have great stories to tell and these stories serve to engage their associates and customers in what makes their business special.

There’s this restaurant that has a great story to tell about its commitment to quality and specialness in their specific segment.  However, they have not invested the resources required to really tell that story.  So as competitors have told their own stories,  this restaurant has fallen behind and guest counts have declined.

On the other hand, I know of a restaurant that spent plenty to tell a story about its corporation and price point.  Frankly, nobody was very interested.  They had a much better, more personal story they could have told that would have been quite compelling.  They are currently under performing and are now working on a way to tell the more interesting story.

All this came to mind when Stephen R. Thompson of the Dallas Business Journal called me to comment on Mi Cocina’s expansion from Dallas / Fort Worth to Atlanta and Washington, D.C.  for his story “Mi Cocina Dips Its Chips in Eastern States.”  Mi Cocina is the biggest restaurant success story in Dallas for the last 10-15 years.

In 2009, I told D Magazine that Mi Cocina had the potential to be the El Fenix or El Chico of the 21st Century.  Considering those two brands have been around for a combined 166 years, that’s a pretty big deal.

What a great story!  Mico Rodriguez, scion of the Mia’s Tex-Mex family, left to open his own Tex-Mex restaurant with upscale cues. With the opening of its second store in Dallas’ tony Highland Park Village, the story took a big leap forward.  Mico’s late brother, Paul, who stayed behind at Mia’s used to tease, “We have better food, but he has better furniture.”  There was a lot more drama later, detailed in that D Magazine article, but that’s a story of another kind which, happily for Mi Cocina, has not attached to the brand.  The happy ending?  Mi Cocina now boasts 20 units.

So what does this mean in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.?   Well, it means real estate people are offering locations.  But it might not mean much to the consumer.  The new locations will succeed or fail based on the quality of their operations.

Which brings me back to those two restaurants I mentioned before.  It reminds us all that you can promote your business on features and benefits, but people relate more to stories.  If you doubt that the telling of your story is important, you are wrong.  The best operators know how to build that story, circulate and promote that story, invest in that story and use it to their competitive advantage.

What is your story?

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Talking About Increasing Sales with Experts at Southwest Foodservice Expo

June 27th, 2012

Southwest Food Expo PanelWhen the best companies aim to increase sales, the first thing they do is evaluate and improve the customer experience. Then, once it is up to standard, they use that to define their brand and enroll frequent users.  What is the point of focusing on bringing people through your front doors before you have something you are proud of, and that they understand, they want and they can’t get everywhere else?

That was the unexpected common thread on two completely separate panels I moderated at the Southwest Food Service Expo recently.  All six of the industry professionals I spoke with agreed that the most important endeavor was getting the experience and the product right.  In other words, there is no point in talking about branding or converting occasional customers to regulars unless food, service, and atmosphere are perfected.

The two panels I moderated were entitled “How to Grow a Regular Customer” and “Who do you think you are?  A Branding Reality Check.”  The former comprised three of Dallas’ independent operators, Surrender client Ed Murph of Norma’s Café, Jack Perkins of Maple & Motor, and Seth Smith of Lee Harvey’s.

The latter  featured three CEOs: Carl Howard of Fazoli’s,  John Longstreet of Quaker Steak and Lube, and Antonio Swad of Pizza Patron. Ron Ruggless of Nation’s Restaurant News covered the panel in his article, “Effectively Building Your Restaurant’s Brand.”

The ideas were varied and creative:

  • Ed Murph talked about community involvement
  • Jack Perkin’s shared an unconventional approach to mutual respect between guest and restaurant, realizing he and his team cannot serve everyone and make them happy
  • Seth Smith explained how he has mimicked the radio technique of a prize for the fifth caller for a daily free dinner on Facebook
  • Carl Howard talked about the use of china and food runners in a QSR environment
  • John Longstreet explained how the worst tables in his restaurants carry a 10% discount on the guest check
  • Antonio Swad sent me a note with the Acronym ABB: Always Be Branding, a nice take on Glengarry Glen Ross’ ABC: Always Be Closing.

It  was not the methodology or gimmicks panelists were most interested in discussing.  When aspiring restaurateurs had questions at the end of both panels, the  message was clear . . . work on a concept that excites you and make it great.  Worry about the font on the menu later.

The Southwest Food Service Expo, celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Texas Restaurant Association, was held in Dallas on June 24 & 25.

Photo:  Ron Ruggless via Twitter

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You are in control of your own destiny.

January 31st, 2012

Successful business people keep their eyes on their own product, creativity, service, culture and execution. When they do their job right, they have an awareness of what other businesses are doing, but spend their time perfecting what they themselves are doing.

Quick service, fast casual, casual dining, fine dining. Think fast! There’s a good chance that you have been to all four recently, and enjoyed them all, though for different reasons. The owners of those establishments know that success comes from performing well within the niche they selected, not necessarily from selecting the right niche.

So I was surprised to hear that part of the strategy to re-launch Bennigan’s out of their bankruptcy was to take advantage of people being bored with fast casual. However, I have not detected that fast casual is on the wane. I went point-counterpoint with Bennigan’s Franchising Co. CEO Paul Mangiamele about it in the Dallas Business Journal last week. Like a throwback to CNN’s Crossfire, I took issue with his claim that casual dining will be profiting from fast-casual fatigue. The article, “Reborn Bennigan’s is in growth mode” by Steven R. Thompson, appeared in the Friday, January 27 issue.

To be fair, Bennigan’s still has a strong and meaningful brand. So the outlook is good for Paul’s comprehensive plan to relaunch the brand in this market. Though there are still a few vacant Bennigan’s on the freeways, the concept nearly vanished from the North Texas area during the 2008 bankruptcy. One of our clients recently converted an empty Bennigan’s to their own concept. Another intended to, but the landlord decided to go in a different direction. It will be interesting to see the latest life of Bennigan’s, and whether it will stand out in the casual dining universe.

The lesson for business owners of any type is to focus on what they can control. Factors outside of their control, like changing trends, are part of the operating environment.

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