I just spent a day with 12 teams of aspiring high school students competing for national recognition in restaurant management. I had two big takeaways: 1. Show true, heartfelt hospitality even when you distracted with handling your business. 2. Take advantage of what’s not working. The best business people are always thinking about their customers … Continued
People 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 … Continued
The Affordable Care Act could be the greatest thing that ever happened to your business. Why? Because it will motivate you to grow revenue and profits in a way you have never been motivated before. You can use it as a catalyst to put yourself into action and make your business stronger than ever before. The … Continued
The best companies know that if their brand stands for something the consumer does not want, a lot of money is going to be spent propping that part of the business up. At some point, the company will become weary of doing so and seek another direction. There has been a lot of talk about … Continued
Maybe fewer people are going to Hawaii this summer, but they are still going out for a drink tomorrow night. And the next night. They have to have something to eat and something to wear, too. There’s opportunity to make money in any economy. James Jeffrey of the Austin Business Journal asked me about this … Continued
I’ve been thinking back on the recent Southwest Foodservice Expo, reflecting on the technological advances available to the industry. Which are real and which are ephemeral? Technology marches on. Who needs a buzzer to tell you table is ready when a restaurant can text you? I had started to think about this during the show. … Continued
The best operators constantly update their image, offerings and physical plant or they risk falling behind. In a market where product changes quickly, information between customers who notice anything outdated or inferior travels even faster. Operators who fall behind eye deteriorating circumstances and think they can get by without re-investing in their product and facilities. … Continued
When 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 … Continued
New on our website is a report sharing our observations and documenting our analysis of the current state of the restaurant industry. This information grew out of our interpretation of 2012 Restaurateur Issues and Challenges, 12 key findings from the recent survey we conducted in a partnership with the Texas Restaurant Association. More here. We invite you … Continued
No matter what you think of jargon and buzzwords, every business has an opportunity to succeed through people, focus, measurement and reinforcement. Recently the term “Best Practice” proudly took its place among Forbes.com’s list of “the Most Annoying, Pretentious and Useless Business Jargon.” Best Practice was deemed “the single most pompous confection the consulting industry … Continued