You can improve restaurant revenue and net operating income in any economy – even in 2024’s “flat market.”
One way I make this happen is to always look for people I call “caring, friendly whistleblowers.”
They have great ideas that exist outside of the status quo – ideas that challenge the status quo in a loving way.
Whistleblowers are some of my favorite people, and I test their ideas (along with my own) to try to improve the organization they work in.
What Would They Say to Me?
Some people in your organization are ready and able to offer incredible contributions.
So start listening.
One of my favorite tactics? Put a cross-section of senior and unit-level management in a room without ownership present.
I ask them, “Where can you become better? And what do you need to do that?”
Simple and effective.
Making Successful Companies Even More Successful
I enhance restaurant companies through my industry knowledge, experience, creativity, strategic mind, and powers of observation.
And most of all, by considering minority, previously rejected or unheard ideas.
Your people have some very impactful ideas they’ve seen work elsewhere, and they don’t understand why their current company doesn’t do them too.
Others have insights about a brand’s journey – insights that could result in life-changing increases in guest count, revenue, and profit.
Like about brand positioning vs. competition; employee education and communication; expectations of what we should do first, second, and third; or systems that can be imported to improve profit.
At one client, senior management literally begged me to advocate changing their style of service.
At another I found deep and sometimes agitated confusion about the gap between the stated culture and actual behavior.
At a third group, managers wanted to improve financial results but explained they did not have access or education on the tools used to track their progress.
Over to you. Who are the caring, friendly whistleblowers in your company? What are their big insightful ideas that have translated into big wins for you lately?
Ask yourself: If I put all your people in a room without you, what would they tell me?
