Enter your text here...
From the Francis Marion in Charleston, SC
Still enjoying a few days of R&R down here in Charleston with the family. They are leaving today, I leave tomorrow.
We needed to kill some time before the horse and carriage ride around historic Charleston so we decided to take a walk. My daughter wanted to see one of the Carnival cruise ships that had docked overnight up close, so we walked over to the dock.
We passed this little BBQ shack on the way, and the owner came out talking about a beautiful day (it was) and wondering if we needed a table. His next words were,
"We are the #1 restaurant in Charleston"
on Trip Advisor.
We promised to come back after the tour.
We had a late lunch at the BBQ place, Queology, after the tour. I gotta say, damn good Q. And they were BUSY! Every employee was really humping it (working hard), including the owner.
No matter their position, hostess, server, owner, they all worked as a team.
At the end of the meal, in addition to the check, we were given a card with the servers name on it and a link directly to Trip Advisor to leave a review. When I went online to leave my own review, I saw that they were indeed #1 out of 557 restaurants.
Lessons here for you?
- A great product is not enough to win in your market.
- You must have a specific targeted goal and a system for getting there. Queology was not trying to be #1 on any other review site, just Trip Advisor. Relentless focus on that goal.
- And a system for getting there. A system so simple, any entry level employee could wrap their heads around and execute.
The #45 restaurant
Since I had a couple calls scheduled prior to the trip, we decided to eat at the hotel restaurant to save time. And just for giggles, I checked their ranking on Trip Advisor, #45.
A waaaayyyy too generous ranking, based on my experience.
The restaurant is small, maybe 20 tables.
When we walked in, I knew right away, it was going to be a long meal.
There was only one server.
Evidently, earlier in the evening, it was slow, so they sent them home. A 50% reduction in the server workforce I might remind you.
The hostess was humping it with the server, bussing tables, getting drinks and delivering food.
There were no busboys.
We were not in a rush, and since the slow service was not the fault of the employees working, we just took it in stride. That was until....
....The Manager Showed Up
And did absolutely NOTHING to help his employees with the guests that were in his dining room. He busied himself setting up a couple tables for the next days breakfast.
Carried a few coffee cups right past our table.
On the return trip to the kitchen, he passes us by without picking up our used plates.
First rule in any restaurant "FULL HANDS OUT, FULL HANDS IN". Translated for you non-restaurant folk, when you are going in out of the kitchen, your hands a never empty. Always either delivering food or drink, or bringing used dishes to the dish room.
The manager broke that rule at least 10 times, not to mention he took his sweet time about it, while the only other two employees were literally sweating as they did everything possible to make the guests happy.
Sigh....
Lessons here for you?
- A great product is not enough to win in your market. Sure, the food was good, but not good enough to overcome the self inflicted staffing problem.
- A basic rule of restaurant operations was continually broken. Some industry norms should be broken. I get it. That's one of the ways to differentiate yourself. Then there are others that are sacrosanct. And sacrosanct for a reason.
- An industrywide, cardinal rule was continually broken. Namely, taking care of the guests you have in front of you right now. Not thinking about the guests that might show up tomorrow, if they ever show up.
During my annual Ultimate Client Experience Boot Camp at Walt Disney World, you will create a blueprint of the laws you consider sacrosanct. And a system for ensuring they are NEVER broken.
- Imagine, if you will, being the one business in your city or town whose legendary service is raved about like a 10 year old just returning from Walt Disney World.
- Imagine, if you could generate “walk-on-burning-coals” client loyalty like Disney does.
- Imagine, if you will, clients and patients who look forward to seeing you and are delighted every step of the way through your service who will stay with you for a LIFETIME.
In a Harvard Business Review Article on customer loyalty, the authors presented evidence showing that satisfied customers (on a scale or 1-5) who only score the business a four are six times more likely to defect than a customer who scores a five. To put it another way, there is a six-fold increase in customer loyalty between the fours and fives. Loyalty is the only fortification and safeguard any business has when up against the competition who want to steal your hard earned clients.
As of today, 6 of the 15 rooms for the boot camp are already taken.
For the past 8 years this event has sold out!
And as a "first dibs" bonus, just for being a DSNi member you will receive a $1,000 scholarship for the event. Just enter code: bootcamp1000.
I don't want you to miss this exclusive opportunity to work with me at Disney.
The deadline for the $1000 scholarship is 3/21/22.
Stop merely imagining and take the step to having a business raved about with loyal clients who stay, pay and refer.
