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Six ways to boost holiday profits without cost. Winter 2003

The winter season can be a stressful time for families. Hectic schedules and demands of the holidays make customers more sensitive than ever. Reduce their stress and the stress on your staff by making your restaurant a haven of calm in a chaotic season. It’s easy and all it takes is a little training time and planning ahead.

TRAIN NOW
People enjoy a bit of indulgence during the holidays. Train your staff now to capitalize on the added demand for seasonal appetizers, beverages and desserts. An investment in training before the rush will make happier customers and boost repeat business long after the holidays have passed.

MANAGE THE WAIT
A lengthy wait can spoil the taste of the best meal, so don’t disappoint customers before they’re even seated. Encourage reasonable expectations and make the wait as pleasant as possible. Do take reservations or use call-ahead seating. Try announcing, “we’re now seating parties who arrived at 6:45,” to help people understand the wait without committing to a time.

PLAN FOR SUCCESS
Ask servers to greet their tables within a minute of being seated and to calculate checks ahead of time so they’re ready when customers request them. Don’t let waiters fall into the trap of trying to serve too many tables. Everyone profits when your staff serves fewer tables and serves them well.

SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES
When you let customers know an item will take longer than normal, use the opportunity to helpfully offer an appetizer for the table to share. Customers stay happy, sales increase and tips are better.

THINK SPECIALS
For families who want a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but are too busy to cook, offer “Thanksgiving To Go,” prepackaged with spiral sliced ham, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, vegetable and pumpkin pie. Boost business on New Year’s Day with “Old Favorites for the New Year,” comfort foods like glazed ham and sweet potatoes dusted with brown sugar and cinnamon.

DEFUSE SITUATIONS
Don’t let stressed-out customers make the holiday rush worse. Paul Paz of DinerSoft.com offers suggestions for defusing stressed patrons: Smile and keep smiling. Make real eye contact. React with genuine warmth and concern. Listen carefully and empathize. Be polite and don’t interrupt. Make extra efforts to resolve reasonable demands. Never argue, then everyone loses.

Remember, your customers may have had a day filled with rude sales clerks, unpleasant co-workers, grouchy parking lot attendants and thoughtless drivers. It’s your opportunity to boost seasonal sales and generate long-term business by being the bright spot in their holidays.