I cook. I used to be the dark side. It is commonly said that in a restaurant there is always the "Gateway to Happiness
client. Several Sometimes I have to go out to eat, and do it with a critical eye. It is not automatic, because I do not program before entering a restaurant with the idea and pick out all the details. But sometimes I do the same: I see the variety on the menu, prices, wines, the number of tables, lighting, music, linens ... in short, everything that can help me in my own shop.
also see staff.
How many? What do you do when not working? Are attentive to my table or prefer to stand next to the big table? Several times I went out to eat, and often encounter the same problems with the service. No I have all the solutions, but I see some constants as knowledgeable in the industry, let me give some suggestions that could lead to positive change. First comes
semantics. I do not like the word "waiters." I prefer English, servers. After all, people of service, and vocation should be that: serve. During a break, I also like the English name of the item. Here we know as the food item, which is a cold word that does not mean much (a restaurant is like a bag of chips). Speak English instead of the hospitality industry. I think since then our problems begin. Nobody ever said the cooks and waiters who are there to make customers feel good.
And no one said anything to anyone because here the item is not professional. Several times I have said in this blog that one of my goals is to professionalize the field. No easy task, let alone one that can perform, but it is a necessity if we want to improve the quality of our service. In Chile is noted when the waiter is foreign. Often come from schools and have a backup framework. Others have worked with people from school and have some knowledge. Here there are no service schools. So the task of training is in the hands of the owners, and most likely is that they have never been in a school no service.
But training is not cheap, and almost always left to one side because, as owners, we have to control costs. Imagine that Chile is the only country where restaurants have to offer a 25% discount off the total bill to do well. Here we started with a quarter less ... what percent we aimed at training? How we ended up winning to make ends meet? The mistake is to not see training as an investment. A staff that knows more can sell better. Once a sommelier told me it was useless to hire one if there was an increase in wine sales. A wine sommelier to know but not know or not to sell people have input is not helpful.
The owner must decide to train their personnel, but usually not this profession, but because it is temporary. Most are college students who will leave when they finish their classes and many others work only to pay for their next trip or summer vacation, or while waiting to appear a better job. This is not to say we should not keep hiring these folks. I know more than one person who paid for college Garzon. I also know many who started well and then decided to stay in the area.
So then, what are my tips to improve the service? Everything comes from the always correct economic law of supply and demand. Owners should continue to recruit these young people and temporary. But I wish also to hire industry professionals. If you start to look professional and are paid a good salary, probably will open a service school. It is also the responsibility of the customers demand more. No single claim, which is also good, too demanding. Not just the waiter friendly and joking. Has to be someone who can explain dishes, articulate, and recommend criteria for the presence (not just mean looking good, it also is important to impose respect for clients)
Then chain starts at customers demanding better service. That happens to homeowners who try to find it. By not having formed a school that prepares people. Meanwhile, continue to recruit students, but when the pros are already included in the workplace, they are dedicated to train other staff. Thus, we come back to the client, I finally get the service you deserve and you may see with better eyes leave more than 10% tip (or even accept a tip is added to the final bill ... although I have my qualms with that. What happens if one day the service is poor?)
words, the task is for everyone. As in many areas in the industry, still in its infancy. We must begin to take the first steps to grow. The idea is to get them all together.
