There’s a chain of quick-service, sports-themed restaurants in America that specializes in chicken wings and good-looking servers in orange short shorts. I don’t want to use their name because — well, you just never know when you’ll get in trouble for using names in things like this.
When I think about that place, great customer service is NOT generally the first thing that comes to mind, if you know what I mean.
When I learned what sort of training that their servers receive, however, I was impressed at how simple and effective it is. It’s Repeatability at its very best, which is one of the Laws of Authenticity as outlined in my book, Reality Sells.
They have four brand Cornerstones:
- The waitstaff
- Quality food, cold beer, great service
- Music and ambiance
- Neighborhood restaurant feel.
This is who they are. They don’t want to be all things to all people. They only want to be the very best for those who enjoy and appreciate their brand. Each server knows that, and it’s clear to them that they’re in charge of maintaining that brand each time they serve a guest.
When guests arrive, they know to engage them in what they call the “Four P’s”, which are:
- Position yourself – make sure people know you’re their server;
- Pay attention – always know what their needs might be at any time;
- Put on a smile – you are the brand, so give it your best; and
- Put down a bevnap – get their table ready for the drinks they’re about to order.
They’re trained to use the ‘Lifeboat Theory’ of service — make sure that all the women and children at the table are served first.
There are 12 Steps of Service that their servers use, and each is easy to understand and follow. They include greeting each guest with a personal “Hello”, acknowledging everyone in the party within 30 seconds of sitting down, deliver drinks within two minutes, and cashing out their check within two minutes of the customer displaying their method of payment.
It’s simple, easy to follow, and just in case the servers forget a step or two, it’s printed right on their order pad.
Too simple, you say? Not at all. That’s where the beauty lies. No forty-step processes that are open to interpretation. No guessing if they’re doing it right or not. Simple to learn, simple to teach, and simple to correct if there’s a problem. Every employee knows the system, and they know how to execute it, adding their own personality and pizzazz along the way.
This chain is an “800-Pound Gorilla” because of its branding on the outside, AND its systems on the inside.
If your “system” suddenly seems loosey-goosey and open to interpretation by whoever’s working that day, think about how you can simplify it for your staff. When everyone on the team understands their company’s Cornerstones and knows the system, they can consistently deliver on them. Customers can then experience your brand in the same way each time they visit or call, without surprises or disappointment.
And that’s good for business no matter what’s on the menu.
– Bill Guertin is CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a dynamic sales training and consulting company whose list of clients includes the ticket sales departments of professional sports teams in the NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer. He is the author of the Gold Medal-award-winning book Reality Sells, and his second book, The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales, is due this fall from John Wiley & Sons. Find more articles and valuable information at www.The800PoundGorilla.com, or follow Bill on Twitter at www.twitter.com/800poundgorilla.
