The Report On What Motivates You At Work.

The Report On What Motivates You At Work?

This week, I wanted to shift gears and report on the most important question: What motivates your staff. The first part of this report is on what motivates your associates, and the second portion offers the ten BEST ways to motivate your managers. The results will shed a light on the difference between perception and reality. The report will be an eye opener for a lot of owners and managers. We can no longer generalize the motivators under one umbrella for both the associates and the managers.

According to the study: the top three Associate Motivators are: interesting work, appreciation by management, and being well informed. Our associates are more productive and content in a continuously interesting position, where they receive lots of training and management appreciation. On the other side, the top three Manager Motivators are: compensation, job security, and growth opportunities. Our managers are fully motivated when they have a great compensation, promotions and a sense of solid job security.

There are some other, very interesting points, when comparing the two lists.

a. Compensation was ranked first with the managers, while it fell in the middle of the pack for associates. Managers care about money (#1 motivator) more than the associates.
b. As you’ll note below, “Appreciation” was ranked second by the associates, where it occupied the number eight spot for the managers. What a great effect a sincere praise (#2 motivator) will have on the associate behavior. Managers pile appreciation on, it is free!!!
c. Job security was in the top four for both associates and managers alike.
d. Being well informed was high on the associates’ choices, while last on the manager’s list. I was personally greatly disappointed for the managers’ point of view on this, since I believe in learning and being well-informed.
e. Growth opportunities were higher on the manager’s list but sixth on the associates’ list. I know that, as society, we need to change the associates’ attitude of accepting limitations and preach to ALL to aim high.

Well, it is time to reveal the results.

Ranked by Employees:
Interesting work
Appreciation by management
Being well informed
Job security
Compensation
Growth opportunities
Good working conditions
Company’s loyalty to employees
Tactful discipline
Help with personal problems

Ranked by Managers:
Compensation
Job security
Growth opportunities
Good working conditions
Interesting work
Company’s loyalty to employees
Tactful discipline
Appreciation by management
Help with personal problems
Being well-informed

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Did you know?

Talking about 1921...
The cost to open the first White Castle, in
Wichita, Kansas, in 1921 was $700. By 1930,
White Castle America's first food chain-had
more than 100 units.

Marathon course…
Uno Chicago Grill sells 415,072 Peanut Butter
Cups (part of their Peanut Butter Cup Sundae),
which is enough to line a 26.2 mile
marathon

White House fast food...
Two (2) is the official number of burger runs
made by President Obama as of June 1st.
President Roosevelt served Nathan's hot dogs
during a presidential dinner.
Lot of mileage...

The mileage equivalent of the 209 million
chicken sandwiches Chick-fil-A sold from
1967 t0 2008, if the sandwiches were laid
end to end, is 13,280!!!

A different Approach to the Guest Service Recovery

As a District Manager, I preached and practiced three ideas with a profound impact on our customer service. First, we trained all associates and managers to forget the word “Customer” and live the life of serving “our guests”. This simple change of terminology allowed the elevating of our service standard in order to meet the needs of a guest, not an anonymous “customer”. The second idea was installed at orientation, before any of our associates had any guest contact. The associates were empowered to resolve any guest issue, without having to stop and consult with the manager in charge. The idea is revolutionary, but with continuous training, as a company, we felt it would promote speedy recovery and a sense of responsibility for all of our associates.

The third and most important practice involved me, the District Manager. I religiously replied to every positive and definitely every negative comment sent regarding any of my units WITHIN THE FIRST 24 HOURS. I have to admit that the fact that I called and/or replied to the e-mail with such urgency worked for me over 90% of the time. The guest was not only impressed with my quick response, but also felt that we cared enough to stop our busy schedule and deal with their issue and/or feedback ASAP. The fact that I always started my reply by thanking them for taking the time to write to us, coupled with the heart felt apology for the issue on hand, softened their hard feelings. I made a point to ensure them that I was not only personally involved, but I always partnered with my management team to correct any issues. We always offered more than one solution to satisfy the guest. I did not hold back on the recovery package; I wanted to give the guest great reasons to continue to patronize my units.

What are the ingredients of a missed Recovery? One of the most frustrating customer service problems for me is being confronted with customer relations people who are not empowered to fix a problem. This is a call to all companies who fall in this category: train them and empower them. Your guests do not care how hard your managers and associates work; they want and deserve what they are paying for. Oh, by the way, please do not be naïve, show urgency in resolving the issue. I do not understand representatives who, after you have stated your issue, reply, “No problem!” There was a problem! What about the announcement that your conversation could be recorded for quality control purposes? Are they policing the very team who are paid to recover their service issues and handle complaints? Can you believe that there are firms who outsource their customer service? What are they thinking? (The answer is probably about saving money -- but losing loyalty is part of that equation, like it or not). I love when someone takes responsibility.

Customer service starts from the top. CEO’s should stopped their busy schedule and spent a day side by side with their customer service reps, at least twice a year? WOW, now that is a different approach! Would it be amazing if the District Manager deals with your issue ASAP?

Firms must understand that not only they have to hire excellent customer service associates and managers, but must also spend half of the training time on teaching the products and the services that the company provides. The other half of training should cover how to take care of an upset customer. After all, they, the guests, will pay the bills and add to your bottom line.



Thomas Antonopoulos, Bottom Line Consultant

Bottomlineconsultant@gmail.com

tommythegreek.blogspot.com

Twitter: @Doughdude

http://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasantonopoulos

I Don’t Have Time to Burn

I’m speaking out! I want to kick some management butt today. Customer service is not rocket science, after all, but there is one place where upper and middle management of the fast-casual concepts need to work ASAP. This is the wait-to-order line, forming from the registers and going around and around the ropes, finally ending all the way at the front door. What is going on?

The concept offers delectable soups and salads, not to mention out-of-this-world sandwiches and frozen delights. What is the reason for the delay? Oh, only two registers are open for business. So what are you telling me, your guest? That you do not care? You don’t want my money? And by the way, I’m the guest; I’m the person who pays the bills. Are you telling me to go stand on the line and wait for my turn? Why do you have to make my experience so lengthy and unpleasant?

The management is so brainwashed to the idea of meeting the quota for percentage-of-labor used that they leave the registers unstaffed. Receiving payment, to them, is not a top priority! We must agree that one of the four keys to driving the customer-branded experience is deliberate customer service. Consider that the guests will certainly talk about a bad experience at length, and usually, there are one or more listeners that will add their negativity to the conversation as well. The guests will generalize one bad experience, followed by another, and they will say that the service of this brand is horrible. Statistics say that 60% of the issues are service issues. It is unbelievable that we have concepts that will set the bar high on the goal for customer loyalty, even as high as 75% satisfaction, and consider a mere 62% satisfaction on the wait-to-order line as a great score!

We, as managers, fail to understand that even when the major complaint is the order’s accuracy, the root of dissatisfaction starts with the guest waiting to order, especially when the registers are unstaffed. Believe it or not, the waiting-to-order lines can average from five to ten minutes. I challenge every manager of a fast casual restaurant with a wait-to-order line (and you, the guest), to do this simple experiment. Please, stand in the middle of a room. Pretend you are the guest who is waiting to order. Stand until you do not want to wait any longer. Ask yourself to estimate the time you were waiting. Check your stop watch. I‘ll bet you that it felt way much longer than you thought. Imagine that you look straight ahead and there are six more registers unstaffed! Imagine that you, the guest, will pay a part of the bills for this concept! How upsetting!

The second key to driving the customer-brand experience is a differentiated customer experience. I’m talking to you, owners and managers. You need to take action, and separate your brand from the pack. Reduce the wait-to-order time if your plan is to drive loyalty and increase the bottom-line profits. You should not shy away from proclaiming that making money is a good idea. Decide and proclaim, “I won’t make my guests wait before I take their money!” Place your plans for staffing in motion, and follow up until every register is ready to accept money from the guests who are waiting to order. Differentiate your service! YOU CARE!

By the way, it is perfectly OK for you, the guest, to ask for the manager and inquire as to why the registers are unstaffed. Consider the fact that neither apologizing, any offered excuses, nor even opening another register, will probably make you happy. You are already upset!

How many times in your life as a consumer run into this issue?

I’m interested on your feedback, your questions, and your best practices. I’ll promise to reply by e-mail.

Tommy Antonopoulos
Your Bottom Line Consultant
Three Decades of Passion and Experience
Bottomlineconsultant@gmail.com

Fast Casual SOS! (Speed of Service!)

Note from the author: To all of you that do not come from the restaurant, but had the courage to get through the pain of reading my first blogs to support me, a HUGE thank you – to me! (haha) Now, you’ve educated yourselves on two of the 100 pains in the restaurant business. Enjoy your summer, because today I will talk about the next painful experience you might encounter – more than often – in one of your many visits to the fast casual restaurant world. I’m not talking about Wendy’s, with 131 seconds average drive-thru service, or McDonald’s, who moved to the 5th spot with 154 seconds total drive-thru experience. (I’m sorry, but heads will surely roll over that slip in the ratings!) I’m talking about the administrative assistant who was given 30 minutes for his or her lunch break and spent 10 minutes on the waiting-to-order line.

Now do you understand why the managers should be unlocked (see Blog Number 1) and instead, spend every effort to move the waiting-to-order line? This is also the reason why attentive service will include A Sense of Urgency!

Speed of Service is the #1 reason for a restaurant to fail the “Mystery Shopper” survey. Across the United States, according to a leading restaurant magazine, only 38% of the guests are satisfied with the speed of their service. Here in the northeast, the number is slightly higher – at 52%. Folks, let’s not make a mistake, over half of our guests have spoken. A faster speed of service is obviously a good opportunity here.

SOS = Speed of Service. But it is actually a red flag for unhappy guests.

One of the major players in the fast casual food industry goes as far as to count speed of service in half-minute intervals, it’s that vital to customer retention. Company’s even measure the time that it took individual cashiers to complete the ordering part of the order, and then how long it takes each order to be prepared. This empowers them to troubleshoot various departments, equipment, etc. What if I told you that we even want to know how long it takes the cashier to JUST make change. As a multi-unit manager, I follow the speed of service reports and point out opportunities to each of my units on a daily basis. Why? Because that administrative assistant may not give you a second chance.

Speed of service ranks VERY high on the executives list of interest – it has always been a cornerstone of the industry. This is an area that can be practically measured and engineered. There are many opportunities to WOW the guest with a fast transaction. Let’s just remember that the word fast in FAST casual is there for a reason.

Warning: Although the quick-serve part of the fast casual industry is about speed, guests are surely smarter than that; they expect two Q’s: Quick and Quality. Quality must be built into every transaction as well, as Panera’s Senior Executive, Neal Yonotsky emphasizes.

Fast casual diners expect to be served in an average of ten minutes from start to end. There is little variation in demographics on this. How important is speed of service? Even full service entities realize that speed of service is a business building opportunity and are edging in on quick serve with new take out options, etc.

Here are some tips to improve your establishment’s sense of urgency:

Correct hiring and intense training.
Host sense-of-urgency meetings, both individually and as a group.
Post speed of service times daily.
Correct scheduling.
Prepare for volume.
Use zone managers.

To your continued success,

Thomas Antonopoulos
Restaurant and Food Industry Strategist
845-238-3355

PS: I would love to hear your ideas on how managers can create and maintain a peaceful experience for those guests who are waiting on line. I will offer some ideas on my Dessert-Before-Lunch technique in my next blog.

Turn on the Service to Survive (and Thrive) in a Tough Economy

Do you want to give more to your guests for FREE? I’m sure that you do -- I bet everyone does. But it is obvious that neither your product, nor your environment, is free. (For instance, you still have to offer air conditioning in the summertime and maintain a clean establishment, etc.) So choosing what we can and cannot give away for free can be a tricky decision.

Creating an UPGRADE in your SERVICE, however, is one free thing that you can – and should – immediately offer. Pile on the service. It will not cost a penny, but it will be one of the biggest reasons why you’ll increase your number of frequently-visiting guests (loyalty), and at the same time, increase the good will that will attract new guests.

No-cost Service Upgrade => Increase Gross Top Line => Increase Bottom Line Dollars!

How do you accomplish a no-cost service upgrade that both increases your gross top line AND your bottom line income? There are four fundamental aspects on HOW to increase your level of service. The first one of these revenue-generating tools for guest care is to be exceptionally friendly and attentive.

Your associates must be extremely friendly and attentive! In fact, create your OWN BRAND of “FRIENDLY AND ATTENTIVE!” Set your expectations with managers and associates alike. Friendly does not mean a casual “hello” – it requires a sincere, “Hello, how are you today?” It requires a warm and heartfelt greeting to every guest within five feet of you. It requires your team members to wait for the guest’s answer and to offer a further response.

A General Brainstorming Meeting with management and associates will set your expectations. Use a flip chart and write down all of their ideas during this brainstorming session, and post them around the meeting room. Offer prizes for the best ideas!

Lee Cockerell, Exec VP of Operations for Walt Disneyworld Resort, understands that people do not want the same thing over and over again, they want something new and different every time. People want variety with flair – people want energy. Your associates should bring focus and a somewhat unpredictable greeting and friendliness to every encounter. Your managers’ and associates’ friendliness should be a memorable moment, focusing on your guests’ hearts.

That is the first criteria of your brainstorming session and which ideas will graduate to procedures: Create memorable, friendly moments, between you and your guests.

Your second criteria should be: Do those ideas help us to greet the 200th guest with the same energy and enthusiasm that they showed to the 1st one?

Next, pick the ten most popular ideas and have your managers and associates sign a contract to implement these every day. Empower them! Post the new ideas where everyone can see them. Post reminders for pre-shift meetings. Attach friendly ideas to their paychecks! The point is to remind and inspire them as much and as often as you can.

ATTENTIVE = EYE CONTACT

I know it is not as simple as eye contact, but please share with your team the following survey.
A major credit card invited 100 guests to a casual dining establishment. The order taker and the food prep associate were not attentive. Every order was prepped inaccurately. Ninety six guests blamed the error on the associates, because they were not attentive. The experiment was duplicated the following day. This time all associates were attentive. The all established eye contact with the guest. Only four guests blamed the error on the associates. They all agreed that the associate was attentive, since they established eye-contact. What powerful message: IT COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS AN EYE-CONTACT. Imagine the impact on your loyalty factor. After all, EYE-CONTACT IS FREE!!!

Remember, this is one of the four aspects of great service; they key idea is this: Friendly and attentive service is MEMORABLE.

People do not want to be “satisfied customers” – they want to be far more than that. Give your guests what they will remember and give them something NEW each time they visit.

Remember also that procrastination is deadly. You are looking for progress every day – not perfection, but a consistent and energized effort. Schedule that brainstorming session today – get everyone excited!

Remember, pile on the Service. It is free. Making the visit memorable, because of the Service: PRICELESS!!!

Stay tuned to my next blog, coming Tuesday August 4th 2009.
I’ll be discussing the second aspect of Great Service: Speed.
The results? Phenomenal. Cost to you? FREE.

I’m interested on your feedback, your questions, and your best practices.
I’ll promise to reply by e-mail.

Tommy Antonopoulos
Your Bottom Line Consultant
Three Decades of Passion and Experience
Bottomlineconsultant@gmail.com

Has Your Food Establishment Become Your Prison?

Expressing our appreciation is a natural reaction to any service rendered. We thank people all day long. We thank the person who holds open our door, we thank the person who rings up our newspaper, we even thank the person who pumps our gas. But I observe restaurant managers all day, every day who do not take time to thank the guests in their dining room who’ve spent their hard earned money buying lunch or an expensive dinner. Is this a failure of the manager? Yes, but only because they are “locked up.”

They were locked up because they were enabling their staff – allowing THEM not to perform up to par by filling in here and there. This isn’t the time to go into WHY they fill those gaps, it’s just the time to acknowledge this and to talk about what the manager SHOULD be doing instead.

Here’s the perfect example: A general manager recently came to me to announce that the restaurant was SO busy that she was “consolidating” for six hours! (In this specific case, she was expediting lunch orders.) She was so proud – but I, as her District Manager, was sorely disappointed. That particular café has an average of 850 transactions per day, and she missed at least 500 opportunities to thank guests and interact with them.

Success is the total of many small things done right every day. How many items do you think she missed by NOT overseeing the big picture, and instead choosing to play the role that even a well trained associate could have filled? She missed many opportunities to speak with guests waiting to be seated, or waiting to order. She missed performing “table visits” and ensuring that the guests were 100% satisfied. She missed the opportunity to check with the kitchen staff and prep staff ensuring quality. She missed out on the chance to review the servers on applying all of the items discussed at the pre-meal meeting. She missed the speed-of-service and accuracy checks. Quite simply, she missed the MOST important goal: building relationships.

In these tough times, the way to hold your top line – or even increase it – is to build relationships. To build trust. Building that good, old-fashioned warm feeling of invitation and welcome. How can you do that when you are locked up in a position? How can you possibly do that when your job for the day was cashier, or line cook, or even consolidator.

So I say, open up the prisons – unlock yourself – and build relationships. Your MOST vital role as a manager is Master of Ceremonies. Be one. How do you do this? It begins way back at the hiring process. You MUST always have the correct hire for every position. Be selective. The next step is the intense, documented and personal training from an experienced training crew – with periodic progress reviews. You MUST let your new hire clearly know what your expectations are – both as a company and as a manager. Finally, once you’ve got your staff fully functioning and up to par, you must release. Continue coaching and stop enabling.

Step out of the 3-ring circus that a busy food establishment can look like. Let all of your staff play their role so that you can step back and be the master of ceremonies and master those all-important relationships at every turn.

If you do this, your guests will surely come back again and again.

Thomas Antonopoulos
Restaurant and Food Industry Strategist