Raising the Bar
Posted by estiator at 11 February, at 07 : 32 AM Print
MANAGING FOR SUCCESS By CONSTANTINE N. KOLITSAS Bussiness Coach
In November 2019, I opened a restaurant, a concept I had been working on for a few years and was extremely excited to get going. Despite spending all but the first four months of its existence under pandemic restrictions, the restaurant has been successful, garnering a devoted following that supports it with a very healthy takeout business, even if the dining room is hit-or-miss, depending on the number of cases registered in the area, and on the media attention given to the pandemic. Still, with all of this craziness, Greca Mediterranean Kitchen + Bar, located in a small town in Connecticut’s bucolic Litchfield County, was recently acknowledged in the 2021 Reader’s Survey of Connecticut Magazine (a highly esteemed statewide publication) as the restaurant with Best Overall Excellence, as well as winning in Connecticut’s Best New Restaurant and Best Mediterranean/Greek Restaurant categories. I don’t mention all this for a pat on the back or as a cheap publicity stunt but, rather, to highlight the challenges ahead. And those challenges are not restricted to the “Best in State” restaurants but are shared with all restaurants that have earned a good reputation. The challenge I’m concerned most with? Living up to the expectations created by the awards, or by positive reviews on social media and word of mouth.
Getting to the top of the mountain quickly can mean falling just as quickly. People who come to your restaurant without preconceptions will always be delighted when they leave with a wonderful experience—great food, exceptional service, impressive design, et cetera. But when people come in with an anticipation of being blown away, it’s actually much harder to impress. And even if nothing has changed, you now have to satisfy each guest’s anticipation of what a “five Google star” or “five Trip Advisor star” restaurant should deliver.
At Greca, I’m in the midst of retraining staff in an effort to further evolve the culture here to make sure we deliver on the new expectation. That means embracing the concept of “continual improvement” that is the hallmark of every great company, whether they serve food, make widgets, or provide insurance services. The minute you start resting on your laurels is the minute you begin the downward spiral into mediocrity and insignificance. I don’t know about you, but those are not adjectives I accept when describing my business.
Look at everything from the perspective of the customer who is spending his hard-earned money and is expecting something amazing
The best way to improve is, of course, to identify the areas where you are weakest. From the front of the house to the kitchen, from every dine-in day part to your takeout and delivery, and from the fonts on your menu to the garnishes on your plates. No detail is too trivial, no observation too inconsequential. And you must accept that what was great yesterday may be terrible tomorrow. Look at everything with new eyes. Every day. Every. Day.
This process, of course, requires setting aside your ego. (If you listen to your ego, you’re likely not to find anything upon which to improve.) As Socrates compelled his students, you must “know thyself”— understand what works, what doesn’t, and what needs a few tweaks to be better. And don’t be kind. Look at everything from the perspective of the customer who is spending his hardearned money and is expecting something amazing.
Great reviews have the positive result of bringing in new customers, most of whom spend more money than average customers and dine out more often. But those customers (typically self-described “foodies”) are much more discriminating than others. And they love to share their opinions on social media. Take an honest inventory of what you’re doing right and where you need to improve and get the entire team on board through training, communication, monitoring, coaching, and constant reinforcement. In this way, you’ll put yourself on a path to more great accolades instead of being known as that restaurant that “used to be really good.”
Constantine Kolitsas is the president of CNK Consulting, a restaurant consultant and coaching business. He can be reached at 203-947-6234 or at ckolitsas@gmail.com.
