If you want your restaurant to succeed then training your staff needs to be your highest priority for the first few months of operation. You may want the marketing campaign to be at the forefront so you can be as busy as possible, but without trained staff, those first few months will be a disaster.
You’ve hired the right staff for every position so now you need to make sure they are set up for success. Training is something that should be done before opening but also after as it should be ongoing. In this article, we will go over several ways that you should train your staff.
1 – Encourage back of house and front of house to work together
It’s so common that it is a cliche, but the FOH and BOH rarely get along. Usually, it is because the cultures of the back of house and front of house are too different. Yet, if they are against each other then the restaurant is not going to be as successful as it can be.
They need to find a way to work symbiotically and as a unit instead of two distinct areas of the restaurant hierarchy. Communication is essential so it should start there. Use some Denver team building activities that will help them get to know each other and have respect for others.
Then, make sure that you train them on the proper ways to communicate with each other so there are fewer divisions and tension.
2 – Always be selling
The best servers and bar staff are not simply order takers. They are essential for a guest to get the most out of the experience. Guests rely on their server to help guide them through the experience so they can enjoy every aspect of the dinner. That means that the server should always be selling for the guests.
This involves letting the guests know about specials in a way that entices them to order. Explaining wine pairings will help a tentative guest order the right wine with confidence. Extras will be appreciated and the bill will grow higher as a result.
They shouldn’t come across as pushy but rather as something of a concierge that is there to help the guest enjoy the experience to the max.
3 – Read the guests
Part of selling more is reading the guests. They should be able to identify those that want to be pampered and those that want to be left alone. They should also be able to tell when a guest is ready to spend and when they don’t. Upselling at the wrong moment won’t work.
They can also understand how to work their station for greater efficiency by reading the guests. If there is august they feel is always needing something then they will want to check in with them before heading to the back of the house so they don’t have to run around. Efficient service means more money for them and for the house.
