Go The Extra Mile
When it
comes to service and serving we have all heard and perhaps quoted the
expression, "go the extra mile" but can we understand what exactly
this means? As it is with most common expressions this one too means differing
things to different people. The person offering the service understands it with
one meaning well the person receiving the service may see entirely different.
Those
offering service understands it to mean that they have given absolutely all
they have, reaching deep within and giving completely beyond what is required
and at times even able to do so. Those
receiving service believe this to mean that all they require, want or need is
met to their satisfaction regardless of the demand. When the service provider
fails to have gone the extra mile then the customer becomes upset, unhappy and
depending upon their mood at the time irate.
"Why should I pay for what I did not get?" Then within the
exchange of money for service becomes the area of conflict.
"Go the
extra mile" becomes bad advise to give a co-worker if the co-workers
perception of service differs. Service is the art of precisely meeting the
expectation of the client. In cooking we meet the demand by giving the customer
exactly what they ask for, (ie: a medium rare steak should be just that) any
variances and we have failed both the customer and the ability to preform the
service. The extra mile is not met and we have not preformed a service.
The first
key to our expression then is found in the first word. GO! Having an
understanding of this word will allow us to proceed with service. Without it we
come to a complete stop. For you are at a stop when you cannot go.
One definition
of go is: an attempt or a trial to perform something. We have failed right
there. Service is not attempting to perform it is rather performance in itself.
We are servicing a client when are simply trying to do so. We must be
successful at servicing for in a trial the client will always judge us as
lacking therefore failing them.
Go can also
mean to traverse, as in "to go the entire distance." Certainly
service will take one from beginning to an end, but is it the desired end. When we preform a service we have a set goal
we desired to see gained when we are complete. However the client may have a differing
goal in what they are seeking for the service they are requesting. Without each
have a clear understanding of the service being provided conflict is sure to
arise.
We have all
heard another service expression, "the customer is always right" this
falls short when the customers has not defined what they want or has not
communicated what they desire is. Therefore, without having a clear understanding
what the customer wants, becomes a cloudy mess, in seeing the finish and
therefore understanding how right the customer truly is. This maxim also gives
the customer a false sense of entitlement which is often expressed in verbal
(or worse) abuse of the one providing the service.
Originally coined by
Harry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of Selfridge’s department store in London
in 1909, his goal was to give the customer the assurance that their demands
would be clearly met, therefore service would be given at the highest standard.
The opposite happened, the more demanding the customer the less the service provider
became willing or just unable to meet the demand. The service went down,
demands went higher, were not met and service went down, demands went higher, a
seemingly unbreakable circle. The result, both client and provider became
unsatisfied. The clients went elsewhere as did
the employees.
Question, if the abusive
customers get's his or her way by unreasonable demands does this means the nice
customer is therefore not right and also needs to become abusive as well. Who will return to the service offered the
abusive customer or the nice one, focus on the one most likely to return.
Unhappy abusive customers who believe they are right are not coming back so
focus on the happy one who really believes they are right because they are
satisfied. Perhaps the expression should be, "the satisfied customer is
always right."
How is the customer
satisfied, by a happy service provider (employee). If keeping the employee
happy is the key to keeping the customer happy then we must rethink and see our
way to satisfying our employees. Bad customers are bad for business great
employees are great for business.
Recently we saw and
example of this posted on the internet. A customers with "literally"
a holy than thou attitude took great service and belittles with a crude note on
tipping, invoking (more likely provoking) God and leaving the service provider
with nothing. The server posted the nasty note and the company terminated the
server instead of siding with the server they apologized to the nasty preacher.
They gained a nasty customer, lost a good server, lost nice customers who sided
with the server and lost reputation with the public who saw the injustice of
their "customer is always right" position. While the customer claimed
that the posting "soiled her reputation" it clearly showed who the
pastor is and that she demands far more than she herself is willing to give.
The result is the restaurant chain will most likely not suffer much for the
retention of the nasty over the nice but some will think twice about supporting
them, some other servers will think twice about continuing or beginning
employment with them. The only winner is
the pastor who will have to answer to the God she invoked.
We also have a problem
with if the customer is "always" right then the service provider is
"always" wrong. If we (or our
employees) see ourselves as providing a service in which we cannot complete
believe in then we are apt not give the service that our product deserves
therefore not providing the service our customers expect. If we are the ones
that are wrong we cannot defend our service when the customer is wrong, and
believe it or not, the customer can be wrong from time to time. The customer
who throws a temper tantrum only get his or her way (at the expense of other
customers or the service provider) is not right. A great service provider will
stand their ground when they are right, to take away the right of the service
provider from being right will reduce the employee's pride in doing their job,
and their pride in working for a company who will not defend what is truly
right.
In one of my restaurant
we had a special dining offer with a condo sales company where when you viewed
the sales offer you were given a dinner for two at our restaurant, you simply
had to pay for beverages, taxes and tip the server, we served hundreds of these
a month. It was a good deal for our
clients. A fifty dollar meal and you could walk out by paying ten. One evening
we had a guest who raved about his meal, his server, the view (we were on the
top floor of a hotel) we went on and on about how good everything was.....until
he got his bill. Then he went into a well rehearsed temper tantrum, all day long he would do this
when he didn't get what he wanted, regardless of what others with him and
around him thought. Suddenly his great server became the worse, he berated her
into tears, the dining room manager could get no where with him, the only way
to calm him down was to take the takes off his bill (he was not going to pay
the tax of 3.65). He threw such a fit he was ejected from the restaurant. After
his departure the manager, server and myself were given a standing
ovation by the guest of our full dining room many of which were the companions
of this customer who had enough of him and his abusive behavior. When you believe in your product and your
service there comes a time when you are right and you need to defend the
product and your service provider because it is the right thing to do.
There is an expression "do what's right, do it because
it is right, then do it right" if you have done so then there is no reason
to back away from.
Proceed Without Delay
Another
definition of go is: to proceed without delay. Delay is a huge enemy of
service, yet it is one of the most common mistakes committed by the service
provider. There is a song "Make Someone Happy" by Jimmy Durante, the
last verse is:
"Make someone happy,
Make just one someone happy,
And you will be happy, too."
This is the goal of service, to make the client
happy. Happiness is not found in delay. Delay causes the client to feel their
request is not important to the one offering service. That the need is
secondary to all else, that the procrastination of the service provider means
there is little or no value in the one requesting the service. Therefore there
is no opportunity for happiness.
Consider the
church "service" the advertising announces that the service begins at
10 AM but many people arrive late is the service is delayed to 10:15 to accommodate
the late comers. The delay disrupts the flow of the service, worship is rushed,
the sermon is cut in order not to go long and ministry to the needs of the congregation
comes under pressure. Those who arrived on time did so in respect of the needs
of others, those who arrived late will have an excuse but all will be centered
upon self needs and no consideration of serving others. The same ones late are
generally late each and every week, the delay they cause is not an issue to
them. 10 AM is never 10:15 and to serve one correctly means beginning on time.
Delay of
course disintegrates trust, do I really trust anything else the church may say
or do if a simple service time is not trustworthy? This may seem a minor point
but the small actions carry forward and reflect the attitude of what the
service being offered could be. In a restaurant for example, can you trust what
the menu state's to be true if the service offered is not trustworthy, should
you actually trust that the food is going to be at the highest standard if that
trust has been broken? Possibly not.Jimmy
wrote"Make someone happy" the very goal of service. As go indicates
we "proceed" forward. Delay of course is not forward going but
actually causes us to go backward instead of forward. The service, when done
right, always accomplishes the same results, to make someone happy. So then
service is the "the art of accomplishment" or achieving our goal
successfully. An unhappy churchgoer can cause the restaurant server grief later
on and not even realize that they are unhappy because of the actions of the
church and not those of the server. A happy churchgoer may in fact serve the
restaurant server by giving him or her a larger tip than required to do so. So
then the happy service becomes contagious, happy churchgoer, happy server,
happy family, all connected to one simple action.
When we view
a person who is excellent at what they do we say they are accomplished. Service
then, when given in excellence, is therefore accomplished successfully.
Accomplished servers are those who have skills in seeing the needs of the
clients and then filling those needs in the most effective manner without any
delay. One becomes accomplished through practice and skill.
Making
mistakes is a huge part of becoming an accomplished server. For every mistake
one makes, a lesson one learns. Remember "how do you get to Carnegie Hall,
practice son, practice." In one of my restaurant I had a baby grand piano
in the center of the dining room, we had to put a sign on it to prevent anyone
and everyone from playing it. The sign read, "please do not play the piano
without the permission of the chef, the
chef never gives permission." One day a gentleman came in, he looked rumpled
and had a club foot, he asked if he could play the piano. I judged him on his
appearance (very wrong) and asked if he knew how? He answered, "I've
played in a few halls" then I thought, oh brother, but he quickly said, "Massey
Hall, Carnegie Hall to name a few." I gave my permission and he served myself and our dining guests to one
of the finest concerts I have ever heard. A more accomplished pianist I have
never heard. I think of the mistakes he must have made to become so
accomplished, yet what pleasure he gave in playing, this was a service well
worth hearing.
He could not
proceed without gaining an understanding of what I expected from him. I did not
want someone playing the piano who would only serve my customers with noise, he
understood service is to make someone happy, first me as the one responsible
for my guests then to the guests themselves. To proceed you must have a plan as
to what the final result is to be. The client has a request you are the one
responsible to fulfill that request.\
You may have
to be creative in fulfilling the desired goal, being the source of an answer is
great, serving is the ability to use all sources available to fulfill the
request. Usually we begin small but as we become more accomplished we tend to
take on more and therefore serve even more. All great servers begin small. Look
at the Mississippi the greatest river in North America and how it serves the
life blood of the country. Its source is Lake Itasca is a small glacial lake,
approximately 1.8 square miles in area, in north central Minnesota, yet from it
the mighty river derives the force serving the country. Our beginnings are the
same, we start by serving one or two but
as we do so we become more accomplished and therefore serve many more, passing
on our knowledge to others who serve and so on and so on, becoming a mighty
force in service.
At times,
some, look at those who serve as less than they are, inferior. Yet all serve. A
waiter or waitress is often considered inferior, less intelligent, by many who
do similar work in differing fields, we all serve, some are more visible than
others. Your sense of service is found within you not from what others want to
put upon you. I once drove 1275 miles one way to serve a dinner for 10 people,
not for money (I didn't charge) not for praise, but simply because I wanted to
do something nice for a friend. He loved it as did his guests but his wife made
both my wife and myself feel as if we were servants. Here lies a huge
difference.
To serve is
making someone happy, to be of assistance or promote the interests of another.
To be a servant is one who performs duties of the master. We have but one
master and to Him and for Him we may be a servant. Scripture tells us to become
great in the kingdom of God we must become the servant of all.
Mark 9:35. New King James Version (NKJV) 35 And He
sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first,
he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
Here we
Jesus explaining that the servants do not carry a high standard those who are
high minded and feel they are greater than others become servants. Yet there
was no greater example of serving as His, after He gave His very life in
service to your living.
Serving is
an infection, it infects life, the finer the service the more we desire to
have. One of my sisters works for a company that makes clothes that protect
first responder's. Firemen and women, police officers and many others depend on
the uniforms she supplies to keep them protected, needless to say she takes
that very seriously. Her service to them keeps their lives, so should all
service be. A bank teller, a restaurant server, a mechanic or the president of
a company all should serve as if life depends upon it. If I am infected with
service then I am giving the very highest service I can, this means those who
receive my service have a better life, even if it is just a momentary event. I
serve to make someone happy.
Look at the
last line of the song, "and you will be happy too." There is your
reward for giving great service. So don't delay give great service today.
Extra, Extra, Extra
Good service
is doing your job correctly, no delay,
no mistakes, completing the task and making someone happy. But there is
so much more one can offer their clients by moving from good service to great
service without a lot of extra effort.
Extra
service does not hinge on the freebies or give away's that may be part of the
marketing of the business (done too often the clients begin to expect these). A
freebie given with poor service places something in the client's hand to
degrade the business. A free key chain given away at a sporting event where the
home team loses reminds the guest of the loss, then produces negative speech
against the team. When they win the guests looks at the key chain only as
something they got for free, but they don't talk about the win based on the
freebie. Service in this case was left lacking, it is the team's job to win and
therefore serve the paying fans. Even die hard fans of continually losing teams
speak negative of their team which in turn affects the player performance, the
circle begins.
Free food
given in exchange for poor service in a restaurant never produces a return
customer nor does it negate the customers' feelings of being cheated by the
poor service, whether it was the server or the kitchen, an unhappy customer
becomes a non customer, they speak with their absence from the establishment.
So what is
the answer to exception service? The simple answer is "go the extra
mile" but simple as it may sound many who serve do not understand its
simplicity. "Why, it's just common sense, isn't it?" Perhaps, but the
problem lies in what is common to you and It may not be so to another. Someone
who has had 20 years of experience knows more than someone with just one year experience.
So there must be a way to give that knowledge to those who need it. The answer
is simple, train.
No-one who
serves should ever be placed in a position of service without being taught to
do so. Teaching the fundamentals of the industry you serve in should be the
first and most important gift you can give an employee. Without knowledge of
what they are doing they fail themselves, their employer and most importantly
the client.
I have
always considered myself a pretty good sales person and over my years have had
a few sales jobs which I have received high awards for performance, happy
customers mean's a happy employer mean's a bonus for me. However in each job
they trained me in the way I should do my job then I went beyond my training to
satisfy my client. A few years ago I thought I could become a car sales person,
what a miserable failure I was. I stayed for four months and sold only one car.
Why? No training. The dealership gave a couple of hours on the paperwork
required and then said go for it. I needed a far more knowledge than that. I am
not inclined to understand how cars work (in fact I am terrible at it). So
because of my lack of knowledge I failed my employer, myself, my clients and
most importantly the family. I needed to
be trained.
This however
is so so very common in many industries. Waiters with little experience are
placed in positions of serving without knowledge of the menu. They do not know
what ingredients make up a dish. Do not know the wines available or how to
serve them and so on. What is the problem? The employer and not the server, the
employer did not train the server. He should never have been placed in the
service of the business without a solid knowledge of the job. The lack of
knowledge produces poor service in that there may be allergy issues, dietary
issues, or just effective service. If the server as to constantly excuse
himself to check with the kitchen then he is providing a service of delay and
therefore very displeasing to the client. How often do you receive service from
a server who does not know the soup of the day or the daily special, equate
poor service. With today's POS system's many simple training exercises could be
complete when the employee checks in.
Every
business who offers service should have an established training system. This
means going through each area of the business in detail and why we do what we
do in addition as to how. Educate each employee to the highest level of the
company's standards. Education leads to knowledge, knowledge when applied is
wisdom, wisdom in operation is common sense. All begin with education.
Once one is
educated it doesn't stop there, everyone performing a service should be
encouraged to improve themselves. Giving extra comes a heart filled with a
positive attitude toward self. Any employee who believes they can, will in fact
do. Those believing they cannot will find a way to avoid doing. Every employer
should encourage their employee to go
beyond the training and learn more to improve on self and their service.
Training
gives the employee self confidence. An employee who knows what they are doing
serves at a much higher standard than those who question their ability.
Customers are the reason for business but when my customer feels they are not
getting the service they want they simply go elsewhere. The customer is not the
problem, they may have a problem and serve to correct it. Thus we build a
relationship, a problem fixed, a happy customer and they tells others who can
resolve their problem, therefore more customers, more business and the need to
expand. It all began by training.
Large stores
have a customer service department to handle returns and complaints but most of
these stores realize that the more training they give the front line employee
the less likely the customer service department will hear from an unhappy
customer. After receiving exceptional service I will often tell the supervisor
or owner of a company about it and encourage the employer to give that employee
a raise. I will rarely complain about poor service but I never return, this is
the employers fault for not training properly.
Ask
yourself, I am as good as the next or I am the same? If you answered yes, check
your training as being as good as the next is not exceptional, training coupled
with self improvement brings you out of the common and the same into something
exceptional.
If you're an
employer and you are not training then your business will fail. If you're an
employee and you're not learning then you are prepared to be unemployed.
Training
will reverse the attitude of delay in a sense of urgency. A skilled server
wants to give the customer what they want in the most effective manner possible.
They want to be acknowledged or greeted within seconds not minutes. This simply
states to them that they are important to the well being of the business and in
turn their business has value.
Training teaches
the right actions to take with a customer. When a customer is greeted within 30
seconds with a smile and acknowledgment the customer is set at ease at once.
Leave them wait and not acknowledge them and they quickly become irate and
ready to go elsewhere. Just making eye contact
with a customer assures them they are important to the business. Yet
some do not realize this, training teaches them and gives them an edge.
Training
teaches the employee the value of the words they speak, a harsh greeting makes
for an unhappy customer. Be friendly and sincere with your words and you will
find a customer that is at ease and willing to listen while they are
complaining. Let your words show confidence in doing so your client will also
have confidence that the server truly cares and resolve their problem.
Think about
all the companies that do just what you do, why do your clients return to you?
Have you trained beyond what the competitor does? Is it because of the training
that your customer has complete assurance in you and your service? Training
always returns a higher payback that what it cost to do it when you bring a new
employee into the business.
Many believe
education is training, however education does not replace what goes on in your
business. Education cannot be replaced however training is an imperative to
business. If you prefer you can call training "continuing education"
either way it is important. Training helps the learner solve known problems
with a high degree of expertise. Education will preform some training, give a
mindset, develop thinking abilities, develop attitudes and behavior patterns.
Training gives the skills to use these. Simply put education is the giving out
of knowledge, training is the applied use of the knowledge learned. We need both.
Miles To Go
Matthew 5:41
states, "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two
miles." Back in the first century AD, when the Roman Empire conquered what
used to be Israel, a Roman soldier could tell a Jew to carry his baggage. As
one can imagine, the Roman could abuse this right by forcing a Jew to carry his
bags indefinitely. So, a law was passed that no Roman soldier could make anyone
carry his stuff for over one mile.
When Jesus
gave His Sermon on the Mount, His audience were aghast as He came to the part
that says, “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles”
(Matthew 5:41). This was a revolutionary thought. It would be like the Jew
offering the Roman soldier, “Sir, I carried your load for the obligated one
mile. Would you like me to carry it for one more mile?” To freely paraphrase
what Jesus was saying, “Sure you have enemies. Who doesn’t? But don’t regard
them in silent contempt. Do something good and kind to them that they do not
expect or even deserve. If you don’t, what would make you different from
ordinary people?” Therefore we must ask
ourselves what makes your service different from ordinary competitors.
In a world
of cookie cutter businesses, restaurants that are all identical, superstore's
that offer the same merchandise, big box electronic stores that need a sound
check, what is going to differ one from another? Service. Media and cell phone
companies offer nearly identical plans, what is convincing to a customer to
choose one or the other? Service.
The service
is absolutely the difference, but when they all offer service just as they are,
very much identical to each other then it becomes our job as the person
requesting the service to gain knowledge of our service provider before
choosing them.
When we
consider the extra mile we have to think about the term" mile" what
is exactly we are talking about. Put another way we need to the distance
required to provide our service, then push forward way beyond that.
As a
restaurant person, let's just look at the areas I am most familiar with. Going
that distant, do we greet the customer at our door why not go a little further
and open the door for them, this lets them know "you are most welcome
here" opening the door for them as they leave says" thank you so very
much for your business" certainly not hard things to do but things that
speak largely in the mind of the customer.
Want to keep
the customer from leaving while they wait in line at the door, offer them a
bite size something. Amuse bouche (literally mouth teaser) a French term for a tidbit of free food
offered to keep you happy while you wait for your first course. When offered
during a waiting period it does a few things, first it puts the taste of your chef's
culinary ability in their mouth causing them to want more (if good of course.)
Secondly because they are hungry and now with a flavor in their mouth, they may
order more once they are seated. Thirdly, this little gesture speaks to the
customer that the patience they have given in waiting for the table is rewarded
with a kindness by the restaurant setting the customer somewhat at ease. I learned this little kindness many years ago
when a friend took me to a BBQ restaurant. We drove for nearly an hour on back
country roads to get to this little shack of a restaurant. It didn't look like
any place I would ever enter, out in the middle of nowhere. But although it was
miles away from anything there was a line up of people in front. We were
greeted by a hostess and informed that the wait would be nearly 45 minutes (an
honest time period) two minutes later she returned with a couple of barbecued ribs to snack on. Once we tasted those ribs we knew we were not going anywhere
no matter how long the wait may have been, they were just too good not to have
more once inside. This was great service.
Once inside,
the service just got better and better, drinks with 1 minute of ordering, food
within 10 minutes, a friendly smiling "knowledgeable" server just
what a great dining experience should be. We drove many miles and were treated
very well for doing so. A restaurant could have the best food in the world but
if the service is poor or worse then the experience of the food is not worth
the time it took to get there, even if it's just walking across the street.
Going the
distance, means getting proactive. Do you wait for the customer to request
something or do you foresee the need. Just having one napkin in BBQ restaurant
is not likely enough, does the server bring additional ones before asked to?
Service foresees the need and responds, on hot days does the server bring ice
water with lemon as they bring the
menus. A proactive service cuts the problems down quickly and if one does
arrive it is often far less than what it could be with poor or even average
service. Being proactive is simply anticipating the need before it arises. It
sees that the request of the customer is met beyond the expectation, when a
special request is made it is fulfilled "exactly" as the request was
made.
Thinking
about going the distance as if you are forming a relationship that you really,
really want badly. You are absolutely willing to do anything to see to it that
it will work. Great service is exactly that, a relationship with your client
that you want to continue for a very long time. As in all relationships
remember actions speak larger than words. What you do in service must be beyond
what you say. When you do speak, say what you mean and mean what you say.
Remember back in grade school we had a time during class called "show and
tell" that is exactly what service should be show me what I need and tell
how you're going to fulfill my need, then I will be a happy customer. We used
to do business with a simple handshake, why, because they always stood by their
word. Service must be the same always do
what you say. Today instead of the handshake we have long legal binding
agreements which deal mostly upon one or the other not keeping their word. How
much easier to say what you mean then do it.
When a
customer has a need don't just tell where you find the solution, take them
there. When they need something on the other side of the store take them to it.
A good concierge of a hotel always sends his clients what he considers the best,
not only telling them about it but arranging the transportation to get them
there as well.
Relationships
do not require permission to move forward. Give the service worker training and
they will have the required knowledge to handle a situation without the need
for a manager's approval. When the situation requires a manager's attention
then the customer will know that server has already done the best to resolve
the problem and manager may find the customer less hostile in dealing with.
Once you
have the relationship, be sure to keep it. Many "loyal" customers
leave because they believe they are not important any longer as a customer.
Customers return because they feel valued far more than a gimmick or freebie
that may be offered. Sure they'll take the freebie and move on to where they
feel wanted. Freebies, give away's, coupon's and gimmicks are not, nor do they
equate, good customer service and certainly not going the distance. The
advantage of discounting is only as good as long your competitor doesn't match
you, but excellent service is often never matched by the competitor. Having a big
sale or great offers mean little when the service isn't as big as the sale.
Seek to serve and you may not need the sale.
Great
service is helpful service even when there is no apparent benefit in it. There
is a win always customers with a customer who is happy. The customer who leaves
happy lets others know how happy they are and therefore they will come for the
service as well.
Going the
distance means to be known as the company of "always." Do you always
serve the same meal every time it ordered, or does it vary from time to time.
Do you always clean the interior of a car after it has been serviced, or just
when you're not busy. Do you always treat a child when servicing the parents or
is just employees who really love the kids. Do you always check a guest with a
smile and a comforting word? The two demons of always are "new and
improved" this tell your client that there was something wrong with the
old. Do remember how Pepsi was able to cash in on Coca Cola with they introduced "New Coke"
this told the customer that the old Coke simply wasn't good enough, they
quickly switched back.
We know the
expression "don't fix what is not broken" so don't mess with always.
What works, always do it and stay with it, if you don't your customer will, by
always staying away. On August 29, 2010 a sewer worker walked out of the sewer
and into the Parkway Bakery & Tavern
in mid-city New Orleans, dirty and grimy he orders a shrimp PO-Boy
sandwich, later that day the president of the United States (much cleaner) did
exactly the same thing. Why, because the Parkway always served the very best
sandwich. For them always has meant over 100 years of the same great food and service.
The PO-Boy
sandwich in the late
1800s was the fried oyster sandwich served on French loaves. Well known in New
Orleans and San Francisco as "oyster loaves", a term still in use.
The sandwich was alternately called a "peacemaker" or "La
Mediatrice".
There are
countless stories as to the origin of the term "po' boy". The term is
likely derived from the French word pourboire, referring to a tip given to a
waiter. A popular local theory claims that "po' boy", as specifically
referring to a type of sandwich, was coined in a New Orleans restaurant owned
by Benny and Clovis Martin (originally from Raceland, LA), former streetcar
conductors. In 1929, during a four-month strike against the streetcar company,
the Martin brothers served their former colleagues free sandwiches. The
Martins' restaurant workers jokingly referred to the strikers as "poor
boys", and soon the sandwiches themselves took on the name. In the heavy
Cajun/Creole Louisiana dialect, this is naturally shortened to "po' boy.
The best of these today is served at the Parkway.
When you
think of companies with great service you can trace the history, Parkway Bakery
& Tavern 101 years old is still young compared to some with great service
(still around today.) Here are just a few:
Hoshi Ryokan
a Japanese hotel established in 717 AD the worlds oldest hotel.
The Bingley
Arms Pub in the UK founded in 953 AD.
Weihenstephan
Abbey a brewery in Germany founded in 1040 AD.
The Old
Crown restaurant UK founded in 1368 AD.
Delmonico's A New York restaurant founded in 1837 AD.
Durgin Park
Cafe of Boston founded in 1827 AD.
AntoInes of
New Orleans founded in 1840 AD.
Griswold Inn
in Connecticut founded in 1776 AD.
Buckhorn
Exchange of Denver founded in 1893 AD.
Think how an
establishment can be found and then centuries after it came into existence it
still is here today, one answer, service.
Always know
who the company is, when you represent your employer you are the company. In
the eyes of the client you are the company so then treat both your job and your
client as if they are your own.
Have you
watched Undercover Boss, they go undercover to see how their employees treat
their customers and their business. What they discover is the best employee always
treat the business as their own, and the customer is always first. These
employers have come to understand that the quality of service is totally dependent on the quality of people. Money is not a good qualifier of the
quality of a person, many minimum wage employees have greater quality of person
than those who make 100 times their wage. However those of high quality should
be compensated for their high standard.
Everyone
however has a rough day from time to time, so how do you insure that great
service is always a surety? Like common sense, the answer is to train. Training
becomes a second nature of the service provider. When the service is so
ingrained within the worker regardless of the day the worker is having they will
follow the training.
So then that
extra mile is going way beyond the distance. Again we can go to scripture to conclude,
“If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles” (Matthew 5:41)
Successful service is doing that which unsuccessful people will not.
Service Life's Conduit
There are
four areas in life that cannot be excluded, they embrace each other, fulfill
each other and make an individual complete. Without them there is a lacking in
all areas of living. These areas of course are Faith, Love, Passion and Serving.
We each can speak
of faith, love and passion as our personal experiences require of to be true to
what we believe most, what will guide us through life. However when we have
established these core values in our lives then they set the standard for how
we serve. Make no mistake "we all serve."
We serve but
are not in servitude, those will little or no education serves, the B.A. serves,
the M.B.A. serves, the PHD serves. When you visit a doctor's office you are
served, from the receptionist, to the nurse who sees you then finally by the
doctor who examines and prescribes a needful remedy. We must always see the service
we receive in every area of our lives.
It is our
core values that will allow us to see and receive service, if we believe we are
not receiving service, we must first see what kind of service we perform, then
and only then can we demand the same from another. Our standards or core values,
must be visible to others in the service we perform and in the manner that we
receive service from another. If we give praiseworthy service it is highly
likely we will receive the same, demeaning service will reap the same.
There is a
law of nature and spirit, "we reap what we sow" sow corn get corn,
sow wheat get wheat, sow apples get apples, sow kindness get kindness, sow love
get love, sow service and be served. Keep
in mind however the law of sowing and reaping brings forth another law, the law
of multiplication. When you sow a seed it grows and returns a much higher
yield. If you plant an apple seed you get a tree which produces many apples
over many years. Sowing great service produces a crop of great service which you
receive over and over again.
Our personal
mission statement should have a list of our core values, every company's
mission statement should have a set of core values. Look a great service
company, notice what the call themselves.
Calgary
Police Service Core Values
"All
members of the Calgary Police Service are expected to adhere to
the core values of the Service, conducting themselves at all times with
honesty, integrity, respect, fairness and compassion, and courage."
Honesty: Tell
the truth with candor in a way that is clear and to the point.
Integrity: Display
actions and express oneself in a manner consistent with the values of the Service.
Respect: Treat
all people with value and decency. Listen to the views of others and maintain
open communication.
Fairness and
Compassion: Deal with people fairly and in a manner that displays empathy and
understanding.
Courage: Take
a stand on issues of value and importance to oneself and the Service.
Make decisions and take action regardless of the possible consequences, to
maintain public safety.
They not
only recognize that they are in service but they embrace it by placing the word
within the very essence of their being. They exist to serve, not just to enforce
laws but serve the needful in a manner that is of the highest standard. Should
there be any question as to the standard of service they list those standards
for all to see.
The slogan
of many Police Departments is "To Protect and Serve" and when you
examine the core values of each department you find they all hold true to
Calgary's. No matter how you may try you will find that you too, serve. So find
how you may do so at the highest level.
Establish
core values that you can never stray from here are some that make a good
beginning:
Tell the truth, it is what it is, if you stay with
the truth you never have to be concerned about the repercussions of the lie.
The truth is transparent, clear, your reward is you are believable have credibility
and respect. Remember, say what you mean and mean what you say. A false claim is still a lie, if it's not the
worlds best don't call it that. Be sure you have something to sustain your
claim, certificates, awards, etc. Restaurant menus of course are a great
example of untruths, state what it is and be sure you state nothing less. A Black
Angus hamburger is not Kobe beef and just because 99% of your guests cannot
tell the difference it does not permit you lie on your menu.
In the
1970's we had another saying that went like this, "I know you believe that
you understood what you thought I said, but I don't think you realize that what
you heard is not what I meant." Clearly communication was lacking one
believed they spoke correctly the other they heard correctly yet there was a
misunderstanding. The very reason to, say what you mean and mean what you say.
Promises Promises, make them and keep them. Never leave
them unfulfilled, in doing so you break the above core value. When I promise service in 15 minutes or it's
free I must deliver or not charge. The promise given must always stand. A 10
minute oil change is rarely 10 minutes, how can you trust a service center who
makes that promise, they delay on purpose so they can up sell you on other
products. But their promise means nothing therefore the service they provide also
loses its value. The result is the customer is always seeking an oil change service
center.
Respect, a customer does not have to demand respect, they
already are your customer therefore I respect their choice of choosing me so
they have already gained my respect, why would I not give the same to them. We
show that respect (even with the most difficult) by being courteous,
considerate and attentive to their needs.
Loyalty, great service seeds loyal customers, they
become faithful followers, committed to your service. When we break that
loyalty by not fulfilling our word to them they feel beyond betrayed, it
becomes very difficult to win them back. We must be just as faithful and loyal
to our customers as they are to us. Why do "new" customers get better
deals than the loyal faithful customer? Is there a double standard, often the
answer is yes.
Empowerment, I have been well trained, I must be
given the freedom to use my training. Empowered to make decisions and resolve problems.
In exchange I will take responsibility for the decisions I have been empowered
to make. Having been empowered I will make only those decisions within the
guidelines I have been given and will seek assistance from a superior seeking
decisions outweighed by my empowerment.
Discipline, As we have a defined set of rules
and guidelines we are trained not to vary from them. By be disciplined in these
actions I improve my skills, enhance my training, develop my behavior. When I
am disciplined, no matter my day, I vary not from my core values.
Leadership, We lead by example, therefore it
must be the example one that others want to emulate. Innovation, creativity,
and forward thinking are hallmarks of the leadership we demonstrated. We never
hear a leader say "that's not my job" no matter the job it is the
responsibility of everyone, the name of the job is serving the client and every
leader takes on every job.
Undeniable
truths are what core values are, once ingrained within the very being of the
soul they are demonstrated in our very being, they are an inseparable part of
of us. Serving is a choice of the heart, servitude is a burden of the soul. In
service we always look to another best interest before our own. Phil 2:1-4
(Phi) Now if you have known anything of Christ's encouragement and of his
reassuring love; if you have known something of the fellowship of his Spirit,
and of compassion and deep sympathy, do make my joy complete--live together in
harmony, live together in love, as though you had only one mind and spirit
between you. Never act from motives of rivalry or personal vanity, but in
humility think more of each other than you do of yourselves. None of you should
think only of his own affairs, but consider other people's interests also.
We serve
because we have been given a great example of service for our lives, Mat
20:27-28 (NEB) "...whoever wants to be great must be your servant, and
whoever wants to be first must be the willing slave of all--like the Son of
Man; He did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give up his life as a
ransom for many."
Serve With Honor
“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” Albert Schweitzer
In a world that has so many vast needs the art of service may be the walk that we require to take us to the answer to these needs. Fulfilling needs truly is the art of service, the needs are great the service must be greater. In other words, we minister to the needs of the people. Minister in religion, in government, in business, in health care and in family. Ministry is simply meeting the people where they are at and then lifting them above it. Serving the people, Christ of course was the greatest example, Stephen (a waiter) gave his life to serve as did Philip (Acts 6:5) Serving is always life giving, life changing and for life.
However one's service can only be as genuine as they are. A corrupt person will serve from a place that focuses upon self and not upon the need of those whom they serve. Those who are motivated by anything other than to serve and to make someone happy must check their motivations. Some are motivated by need themselves, when the need is met then the service becomes lacking. Those motivated by greed never serve the needs of others and only are there to serve their own need. Check your motivation and you will see what kind of server you will be.
Service is and must always be an act of compassion, but understand that compassion is not just feeling sorry for another and the situation they be in. Compassion is far greater than this. When we read scripture we find that compassion was all that moved Jesus, He met the needs of the people when He had compassion upon the people. In other words He served the people by meeting their needs through the motivating power called compassion.
We therefore need to know what compassion really is if it is not just feeling sorry for another. Dakes says compassion is "a characteristic of God and Jesus and should be of the believers. It is the drawing and the agitation of the innermost parts at the sight of any distressed or miserable object. It causes revolting action in the innermost being to bring deliverance from such unlawful and inhuman misery and suffering”. In other word's compassion is "to experience what another undergoes and have the power to change it forever".
No matter what we do as servers we always to the same thing, see a need and meet the need. When we do so through compassion we often eliminate that need. A governmental minister sees that the populous needs a way to have health care that is affordable, so they pass laws mandating that the need be met. The pastor of a church sees a need within the congregation and takes them to scripture to fulfill the need. A banker, doctor, dentist, mechanic, electrician, plumber, waiter all are presented with a need, Having gone through a similar situation each knows the anxiety of the problem and each knows they posses the power to answer the need, in doing so, they eliminate it.
Compassion has its own motivating force, it is called honor. Without honor our compassion is misapplied even distorted and then confused with a feeling, (like sympathy) but all too often not a feeling for the one with the need but rather for self.
Honor is best defined as: honesty, fairness, or integrity in ones belief and actions. To serve without honor is but to mock whom you are pretending to meet their needs. So lets break this down. Honor defined as honesty. Many are surprised to learn that the scam artist actually believes himself to be an honest person. His own personal welfare far outweighs any other considerations. His thief is to serve himself and in his mind he is being honest to himself, harm to others are not factored into his actions. Look at the history of the greatest scam artist of all, Bernie Madoff, and you find someone who began with great intentions for the good of those whom he served. Life and welfare of others really was important to him at one time, he even began serving as a lifeguard. The well being of another was important to Bernie at one time, but along the line serving others became only a means of serving himself. Horribly wrong, incredibly dishonest. The trademark of any scam artist is to believe they are the ones who were honest and it was another who caused them to become a cheat locked in deception and delusion. Bernie's reward 150 years in jail, a wife and youngest son will not visit, his oldest son committed suicide and a life left unfulfilled. Lost it all because he stopped honoring what he once believed so valuable, the welfare of another.
One doesn't have to be a Bernie to stop this action. Honor has no off switch, a bartender who over pours a drink may believe himself to be a person of honor, he in fact is a a cheat. Like a Bernie, he over pours for a bigger tip, give a little extra to a friend, or just doesn't care about the quality of the drink. Whatever the reason, his action is dishonest in that he steals a little at a time from the employer. Added up over a year and it becomes grand theft. I once had a singing bartender at my restaurant in Branson Missouri who stolen over his time there close to 50,000 dollars along with doing other harm to the business. When we caught him, like Bernie, denied it all, he could sing like an angel but stole like the devil. His service is ever marred, and forever is known as a thief. The waitress who bill for the extra fry's, the builder who uses inferior products, the repair person who fix's the problem with a used part charging for a new, the cashier who short changes a customer all are not in service but to themselves.
In serving with honor we protect the only thing we truly have, and that is our name. Say Bernie Madoff and honor is not something that jumps to your mind. Say the name of that bartender to me and I cannot bring myself to say anything worthy of him (I even refuse to use his name). Our name must be protected at all times and we can only do so by living up it with honor. Do something that takes away from your name (even a little) then you take away from your very being not just your well being (the reason most cheats are who they are.)
Honor will do what it has promised or offered to do even to ones own hurt. A contractor may offer to complete a job at a certain price but did not price the job correctly, honor completes the job. He may discuss the problem and believe that the extra may be paid but the price should remain as the quote. A store sale price should mean it applies without unknown factors. Honor always does the right thing. When we serve people with what has been agreed upon and do it in excellence then we live a life in honor.
Honor is the foundation for the expression I quoted earlier, "do what is right, do it because it is right, then do it right" yes even to your own hurt if need be. I am in a situation right now that is one of honor. Opening a second location, one of clients advertise their restaurant as if I approved of it, using both my name and trade name in their marketing. Yet they had no contact, or approval to do so. They make claims that leave their clients believe that they use the finest ingredients and freshest product and that I have approved such. None is true therefore cheating the customer, myself and even themselves. They mistakenly believe that because they are doing well the other factors are not important. Honor says they are important, to claim an international chef has approved your food when he has not is a falsehood, to claim you use the finest ingredients when you use far inferior ones is a falsehood, it will catch up with you.
Romans 12:10: Expanded Bible (EXB) 10 •Love [Be devoted to] each other •like brothers and sisters [with family/brotherly affection]. •Give each other more honor than you want for yourselves [or Outdo one another in showing honor; or Be eager to show honor to one another].
Simply put we are to honor those who get on our nerves, those who do us wrong, yes even the cheats of the world. In doing so we build ourselves and the reward they have for their actions will come. The cheating bartender lost all, Bernie Madoff lost all, honor is meant mostly for our well being and not another.
Some believe in honor so much that they are willing to kill for it. Recently we have seen a surge in so called honor killings especially in western countries, but there is never any honor murder. These are meant to service the honor of a family however every religion in the world forbids the taking of another's life. Most honor killings are a crime against the youth (average age is 23) surely it must be easier to instruct than to kill. Honor provides and loves whom it may want to instruct. To live with honor is to teach the most important lesson of life, to serve another.
Serving with honor is to serve with fairness, in 1949 the FCC saw a need lacking in the broadcast industry and would pass what became known as the Fairness Doctrine. The focus was to be sure that a broadcaster would handle controversial issue that were of great concerns to the public in a fair, equitable and balanced manner. The broadcaster would give the public an honest response to their need serving the viewer with comfort. So then to be fair is to be honest, equitable and balanced. These should be the minimum standard of any server.
Fairness in service should:
A) Give the customer what they paid for, more when it is fair to the service provider, but at a bare minimum what the customer has paid for. We may have need to educate a customer as to what exactly they are paying for, they then are comfortable they are getting what they pay for. I recall an automotive company once advertising "get a trip to Hawaii with any Chrysler product sold" so a customer went and bought a spark plug and demanded the trip. The car company saw the advertising mistake but honored to ad and gave the trip to Hawaii. In the long run they could not have got more exposure as the news wires told and retold the story. The customer was very happy, getting far more than what he paid for, the car company happy to be fair and honor their advertising.
B) Never take advantage of the customer. Most customers are not qualified in the service they seek, therefore the need of the service. Our priority must always be that we are serving in a manner that leaves the client feeling that they were served extremely well. Customers rely on the expertise of the server and know within when they are being taken advantage of. This always leaves a sour taste in the soul and you can be sure that you will never see that customer again.
C) Offer the customer the best you have. We have said this much during this study but always needs repeating. Excellence will always be rewarded mostly by gaining a loyal customer.
D) Create a loyal customer. There is a difference in a satisfied customer and loyal customer. A customer who is satisfied is one who received service which they considered the same. Same price, same offer, same service, they see the business only there to provide what they need. The loyal customer sees beyond, the service is better the product better, so they form a personal relationship with the service provider. They are swayed by gimmicks and freebies but by the service. A satisfied customer may not be a returning customer, a loyal customer thinks twice about going elsewhere. Going beyond, being fair will switch the satisfied customer to a loyal one.
You will find the loyal customer has emotional attachment to the service provider, therefore they begin to refer to the establishment as their own, and in no way could they be found elsewhere, no other establishment could be better than their own. In all my restaurants my loyal customers refer to as their chef, they have taken me on as a possession of theirs. I would have it no other way for many I will see several times a week. In Branson I had many of the entertainers who ate in no other restaurant many just considered it their own. The emotionally attached customer is your best advertising tool, they simply tell everybody to go to "their place".
E) Eliminates the embarrassment of closing questions. If a service provider has been fair then why should they be embarrassed to simply ask the client for their business. Would you buy the car today, have I explained everything and answered all your questions? 'Yes, then lets go a write it up. There is never a poor reason to ask for the client's business when fairness, honesty and honor is the foundation of the negotiation.
F) Good is not good enough! We just watched this year's Academy Awards, we watched how one Oscar winner after the other received their award, they were the best at what they did. All the others were good but these few excelled in their service to the moviegoer. TO BE FAIR IS TO BE THE BEST,
Serve with honor and success will be yours.
Why Don't You Get A Real
Job
We spoke
above about preforming service that can only be accomplished when it is offered
with honor, so I now want to speak to the art of service, and given my
background I will speak to service industry of waiters and waitresses, but the
following applies to all who are dependent upon the TIP as part of their wages.
Waiting
tables is an "honorable" profession and should be treated with a
certain level of high respect. If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to
eat out. We as servers have actually have had patrons say (usually angry ones)
"Why don't you get a real job." So for those who would make such a
statement, SERVING TABLES IS A REAL JOB. This statement is often from the lips
of someone who simply does not want to leave a tip regardless of the level of
service. We will discuss the tip later but i want to discuss the duties of most
servers (good ones.)
* Arrive
before schedule and check POS for specials, a la mode offerings, and eighty six
items.
* Greet guests
in a friendly and courteous manner during all interactions.
* Handle all
guest interactions with the highest level of hospitality and professionalism.
* Abide by
the policies and procedures as set out in the Associate Handbook and any other
applicable policies.
* Must
adhere to the appearance and grooming policy.
* Perform
other duties/tasks and projects as assigned
* Offers
suitable wine pairing options to enhance guest experience.
* Informed
wine, spirit and cocktail knowledge, constantly improving and updating to suit guests'
needs.
* Ensure
guests meet the legal age in order consume alcohol beverages, check valid
government issued identification.
* Must be
able to perform accounting duties as it pertains to closing out checks, giving
change and accuracy in balancing end of day reports and paperwork.
* Must be
able to up sell and suggest specialty food and beverage items to each guest.
* Writes
customers' food and beverage and keys into POS.
* Clears and
resets tables, including removing and replacing dishes, glasses, utensils and
condiments in a timely manner.
* Ensures
cleanliness of the dining room, service areas and back of the house.
* Have
knowledge of menu and private party menus.
*
Responsible for pre-sets and removing unused pre-sets from the table.
*
Effectively communicates to management, both front and back of the house, any
problems (e.g. Allergies), special requests (e.g., no garlic, no MSG, etc.)
concerns (e.g. Timing) to ensure the guest a pleasurable dining experience.
*
Coordinates with kitchen and floor staff to ensure an exceptional guest dining
experience.
* Answers or
finds the answer to questions regarding menu items, property and area events
and attractions.
* Resolves
customer complaints including invocation of complete satisfaction policy.
* Completes
required side work as assigned.
* Meets the
attendance guidelines of the job and adheres to regulatory, departmental and
company policies.
* Fluent in
English both written and verbal. Proficiency in other languages would be an
asset.
* Ability to
work flexible hours including days, evenings, nights, weekends and holidays,
including overtime as required.
* Ability to
follow all safety policies and procedures within the work area and respond
properly to any hotel emergency or safety situation.
* Ability to
work well under pressure. Ability to serve up to 30 guests at the same time.
* Work
harmoniously and professionally with co-workers and management.
* Must be
able to initiate and engage in conversation in a professional and friendly
manner.
* Excellent
interpersonal and customers service skills. Problem solving, and guest
retention skills are required.
* Must be
able to work in the assigned bar and lounge.
* Must be
able to carry and balance cocktail and serving trays that weigh at least 15 pounds.
* Must be
able to stoop and bend, as well as maneuver up and down stairs.
* Must be
able to use hand motion when serving drinks and wiping down tables
* Must be
able to stand for extended periods of time to continuously perform essential
job functions.
* Must be
able to attend to the needs of guests of differing age groups, seniors, adults,
young adults, children and toddlers ensuring an excellent experience in dining.
How then
does one actually say "get a real job" what exactly is a real job and
how do you classify it as such? Why is a job not serving a real job and one of
serving not a real job. A bank teller is that a real job, or the doorman, the theater usher, the restroom steward, the car sales person, are these also not
real jobs? Or is it only for those with a degree and various letters behind
their name. Take a look at what my name could actually be written like, Rev.
Ronald Kalenuik, CCC, BA, MBA yet I am a server, does this discount my degrees?
Perhaps the real job means the amount of money one makes, most professional
servers make sums much higher than those with a BA or other Bachelor type
degrees. A real job must be one where the needs of the individual and his or
her family are being met. The taxi driver or counter server work in no less of
a real job than the doctor or the lawyer. The difference is the value that
society places upon the individual, but the job they perform is very much real.
This job of
serving requires extensive knowledge in various areas, it requires the
individual to multitask at multiple tables while keeping health and safety of
the customer foremost but not letting the customer realize it. Performing all
the requirements while dealing with the demands of a logistic corporation, a
manufacturing corporation, an educational institute and a day care center
(that's just the first hour.)
The server
is required to a peace maker, have knowledge of obscure ingredients, tracking
information as to the locale where the ingredient is grown. Knowledge field and
farm, fresh and salt water fish and seafood, and is the product wild or farmed
grown. They are required to do the exotic and then the mundane. An expert in
time management, they are required to know the exact timing of the preparations
of the kitchen to ensure all is delivered fresh and at the correct temperature.
They must be ambassadors, diplomats, politicians and skilled orators. They
become skillful at handling ego's of managers, chefs, sommeliers, and more
importantly the customer.
Servers work
every special occasion and birthday except their own. All long weekends take on
a completely different meaning to the server. While they attend to the needs of
those with the "real jobs" being sure that their families are having
a great long weekend of fun, the family sits at home to wait for the server to
return, tired, hurting, deprived of rest, exhausted, and it was all at or below
the local minimum wage and a percent of the tips. (Most servers' tips are split
in various ways, we'll see this later) Special days or holidays are always the
highest in stress, in customer dissatisfaction, in errors committed, and at the
door wait times all potential disasters that the server needs to defuse.
Although
many view the job as temporary (as they gain knowledge to transcend to their
career) those who have made a career of serving, often find it a more rewarding
and fulfilling career. In comparison to those who have successfully entered
into their field of their choice and the professional server statistics show
the server is happier in their job.
The song "Take this job and shove it” by Johnny Paycheck, may
explain the attitude of many, it is not a general feeling of the professional
server. Given the stress and the high demands the professional server everyone
who serves this is not a job but rather a vocation. A vocation is a term
meaning "a divine call" which most servers truly believe they are. Another
meaning is: occupation, or the principal business of one's life. Talk to most
servers and they will tell you that they do what they do because it is in their
blood to do so. They leave for a time but soon they are back, many who have
departed serving for another career will be found returning, often giving up
the career to serve. The professional server is reminded daily of what they do,
an acronym for service is: Social, Enthusiastic, Responsible, Vibrant, Intelligent, Courteous, Engaged. The
professional server has been trained in service.
When I conduct service courses for my clients here
is what the staff will be trained in:
• Hospitality and the waiter • Menu: Types,
uses and services: Buffet service; Family service; Plate service; Silver
service; Functions service. • Food service equipment• Food service procedures •
Mise-en-place (everything in its place) • Taking orders • Suggestive selling • Styles
and sequence of service • Silver service • Gueridon service, (food is presented,
cooked, or finished on a trolley in front of the guest.) • Beverage equipment
and service procedures • Beverage product knowledge • Patron-care • Wine
rituals • Cash register operations • Handling
customer complaints • End–of–service procedures
• Espresso machine operation.
Having a complete understanding in these areas
requires dedication to professionalism, and once learn it does not end there
servers are constantly upgrading their knowledge as food trends become popular.
So much of the server's job is to provide the
guest with the highest of standards, the standards must be in place and
enforced by all, servers, chefs, managers. They are never up for debate, a
standard means the way it is done, automatically without thinking. Think of it,
after the manner of a car's transmission, there is the manual which requires
coordination and thought but for most they drive an automatic, just get in and
go, the work and thought are completely done with the car. Everyone applies the
standards without thought, a server cannot serve hot food if in fact the cooks do
not follow the standards of providing it hot. The manager cannot change the
standard when he or she just happens to feel like it, they put are in place to
the delight, satisfaction and safety of the customer, not the ease of those who
must enforce them. Any business without standards will frustrate the employees,
managers, owner and most importantly the guest. They are likely not to exist
too long. Those which do stay in business will see the business struggle in
retention of employees and satisfied guests.
