A rewarding experience

The following article is brought to you by McCain.​

Investment in training can significantly improve performance levels all round. And, while you'll enjoy the impact on profits, big improvements don't necessarily require big money. With a well thought through programme and good techniques, investing your own time and experience can achieve great results.​

Knowing the basics​

You know your business inside out. But do your team? Knowledge and understanding breeds confidence. So right from the start you need to thoroughly introduce everyone to their job. Make sure you clearly explain their role. Show each staff member how they work with colleagues to achieve overall goals. It's useful to let your staff experience "the customer service journey". Ask them to comment and use a flip chart to record ideas for improvement.

Go One Step Further: Give everyone experience of different roles within the operation. For example, give bar staff time in the kitchen or let them join you organising a special promotion. This way they'll be able to understand how their job fits with other areas of the business.​​​

Menu knowledge is crucial to successful selling. So let staff taste and discuss the dishes and they'll be in a much better position to talk enthusiastically to customers. Encourage them to paint a warm picture when describing dishes. So fish and chips becomes "fresh cod served with a tangy lemon sauce and a generous helping of hot, chunky chips."

Go One Step Further: Get the chef to cook up dishes and talk the team through the ingredients, presentation, country of origin and any interesting features that make a good selling point. ​​​

Spotting an opportunity​​

Make sure staff are always confident in spotting opportunities and how to convert "waverers" into customers. Collecting glasses is a good opportunity to "sell food". And if someone is "hovering" with a menu they probably only need a little gentle persuasion. Encouraging customers to eat with you is half the battle. Training your staff in the art of upselling can seriously improve your profitability. Reward the team if they hit their target for orders. A night out on the town can be a motivational prize - and great for team bonding!

Go One Step Further:: UK culture doesn't promote tipping, instead you can encourage your team to go the "extra mile" with commissions or profit share.​​​

Make it the best possible experience​

Customer satisfaction depends on making the dining experience a total pleasure. It's vital that front and back of house operations communicate.

Front of house​

Role play is a brilliant way of highlighting good - and bad - customer service, especially if you make it fun. Even a simple role play, like showing the difference made by a welcoming smile, can make staff stop and think. And, it may be the buzz phrase of the moment, but why not run sessions on how your staff can use "theatre of service" to add to the eating experience?

Brief them on seasonal specials and create props, such as mini chalk boards, to give everyone the confidence to perform!

Go One Step Further: Introduce your own "best practice service standards", e.g. greet customers immediately, ask if they will be eating, provide them with a menu. Involve your staff by incorporating their best ideas and incorporating them into your service standards.​​​

Back of house​​

When you've got the order, make sure that the food lives up to the promise. Obviously, that involves well-trained and motivated chefs. But it also entails high levels of co-ordination with the waiting staff. Go One Step Further: Training about new eating trends and menu development may be valuable for skilled chefs, whereas less experienced chefs may welcome training on meal preparation and presentation. Treat your chef to a meal at a competitors. Look at the really good dishes then develop them for your house. Suppliers can help update chefs on good practice. For example, The McCain Guide To Frying shows how to ensure that every chip you serve is of the best possible quality - and how you can enjoy extra profitability from reduced waste, better yield and improved portion control.​​​

Staff motivation​

Happy, well motivated staff are far more likely to buy into the training and take pride in offering good service. Your leadership by example is top priority in creating and keeping a dynamic customer focused team.

Go One Step Further: Even benefits such as a free hot meal after a shift, regular breaks or a free taxi home after a late night shift can go a long way to making your staff feel valued.​​​

Evaluate, empower, evolve​

Training and development should be integral features of day-to-day business. Time needs to be scheduled on the rota for ongoing training, monitoring and evaluation. Encourage feedback and honest appraisal from everyone and be prepared to learn and improve. And always remember your real training goals - satisfied customers, a great team and a healthy bottom line.

How to do it​

Getting the best from your chips​

• Never drop cases as this equals broken chips and fewer portions
• Always deep fry frozen chips from frozen, and chilled chips from chilled. Dual store chips can be cooked from frozen or chilled
• Heat oil slowly to the recommended cooking temperature, check occasionally with a thermometer to ensure accuracy
• Transfer chips gently into the frying basket, filling to maximum half full
• Time the frying following the cooking guidelines
• Gently shake baskets part way through the frying process
• Drain over the fryer for a maximum of 10 seconds
• For best results hold chips for no longer than 5 minutes and avoid re-frying
• To get consistent portions, use a chip scoop
• Filter oil daily, remove floating debris, and top u oil to level indicator
• Never leave the oil unattended when in use
• Remember, always turn the fryer off when not in use.

It's important to unlock all of the training opportunities available. That probably means a mix of in-house and external resources. Use all of your experience but also look for input from suppliers, official bodies and other training providers. Take things step by step and build a programme that works for you

• Define your service standards and establish your quality blueprint.
• Carry out a training audit - what skills do you need?
• What skills are already in place?
• Identify your key issues and work out how you can bring everyone and everything up to standard.
• Ask your team what training they would like. What are their ambitions? By helping them develop, they stay motivated and committed.
• Don't allow training to fade away. Nominate an afternoon a month or some other time period for scheduled training - but also take the opportunity every day to reinforce your training values.
• Make sure everyone understands your commitment to quality and doing things right - then ensure they know how to do it. Provide them with written job descriptions and best practice guidelines.
• Training is a skill in itself, make sure that you invest in your own training.
• If you need help, talk to a professional - look up local companies in Yellow Pages or contact international companies such as Pencom International Training Solutions. The British Institute of Innkeeping has a portfolio of 22 qualifications that meet the needs of pub and bar operators.
• Speak to your food and brewery suppliers for specific advice