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Don’t Live and Die by Online Reviews, but Pay Attention

Thanks to the internet you now have a fast and direct connection with customers after their meal. You now longer have to print out, “How would you rate your experience today?” comment cards, which let’s admit were a) never filled out or b) never assessed. This is huge!

Yes, online review systems like Yelp and OpenTable have their flaws and yes, majority of the time they reflect extreme opinions– either really freaking good or absolutely terrible (even if it is unjust, P.S. people of California please stop complaining about being charged for water– there is a drought, it's a big deal). It’s easy to ignore or obsess over these forums but it is crucial that you pay attention. Make use of this treasure trove of data and take advantage of this secondary touchpoint for customer experience.

Why is it valuable?

Before the internet, you were never given a second chance. If someone walked out of your door unhappy as a result of a ‘bad’ experience that was it, you lost a customer and likely their friends.*

But now, you can redeem yourself. Now you can learn, improve, and make it better before it happens again. It’s easy to disregard these opinions masked by digital curtains but if the same grievances are aired time and time again…maybe it's time to listen.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when looking at your restaurant’s online reviews:

Don’t take it personal. The first couple times you receive a negative review, it will be hard and you will be tempted to read and reread them every hour on the hour. Don’t. Wait it out a little. 1 bad review out of 4 seems alarming but as the numbers progress, you will be able to fairly assess a trend. When 65/100 are bad, then maybe it's time to make drastic changes but until then just use them as guidance not truth. On this note, DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT delete bad reviews. Take some time to digest it and then respond when you have a fresh mindset.

Respond to an online review the same way you would an in person complaint. Be empathetic, compassionate, and genuinely commit to make things right. Heck, smile while you are typing, it will put you in a better frame of mind. Sometimes no matter how hard you try, people are just unhappy. You have to recognize and be okay with this. Remember, just as your customer reviews are public so are your responses. Be professional.

Look inward. A bad review is not your only issue. Whatever happened to spark it is. Focus on the problem at hand, find a sustainable solution and do your best to make sure it doesn’t happen again. That’s all you can do.

Good reviews are useful too. Praise and recognize employees when customers call them out. Bring back specials or menu items people rave about.

Have any other advice? Let us know.

*note: bad is in quotes because it is relative, bad can mean that someone was late to a show because their food took too long or they saw a rat in the corridor or it could mean that there weren’t enough ice cubes in their soda or the table had a wobble

Digital Tools to Improve Your Everyday

So its Monday morning. You are looking over your list of weekly responsibilities along with anything else that managed to slip its way in. Upon review, it may look as follows–

restock silverware (seriously, why can’t we ever find spoons?)

host open call on Tuesday? Wednesday?

dig through stack of resumes

finish schedule for next week

review vacation requests, send approvals, mark on calendar

edit menu per chef’s request

send new menu descriptions to staff

manager meeting Wednesday at 12, prepare notes and feedback

sign off deliveries at 1, M W F

preshift, lunch and dinner

payroll

talk to bar manager about fall cocktails

check and address reviews on yelp, opentable, etc…

blah

blah….

If you are like us, that to do list is never ending and there aren’t enough post-its in the world to keep track. That is why we bring you this fabulous list of tools–

1) Trello

Why its great?

Gives you the ability to create multiple lists or dashboards for various teams/staff members as well as create your own personal board for to-dos.

Based on the Kanban method (click here to learn more), Trello is designed to visualize your workflow and make sense of the chaos through prioritization and focus.

Easily customizable, Trello allows you to tackle your list step by step. It shows you what needs to be done, what can be delegated, what needs to be followed up on etc....

If your restaurant is hosting or planning a private event, the checklist function is great for making sure everything is ready.

Easy to use example templates can be found here

2) Evernote

Why its great?

A cross platform (mobile + desktop) application that enables you to take notes, track tasks, and save things you find online.

Perfect for storing information and notes– perhaps, finally, those nightly manager recaps will have a proper home. Cocktails and menu recipes can be filed and stored. And lastly, its great for keeping a digital copy of press clippings from write ups to reviews.

3) Dropbox

Why its great?

A convenient, no fuss solution for data and file backup across all devices

Ever need to view a file when you are out of the office and find yourself scouring through emails or calling frantically to get your hands on it? Those days are no more. Especially if your restaurant does not have access to a central server, Dropbox is the perfect solution for keeping your files all in one place (although we do discourage having multiple people opening the same file at the same time, as it may have technical issues).

Dropbox offers 2GB of space for you to share documents– word, pdf, spreadsheets… with your team perfect for sharing staff contact information, menu changes, or wine list updates.

Please note: Each service does have a paid option for more features, storage, etc… but the free versions should be suitable for most of your restaurant/team needs.

Get your organization on!

Tips To Avoid Discriminatory Hiring

The New York City Commission on Human Rights is increasing their efforts to enforce the New York City Human Rights law by targeting restaurants whose job postings discriminate against job seekers based on gender or age. Once a complaint is filed, the City Commission will mandate supervisor training and levy a financial penalty ranging from $2,500 to $5,000.

Finding staff is already tough enough and often times, employers are unaware of how a small action might be perceived as a discriminating act. Here are some tips to help you avoid these additional problems.

1. Be Vigilant when Drafting a Job Posting

Use gender neutral terms when describing these positions. For instance,

Use “server” instead of “waitress”

Use “host/hostess” instead of “hostess”

Use “coat check attendant” instead of “coat check girl”

Do not request a photograph or a person’s date of birth

Ensure that employees responsible for composing the job posting know these guidelines

A senior member of your team should review the job posting before submission

2. Review All Resumes You Received

If you are receiving applications and resumes by email, be sure to open each individual message to avoid the appearance of opening emails based on the sender’s name or gender

3. Be Prepared On The Interview Day

Inform all employees that interviews will be taking place and direct them to forward the candidates to the interviewer

Do not have employees ‘screen’ applicants on appearance, age or gender before sending the applicants to the interviewer

Meet each candidate you schedule in for an interview.

Have a list of 4 to 5 standard questions you ask each candidate. Your follow-up questions may be different depending on the candidate’s response

File away all applications and resumes of those interviewed

Ultimately, the key to avoid discriminatory in hiring is to closely follow the criteria you have laid out in your job listing and to apply that consistency when interviewing every candidate.

Note: This article was originally written in December 2014 by Darren Wan for the New York State Restaurant Association.

Top 5 Tips for Social Media

As a follow up to our chat at the NYSRA event, What Restauranteurs Need to Learn About the Digital Age, I thought it would be beneficial to do a quick snapshot about the Top 5 things we can remember when managing our social media strategies--

1) Choose your voice and stick with it. Be informative, be humorous, be understanding, be whoever you want to be but make sure it is consistent.

2) Content - its not always about specials, restaurant week promotions or new dishes...go beyond the surface and share recipes, offer wine tasting notes/pairings, etc... (the world of content is your oyster) *Note: good content takes time to produce but it is worth it

3) Choose a schedule and stick with it - whether its once a month, twice a month or weekly. Having a schedule lets your audience know when they should look for something new and the goal is to get them to come back for more.

4) Use each channel appropriately - Twitter for what's happening, Instagram for photos of dishes or of your space, FB for longer posts or announcements etc... Yes, streamlining posts and uploading across all platforms saves time but it doesn't do your business any good if your Twitter is full of links directing everyone to photos on Instagram. Be smart.

5) Have fun! Social is about being social, its about conveying a personality and pulling people into the experience of your brand before they enter the door. People want to hang out with fun people, its the same for the brands they follow online. They want to smile, they want to learn more, they want to gain something positive from the experience i.e. sneak peeks, background scenes, etc.... If all else fails, think about who you follow on your personal social accounts, what annoys you, what makes you 'like' or 'repost' or 'follow, ask yourself ..."if I wasn't working here, would I follow our brand?"

Creating Unique Customer Experiences

By Harry Paul aka Harry the Fish Guy

It’s a familiar disposition. We have too many competitors. Our pricing is higher than our competition. They have more locations. Their website is better. Their product is superior. Customers are harder to find and keep. Excuse after excuse why success is so ambiguous. Fact is we live in a get it anywhere, anytime for any price world and that is not going to change any time soon—make that never. Price and product is almost flat between market segment competitors. So what are you going to do to set yourself apart from this maddening hoard? Is there anything you can do?

Yes! Take a page from the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, Washington. They are located within 100 yards of three other fish markets selling the same fish for the same price. Yet they are considered to be the most successful 1200 square feet of retail space in America. How do they do it? By creating unique customer experiences that cannot be duplicated by the competition. Why? The fishmongers working at the market create them.

Anyone can create unique experiences for their customers. First you have to take a close look at your culture. Is it one that promotes excellence? Then make sure you hire people that can not only thrive in that culture, but also enhance it. Do they have passion for the job and it’s requirements—not just warm bodies. And have an appropriate probationary period to make sure they get it and can do it; looking to the other team members to get a feel for this person. Their feedback is invaluable as they are working closely with them.

Then you can start creating unique customer experiences by embracing The FISH! Philosophy.

Choose Your Attitude to make a difference and serve the customer. Grabbing them with warmth as soon as they enter your doors. Understanding how important your job is to the success of the establishment. The customer experience is interdependent to everyone in the restaurant. Example...the dishwasher has to know how important their work is. Are they washing dishes or providing a germ-free environment from which to consume food?

Ensure everyone understands the product behind your product. What is it you are really doing or selling? In the restaurant industry, yes you are selling food, but the experience is just as important. You provide that breather away from the daily grind. You become an oasis—an escape.

Play at work by making it fun and including the customer. People don’t want to be served by grumpy people. It also notches up the energy and enthusiasm for the job. You want a culture where people are excited about going to work and working hard and Play helps. Remember, work made fun gets done.

Be There for the customer and each other. Not acting like you want to be somewhere else. Paying attention and understanding why you go to work every day. It’s knowing and living the vision and mission of your organization. Then start to look for opportunities to create unique customer experiences. You’ll see these moments more objectively, have a clearer understanding of what the customer wants and then take ownership of the situation and make it happen.

Make Their Day. Having people say, “wow,” I like working with you. I like eating at your restaurant. Remember, there are only two types of experiences you can create—good or bad. There is no okay experience. Think of it in these terms—physical vs. emotional. Emotion trumps physical every time. The restaurant has great food but the service is indifferent. Good or bad dining experience? Bad. Yet, if you dine and the food is adequate and the service is exceptional—it becomes a good dining experience. Emotion trumps physical every time. If I owned a restaurant, every one of my employees would wear a gold boom-a-rang pin. What does an Australian toy/weapon have to do with food service? Everything! What happens when you correctly throw a boom-a-rang? It comes back to you. I want my staff to remember that part of their job description is getting people to come back.

The fish market has turned their customers into a marketing juggernaut by creating stories that are reinforcing their culture and customer experience proposition—being world famous. This is so important to them that they changed the name of the market to include world famous. So they are reminded everyday what they are delivering and we expect when we go there, a world famous experience. Yes the competition is fiercer than ever. But using The FISH! Philosophy to create unique customer experiences helps set you and your company apart from the competition.

About the Author: Harry Paul aka Harry the Fish Guy is a best selling author and sought-after speaker. Harry is the co-author of seven business books including FISH! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results, one of the best-selling business books of all time with over five million copies sold in thirty-five languages. His latest book is Who Kidnapped Excellence?

A past conversation with one of our Founders about innovation in the restaurant industry. Check it out here: http://www.foodtechconnect.com/2014/07/07/tech-to-drive-restaurant-growth-grow-sales/

#food and tech #technology #food + tech #Restaurant Management #hospitality #hospitality management #entrepreneur #startupnyc #start up

The Best Ways to Keep Your Employees Happy - Part 3

We often harp about positive customer experience without first considering the employee experience alongside. Your employees are the ones that engage with your customers the most and if they are not equipped properly, it is unlikely that they will perform as well as they should. Today we focus on this element of the restaurant ecosystem– setting your team up for success, tip #3.

This can mean a myriad of things but for today we will focus on a couple pressing items:

Provide your team with the tools they need

Train them properly and consistently

Make sure to provide new hires and their trainees with a training manual. This makes sure that all bases are covered and you can avoid the “Nobody ever told me” excuses. Manuals should go over everything from HR policies to menu preparation to sidework and checkout.

Train often. Just because an employee has had a couple shifts on the floor and passed a couple tests doesn’t mean they have everything they need. For example, use your pre-shift meetings as an opportunity to open and learn about a bottle of wine that hasn’t been selling well. Try new menu items together. Host a fantasy football seminar for those working in sports bars. The more knowledge they have about your products and customer interest points the better they can sell.

Stay stocked

The mystery of missing restaurant cutlery is something I will never understand- one day your team has a box and a half of extra roll ups, the next you can’t even set up the floor, it’s unreal. Unfortunately this is an issue that numerous restaurants are plagued with but we have to do our best to prevent these inventory issues.

“Look, every restaurant runs out of inventory items. But a restaurant that consistently operates without basic tools is a restaurant with big problems on the horizon. A restaurant without enough silverware, plates, glassware, or food and beverage inventories will continue to experience decreased sales, sloppy performance, increased risk of health department violations, theft, and poor training of new hires and current employees.” - Food Woolf

Have a full roster

We’ve talked about it before, turnover happens. Rather than getting blind sided by the inevitable, managers need to lean in and outsmart the turnover. One way to do this is to consistently take in applications and talk to potential hires. By keeping the door open, you will be able to snag top talent when you see it and have a stack of qualified resumes on file for when you are ready. By keeping your team staffed you can make sure they aren’t being overworked. When there are not enough people on the floor, others are forced to pick up extra shifts, come into work sick and forego their social lives…. you don’t want that. If you wait to hire once you are short staffed, it will be too late.

Take care of your employees and they will take care of you

Perks are not and should not be everything, but they are an important incentive and they do contribute to employee satisfaction. Here are a couple of items restaurant employees look for (an appreciate)

shift meals/drinks

employee discounts

benefits (health insurance, paid sick days (now a NYC law), vacation)

holiday parties

transportation benefits

tips

above average wages

“People leave when they don’t feel appreciated. That’s why we’ve made recognition a really high value. Our business is people-capability first; then you satisfy customers; then you make money.”

- David Novak, CEO of YUM! Brands (KFC, Taco Bell, A&W, Pizza Hut)

Amen David Novak, amen.

The Best Ways to Keep Your Employees Happy - Part 2

As you may have noticed, we talk a lot about teamwork here. That’s because our restaurants depend on it. Whether you have the best chef in the country or the hottest new spot in town, if your employees can’t operate as a team there is no way your restaurant will succeed. Everyone needs each other and the sooner you can organically ingrain that into your culture, the better off your business will be.

This thought is what takes us to Tip #2: Don’t just create a team, create a team dynamic.

We can toss around definitions–”Team: a group of people that come together to achieve a common goal”, host meetings–”So our focus today, is teamwork, I want everyone running drinks, pre-bussing and helping each other out”, and call out old mantras–“There’s no I in team.”

But in order to truly facilitate a natural team dynamic, it is going to take more.

Ideally, you have already hired people that are the right fit for your restaurant (spoiler alert: this doesn’t always happen). Now the trick is getting them to not only like each other but to work together. From the get go, create a ‘We’ culture from management to the floor. The more ‘I’s’ a team member uses, the more likely it is for the blame game to occur.

For example–

Manager A is responsible for scheduling, Employee X asks Manager B “Hey the schedule is late, do you think I can have it sent over tonight?”

Instead of: “Let me check with Manager A and see when he will have it ready. I will let you know”

Say: “We are sorry about the delay, let me talk to the rest of the team and we can see if we can get that to you tonight”

By creating a culture of joint responsibilities you are able to showcase the reliance each member has on each other.

In this same vein, everyone should win and lose as a team. If the restaurant achieves its highest sales goal, reward everyone for their work not just the server who sold the most (although individual results oriented contests are another great motivator for employees, this is a different conversation). Same for losses. At one restaurant I worked at, when a couple of employees drank more than their fair share and showed up late to work, all staff drinks were suspended until everyone’s attendance improved. Incentivize everyone to not only look out for themselves but everyone around them.

Scheduling also plays a big part in facilitating a team dynamic. Offer opportunities for staff members to work with the same and different people. The more exposure team members have with one another, the more likely they are to develop a bond whether it is personal, professional, or both.

Next up, Tip #3.

#team #teamwork #start up #management #restaurant hospitality #advice #create a team #entrepreneur

The Best Ways to Keep Your Employees Happy - Part 1

So you’ve found the right people and hired them. What’s next? ….Keeping them.

Hiring the right people is important to having a successful business. What’s even more important is retaining your staff and giving them a reason to come into work each day. Turnover is detrimental (and expensive) for your restaurant, team and customer experience and we want to do our best to keep it minimal.

Our next series will help provide a couple tips to maintaining and facilitating a positive working environment.

Tip #1: It starts with management

Management sets the bar for everyone else and if they aren't operating as a team, you can’t expect the rest of the staff to. Step one is to have a management team that gets along.

Know that there will always be differences in personalities and management styles, especially in our industry, but it is crucial that general processes and expectations for staff are streamlined. Everyone needs to agree upon and stay on the same page. This is important when it comes to anything from uniforms to sidework. The moment exceptions are made and one person starts to wear running shoes on the floor, the harder it is to reinstate your non-slip shoe only policy. People operate on a ‘so and so did it last week’ model, don’t give them ammo. This is huge for timeliness as well, if you allow people a window to arrive (i.e. 5 minutes late is still on time), the more likely you are to have staff members waltzing in 10, 15, 20 minutes late. Consistency across the board is key, just do your best to make sure everyone is adhering to the same rules.

On that note, stay away from playing favorites. We know its hard but it makes staff members feel isolated and gives others an unfair advantage, its just not good for the team.

Finally: communicate, communicate, communicate. We are in the business of talking to people, hearing their needs and meeting those needs. The same should be for your staff. Build relationships with people, let them know you can be approached in times of need, professional and personal. Although business should come first, hospitality is a person oriented industry and if someone on your team is having a bad day, it is going to affect their ability to serve your customers. If your management team can facilitate relationships with their team members, it automatically creates an open door policy, an air of respect and a forum to hear their highs and lows. In addition, make sure your team is asking questions. Whether it is something formal like a staff meeting or a casual conversation, find out what is going on–

Do they have all the tools they need to do their jobs and do it well? Are they interested in learning more about your beverage or food programs? What are their tables like, who is your client base? Do they have regulars? What items are doing well on the menu? Are they being tipped 18-20+%? Do they have ideas for events, marketing, menu items, etc…?

They are on the front lines. They experience your customers day in and day out, hear what they have to say, let them know that what they have to say matters, and do something with the information. Don’t just sit on a treasure trove of feedback, make some changes. It will help you and your business in the long run.

Stay tuned next time for Tip #2.

#Keeping your employees happy #business advice #employees #hiring #start up #management #restaurant #restaurant management #servers #hostess #business #easy pairings #food + tech #food technology #recruiting

Bad News is Better Than No News

To date, we have discussed preparation and asking the right questions alongside first impressions– setting and gauging a positive one. Today we discuss the follow-up. Exciting, we know.

Whether you use our services or an alternative, you are guaranteed to meet a variety of applicants throughout the hiring process. Candidates that fit your needs as well as candidates that don’t. Take notes. Although some of us have incredible memory power, after talking to 8-10 candidates, it is challenging to get stories straight and assess optimally. Keep a separate note pad or piece of paper to take notes on. It is not suggested to jot down thoughts, opinions or talking points directly on the candidate’s resume, as organized and efficient as it may seem this makes candidates nervous and can be misconstrued.

If you meet an applicant who blows you out of the water, hire them on the spot. I’m not suggesting to be hasty but exceptional talent is hard to come by and if you don’t hire them someone else will. Remember, they are not just interviewing with you.

Once the interviews for the day have concluded, set 15 minutes of time aside to review. Although each applicant’s experience and personality will vary, you should already have an idea of what your team and restaurant needs are. If necessary, set up a formal or informal grading scale to assess and compare candidates against your company’s qualifiers as well as one another. If hiring on the spot wasn’t or isn’t an option, do your best to be conscious of time – it is our most valuable resource.

One of the best ways to do this is to set a timeline for yourself and the candidate. Be firm and specific. Instead of letting them know you will ‘contact them in a couple of days tell them you will get back to them by a specific day or time frame, i.e. 2-3 days.

On that note, restaurants are infamous for leaving candidates hanging, especially if they were not moving forward in the process. This is bad business. Remember that candidates are not only applying for a position at your company but they are often customers as well. By not communicating and being clear with applicants, there is an opportunity to build resent and lose potential business or references.

We are not telling you to give everyone a 10 minute rundown about why they were not a fit that is not always necessary for entry-level positions. But we are suggesting that all candidates deserve a quick email denying their application. If they have not been hired, let them know that although you appreciated their time, the position has been filled. Bad news is better than no news. Although this is an extra step that demands time, it will help foster relationships and limit rogue phone calls from applicants asking about their status in the hiring process. Here is an email template, just in case.

All in all, we just want the best for you, your business, and future employees. By making these improvements you can help make the hiring process a little bit smoother for everyone. Good luck!

State of Today’s Labor Market

Many of you know that prior to starting Easy Pairings, I owned and operated Red Egg, a restaurant in downtown Manhattan. What you may not know is that prior to, I spent a bit of time on Wall Street, exercising my interest in economics.

I bring this up because an alarming statistic regarding the US job market was recently released. It noted the US created a disappointingly low 126,000 new jobs in March, 51% less than anticipated. But a closer look into the numbers reveals that the headlines are not telling the full story.

With a little digging, I found ADP's, the private payroll processor, March report confirms the job creation slowdown and provides industry specific data. The one detail that really piqued my attention was the fact that 184,000, or 97%, of their reported 189,000 new jobs were in the service industry. This number reflects an increased demand for low-skill, hourly wage workers in an industry with a very high turnover rate– the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel specifically cites titles like: cashiers, waitresses and waiters, personal care aides, janitors and the likes of Hardee's and Taco Bell in this category.

Okay, so...why is this important?

Well, these numbers indicate that our industry is smack dab in the middle of a labor supply and demand issue. Potential candidates are experiencing a flood of opportunities for service employment and we alongside many many others are chasing them. Unfortunately for us, these candidates now have the ability to look at a myriad of options and are gifted choice. We at Easy Pairings have seen this illustrated through our own business as there has been a slight increase in candidate no shows for confirmed interviews.

With Spring in the air and multiple restaurants slated for opening, we can only assume that this problem is going to get worse in the near term. Competition for talent is at an all time high and just like a good New York City apartment, noteworthy candidates will go quickly.

This is where we can help.

We are able to offer an incredible pool of talent and serve as a pivotal resource for your hiring needs. Although we cannot guarantee that all candidates will show up for the confirmed interviews (as mentioned a moment ago), we do warrant six to eight matched candidates for each commissioned Shortlist. In the event that your company experiences a low show rate, we are able to schedule additional candidate interviews within the following week, based on a 24 hour notice. Rather than posting that open call and crossing your fingers, we can guarantee that qualified individuals will walk through your doors.

Wishing you the best this upcoming season,

Darren

First Impressions: A 2-Way Street

Continuing with our first blog series, The Hiring Process, we wanted to chat re: first impressions.

As the interviewer, it’s easy to forget that interviewees are assessing you and your restaurant at the same time you are interviewing and determining whether they are the right fit. Impressions are a two-way street and its important that both sides are making good ones.

Keep this in mind: it takes seconds to make a first impression. Made up of a number of details―a first impression provides an initial assessment that serves as the foundation of all relationships.

Remember mom’s mantra: treat people the way you want to be treated. If you expect potential candidates to come in looking nice, set the precedent. If you expect them to arrive on time and be prepared, don’t make them wait for twenty minutes while you finish pre-shift. Make them feel welcome. If you are expecting candidates or hosting an open call, let your staff know so they can guide them in the right direction. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen open call candidates roam around restaurants for 15-20 minutes with resumes in hand until a team member finally notices and takes down their information or gives them a couple minutes of time. This isn’t a positive first experience for someone applying to your job posting.

When approaching an applicant, make sure to show off those pearly whites, warmly greet the applicant, and extend a handshake. Look to see if the candidate reciprocates. Are they smiling? Are they giving you eye contact? How is their body language? Did you receive a dead fish or a confident handshake? This initial interaction should showcase the applicant’s openness, greeting style, and how they respond to meeting new people. If they do each of these things with ease and exude a genuine warmth, you can be assured they will do the same for your customers—these details are key for all team members especially FOH.

Once the interview is initiated, small talk subsides and you are ready to ask these important questions. Make sure to observe the following:

Presentation

Are they neat, well groomed, and dressed appropriately: clean clothes, appropriate attire, hands clean, appropriate or conservative jewelry for females, face clean (shaven or groomed facial hair for males)?

Can the candidate relate to your target customer?

Keep your atmosphere in mind: casual, fine dining, sports bar, etc...

Posture

When seated, does the applicant sit up straight and pay attention versus slouching or acting disinterested or looking around the room

Good posture illustrates confidence, self-esteem, and pride

Demeanor

Are they smiling? Do they use hand gestures? Are you able to understand what they are saying? Can they communicate ideas and answer questions? How did they interact with staff upon entering your restaurant?

Smiling and talking easily means they are able to act comfortably in a business customer service environment.

A good or bad first impression should not be a sole indicator to hire or not hire an employee but it is something to take under careful consideration. When preparing to host an interview or an open call, utilize these benchmarks and pieces of advice to set you, your restaurant and your potential employees up for success.

After “How are you?”

Hiring a good employee, keyword: good, is a matter of utilizing a short period of time to find things out about a person, assess their capabilities and make an educated decision. It’s a tough job and unfortunately in our industry, we have to do it often.

No matter what your interview process is: open-call, phone, in-person, etc… be prepared. What I mean by prepared is this—don’t just wing it and hope everything works out. There is a reason this position is open and you do not want to go through this process again two months from now. Before meeting candidates, figure out what you are looking for in that new hire so you can ask the right questions. Harvard Business Review suggests taking a look at your top performers–

What do they have in common? What did they do prior to their current position? What do customers like about them?

By first assessing internally, you can develop a compelling list of desired attributes and draft questions from there.

Plan to ask four to five questions. Of these, three should always be the same so that there is a baseline to compare each of the candidates. Make sure to ask a mix of questions that assess skill, personality, and experience.

Here are a few examples of questions including answers to embrace or run quickly away from:

1. Work Quality

How would you describe a good day at work?

What’s important to you in a working environment?

Embrace: “I enjoy working with people,” “I feel challenged,” “Receive positive feedback,” “Learn something new each day.”

Run Away: “I’m just glad to have a job,” “It’s a way to pay the bills.”

2. Commitment to Service

What does hospitality mean to you?

When you are out to eat or shop, how do you like to be treated? Give examples of best and worst service that you’ve had.

Embrace: Includes vivid stories and examples of positive and negative experiences (Bonus if they talk about learning from either). Passion for hospitality and desire to provide good service.

Run Away: Lack a general understanding of the value of service, or act as if they know it all.

3. Charisma

What do you do when you walk into a room full of people?

How would your best friend describe you?

Embrace: “I look for friendly faces,” “I get excited to meet new people.”

Run Away: “I try to blend in,” “I wait for others to approach me.”

4. Problem Solving

Give me an example of how you turned a negative situation on a team into a positive one.

Embrace: “I try to look at all sides,” “I am open to others’ opinions,” “I like to help everyone talk through the problem and find a reasonable solution.”

Run Away: “I haven’t had any problems,” “I take command.”

5. Skill Related

How do you garnish a gimlet?

Name 3 red wine varietals from lightest to heaviest.

Embrace: correct answers or a willingness to learn/ask questions

Run Away: "I don’t know”, “I forgot”

When asking these questions it is important to also assess the behavior of the potential new hire, look at verbal and nonverbal cues.

Do they listen well? Can they process an ambiguous question and formulate an answer? Are they making eye contact and nodding or gesturing when appropriate? Do they smile? Depending on your location, can they speak the native language? (Note: in most cases, they don’t have to be fluent, but they have to get by just as they would at work)

All in all, some of this may seem fairly intuitive but it is an important reminder and a good practice to bring into all future processes so that you may hire right the first time.

For more examples of sample questions, click here.

Let’s Get This Journey Started

Alongside our mission to provide you with ready for hire, top-notch candidates, Easy Pairings is your go to resource for tips and strategies on how to operate your business more effectively.

In our first blog series, we are going to help brush up those interviewing skills (and processes). More often than not, we have seen hiring managers check off their list of needs based on a desired skill-set. Unfortunately this isn't always the best approach.

Over the next few weeks we will review and talk about first impressions, setting the tone, and asking the right questions.

If there are any other topics you would like us to address feel free to send feedback and suggestions to [email protected]. I read every email and it affects what kind of content we create for you.

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