You’re getting ready for that “kick ass” Friday night shift where you will host dramatically more guests than any shift of the week. You know you will be challenged and need outstanding ticket times and execution from your team to deliver an awesome guest experience that drives intent to return. When that awesome shift comes off well, it’s a thing of beauty and when not, it can take on a very ugly appearance.
But what does your staff need to hear and want to hear prior to an intense shift? Building that ultimate shift meeting, that encourages team members while getting across the appropriate message, will accomplish a great deal.
You may have a mere 15-20 minutes to deliver your message to both front and back of the house team members. You will never cover everything, so cover key tactics that team members can get their arms around. Don’t take it lightly; taking the necessary time to communicate to your team will pay huge dividends.
Step 1- Listen
Ask your team about yesterday and how the shift ran. Was the team successful? What can we do better? What comments can team members share from guests about product quality and service? If you believe and practice candor, your team will provide open and honest feedback; that will only make the entire team stronger.
Pick up on trends and work to eliminate poor execution of the service model. Continuing to improve food and beverage quality and, of course, drive intent to return. If the model requires a “shift leader” to capture the events of the day in a shift report then implement one to cover key execution points.
Step 2 - Inform
This is your opportunity to communicate key tactics that drive your business. New product introduction, LTO’s (limited time offers) and all current promotions should receive the utmost follow up during this time.
Keep your message simplistic as team members do not benefit from management barking out 10 things to focus on daily. Give them two key tactics to execute that builds upon your fundamentals. Many best in class teams keep “shift meeting” tactics in place for an entire week. This will give you time to make it stick and integrate those tactics into your culture.
Step 3 - Motivate
Reward desired behavior, over and over again. Shift meetings provide you a key opportunity to recognize those top achievers in front of their peers. A simple “star of the shift” that supports your tactics and drives the guest experience is one that really works. This will help you “raise the bar” on many initiatives.
Your personal delivery is also something to be aware of. Two shift meetings a day, every day of the year may seem mundane to some. Take the high road and deliver a message that is vibrant and well thought out by delivering tactics in a positive and reinforcing method. Stay on track, don’t shoot from the hip and make stuff up simply because you were busy all morning and had no time to organize your thoughts prior to the meeting. This is your opportunity to communicate to your team what is important.
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Contact George Barton at [email protected] or by calling 321-662-0641 for a complimentary review of your operation.