Improving Restaurant Service standards- Need of the hour

The food and beverage segment industrywitnessed exponential growth in the North. The spirit of the New Indian who wants the best of everything has come to the fore. We now have global standards of hospitality and some of the finest restaurants in the capital serving global cuisines. The ambience, décor and theme has become a vital ingredient. A lot has been done by the restaurant owners and managers to improve the food quality, menu choices, cocktails on offer, aesthetics, as well as the convenience in access.

One area though where much still needs to be done is staff training. It is impossible for any restaurant to function successfully without a well-trained workforce. Despite changes in consumer behavior and ever intensifying competition within the food service industry, the ‘people factor’ has always remained at the heart of every business, be it standalone restaurants or large chains.

One sees several gaffes committed at restaurants. Recently, I had a bad experience at one of the known restaurant chains. I had gone to one of their restaurants in cyber hub. Firstly, an inexperienced young person with zero training will greet you.  Half the time, he or she will be so nervous that they will not have the confidence to make you feel welcome. As you are led to the table, the host will seat you and then a server normally appears with the menu. Mostly, the server gets the food &drinks menu at the table and sometimes I am not sure of what I want to order. Hence, I ask the bartender about his special cocktails. That really helps me taste the best ones he has to offer. After ordering the drinks, we get to the food menu. Most of the times, the server will not have tried the dishes from the menu, so they have no idea about the dishes. When me and my friend asked the server to recommend few dishes, he was clueless about the menu and didn’t even ask leading questions to find out about our likes and dislikes. Most of the time servers forget to ask if the customer likes to have the food spicy or non-spicy, even about any allergies that they may have. The idea of dining out is mostly about enjoying the whole experience and if the restaurant staff is not trained at doing the job well and having the basic knowledge about what they are selling then it really spoils the experience.

The servers are most often unaware of what they are bringing to the table. Many lack the basic courtesy. Sometimes the food is excellent, but one still comes back disappointed due to the poor service provided. At some places the waiters in restaurants are trained to clear the table. They don’t even bother to ask you before they start clearing. Imagine you are saving the last sip of wine and someone clears your glass and you are left in shock. Also, at a good restaurant, every table should get at least one visit by the manager, even it is to check that everything is ok.

The staff should be primarily trained to perform their assigned role but should also have a general idea of the responsibilities of various job positions in the restaurant. This will create an understanding of how the restaurant works as a unit, and each employee will be able to grow and perform better in his scope of duties.

 A lot of this happens due to a lack of motivation, as the staff do not always feel part of a team. This gap between the owners or management with the face of the industry, can be bridged through adequate training. 

Therefore, it is essential to understand the importance of restaurant staff training. To withstand the immense competition, it is essential that the restaurant staff is well trained. It will empower them to deliver excellent service consistently. Another area this training will address is staff attrition,which at present is quite high.The main reason behind this is not having career development opportunities.

Several problems have been noticed at restaurants and pubs across the city. Some of those are as stated below:

• Understanding top menu choices, along with the cost factor, uniqueness and popularity
• Having the right level of interaction with the customers
• Gauging guests’ personalities
• Improving awareness and multi-tasking skills

Few of the good staff training institutes that are doing a good job is Proalphaan exclusive training and finishing academy that specializes in professional training programs designed specifically to the requirements of their valued clients. The programs ProAlpha offers trains and motivates your employees to be the best in their chosen craft. As shown by a number of studies in the hospitality industry, a well trained and motivated employee adds substantially to the bottom-line and overall profitability of the company. Apart from many training and courses they offer, they also do Restaurant Staff Trainings. The serving staff of your establishment shall be introduced to the industry-leading methodology in – how to handle customer complaints, competency, effective communication, time management, use of technology, teamwork, personal hygiene, organizations vision and how to do upselling.

Regardless of a restaurant's size or style, the serving staff represents the face of every dining establishment. These individuals will interact the most with your customers during a visit, and positive interactions can go a long way towards ensuring those same patrons return.