Laziness is a behaviour that seems to hit some employees of restaurants and shops. In addition to disappointing customers, this attitude has a serious impact on business revenues.
Laziness (1)
– Hello! Would you like to start with a beer, a cocktail?
– Yes. I’ll take your darkest beer.
– Hum …
– The last time we came, I was served a beer. I think it was bottled, dark — and very good!
– We often change the beer menu. Here is the darkest I have (the waiter points to the menu).
– OK.
What struck me was that the waiter did not take the time to check in the fridge or inquire with the manager about the beer I had ordered last time. I really felt that she wanted to get rid of us by using the excuse that the beer menu frequently changed! She seemed more interested in discussing her class schedule with her colleague than serving a customer. Now that what I call lazy: a person that basically tells a customer: “I don’t know, and I don’t care!”
A week later, I went back to the same restaurant with friends. The pizza served is certainly one of the best offered in Quebec. Trust me, I know pizza 😉
We were lucky to be served by another employee: a new one who seemed to like his job and is in a pretty good mood.
– Good evening! Do you want to start with a beer, a cocktail, something else?
– Yes. Do you have a dark beer? You had a great one before. We came last week and were told you did not have it anymore.
– Hmm … Let me check and I’ll get back to you. (a few moments later, he comes back with a bottle). Is it the one?
– Yes, it is! I will have one, please.
The waiter did not know the beer menu — which he should have. But he took the time to check (it took less than a minute!) and served a customer who prefers dark beers.
Laziness (2)
Again, in restaurants, some waiters seem to be eager to get rid of us by bringing us the bill before finishing our last bite.
I would prefer the waiter saying something like this: “Would you like a good dessert, a coffee to finish your meal? The chocolate cake is divine. I had it yesterday. The pastry chef has outdone herself. Did you know that all our desserts are homemade? Anyway, this cake is fluffy and not too sweet. It is made with high-quality chocolate and raspberries.” Needless to say, I would fall for this dessert after such a presentation. However, I rarely hear this type of discussion. Some waiters simply say: “That’s it? Let me get your bill!” Others do it even faster by simply handing the bill with the fork still in my hand. At the end of the day, it means less tips and revenues for both the waiter restaurant owner.
Laziness can truly impact a business’ bottom line. Read my article on the purchase of sneakers. In addition to disappointing customers, laziness is costing money — a lot of money to merchants.
Timing
The other day, my partner and I went to a sushi restaurant. The quality of the food is amazing. We have been patrons at this restaurant for more than 15 years. That said, there is a concept that a new waiter seemed to have not understood.
We started the meal with a cocktail. No sooner had we started our glass than the soup was served, followed a few minutes later by the plate of sushi. It was like a race to see who would engulf the meal the fastest!
It reminds me of a basic notion that we had to pass on to new employees of the college café where I worked at a long time ago: do not bring all the courses at the same time. Start with the soup. Let the customer eat it. Then bring the main course. Let the customer eat. Offer a coffee and a dessert. Then, bring the bill. It’s that simple.
Can we take the time to enjoy our cocktail before eating our soup? We were not in a fast food restaurant, but in a beautiful restaurant where we wanted to take the time to savour the creations of the chefs. For sure, the next time we want to eat sushis we will order to take out and we will enjoy our sushi, sashimi, and nigiri in the comfort of our home, eating at our own pace and with a good bottle of wine.
What do these two stories have in common? A simple lack of training and supervision. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Is there a captain on the ship (read: a manager) who makes sure that the staff is well-trained and doing the right thing? It many cases, it doesn’t seem so!
Originally published on Les Affaires blog – © Daniel Lafrenière – All rights reserved