Restaurant Servers Need to Sell For the Long Term
Sales is part of the marketing function, although most businesses place this part of their operation on a pedestal above communication and delivery of the product. That is, most businesses except the restaurant business. For some reason, it is hard for restaurant owners to accept the fact that selling is part of the restaurateur’s job and that of their employees.
There is a lot of lip service by restaurant trainers and management given to upselling, but few start with just basic selling techniques. Most bar owners and restaurant owners can teach a server to say a phrase such as “Bacardi and Coke?” after the customer just ordered a rum and Coke. Or they pride themselves on teaching a server or bartender to sell call wines over a glass of house Chardonnay.
The problem with these upselling approaches very often is it will irritate the customer if done too frequently or improperly. The extra buck or two means little compared to other basic overall selling techniques that keep the customer coming back and eliminates the “used car salesman syndrome” that runs people off! Nothing is more irritating than someone trying to sell you something you don’t want.
Basic selling techniques need to be trained before teaching upselling. Volumes are written about selling and motivating customers to do what you want while satisfying what they want. The applications apply to all types of business - including the foodservice sector.
A restaurant is like a shoe store. When a customer walks through the door, they didn’t come in to browse. They want to be sold! Remember though, sell what they want, not what you want – this is the difference in the restaurant industry.
A guest comes in your door hungry for steak or beef, but the server, trained in upselling, ends up pushing a higher priced lobster dinner. The end result is the customer walks out the door still hungry for steak – which they probably will get somewhere else the next night. You made that sale, but will you have the second opportunity? It’s like a shoe clerk who sells a customer Italian loafers when they came in for comfortable walking shoes. The customer recognizes what happened about ten minutes after leaving the store. It is doubtful that there is anyone who hasn’t had buyer’s regret and realizes what happened when they aren’t satisfied.
Most restaurant owners have seen the training programs and videos that teach a server to sell one more dessert or appetizer to earn an extra few dollars a day. The server is given the hypothesis that an extra dessert per table, per day can produce thousands in extra revenue and tips on an annual basis. Most of the training videos and online programs that teach this upselling technique are used by the chains and hotels. They aren’t concerned about return visits, only today’s sales. They don’t teach building a long term rapport with the guest. Upselling is fine IF you aren’t scaring the guest away before another visit.
Restaurants are not used car lots. We hope to see our guests several times a month. Being constantly pressured during the dining experience is a good way to drive a diner to another restaurant. Building a strong foundation for an in depth mutual relationship will pay off with more referrals, additional visits and smiling guests who truly enjoyed the whole experience.
Your salespeople are the most important asset of your business. They reflect the tone of the restaurant, the philosophy of management and directly impact the quality of the customer’s experience. However, the guest still came in to be sold what they want, not what you want!
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
hospitality management training…
Thanks for the information, love it….