The Basics for Attracting and Keeping Customers

 

What are the basics when it comes to attracting and keeping restaurant customers?

We believe there are five essential elements.

• The right position (image). The need to convey what it is you offer to your potential guest. This includes the combination of your facility design, menu, food, service, and staff. All of these ingredients are needed to convey an appealing image.
• Quality. The level of quality must be appropriate to the type of restaurant, the type of food served, and the prices charged. Quality is an ambiguous term; however, it has various interpretations and arouses different expectations. It is most commonly associated with the taste of the food and beverages. Guests do not expect to find pre-prepared ice cream sundaes in gourmet ice cream specialty shops, but they are acceptable in fast food restaurants.
• Service. Guests perceived “better than expected” service as an added value. In the same way they perceive poor service as “uncaring” which in turn will influence them not to return. Guests of any type of restaurant want to be waited on to the level of their expectation, be served within a reasonable amount of time, receive fair value for their money, and be treated with care and respect. Excellent service is perceived as an added value, which leads to your customers feeling they got more than they expected.
• An appropriate menu. Guests expect a menu to fit the type of restaurant—a limited menu in a fast food outlet, a full, but simple menu in a family restaurant, and a creative gourmet menu in a fine-dining establishment. Guests appreciate a menu that is accurate and easy to read. Prices must be in line with what is offered. Using menu specials adds interest and excitement to the menu and gives your guests the impression of added value. As a rule, menus should be creative, but not too trendy. Trendy menus have limited appeal. Menus should have an appealing design and be in top condition.
• Presentation.  Like quality, presentation must always be appropriate to the type of restaurant, the type of food being served, and the prices being charged. Experts agree that guests can be influenced to purchase an item if it is packaged to exceed their expectations. To exceed expectations, food must appeal to all the senses. You can achieve this by being creative with color, texture, the shape of the food, using unique service ware and garnishes, and appropriate music to complete the dining experience.

Guest’s service requirements are situational. The same guest will have different needs at different times. Restaurants are increasingly aware of this and are engaging in “Niche Marketing.” Niche marketing allows a restaurant to meet the guests multiple needs. The challenge is to serve guests from a variety of demographic groups. The restaurant concept musts serve a differentiated population without losing sight of their position in the marketplace. 

Good supervision is the art of giving people a shot in the arm without letting them feel the needle.  

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