These days, the restaurant industry is cutthroat. Each year, hundreds of new brands enter the market, so you need to set yourself different. You must learn how to provide the best customer service and experience without breaking the bank.
Here are four ideas you can do:
1. Install a Heater
Industrial gas heaters may be the last thing on your mind when taking of restaurants, but they are essential if you’re managing a big space.
What many owners don’t know is that weather conditions can affect customer behavior. A study by Ohio State University revealed that the chances of hearing complaints from customers could increase by threefold when it’s raining.
Meanwhile, heat may do something good for your sales. An article in Toast said that it could increase takeouts and orders for alcohol.
Note, though, that anything too much can make customers uncomfortable. A suitable type of heater is radiant gas. You can use it for spot heating or the coldest zones of the restaurant. Depending on the configuration, it can also be portable.
2. Play the Right Music
More studies reveal that customers love to listen to music while eating, and it can affect your sales and customer loyalty. What you play, however, also matters.
Take, for example, this 2003 study involving playing pop and classical music. Based on the data, customers paid more when they listened to classical or pop music.
Research in India in 2015 also arrived at the same conclusion with additional notes:
- Slow music may encourage customers to stay longer.
- Customers tend to come back to the same restaurant if they like the music.
- Diners also expect fast-food restaurants to play fast or rock music.
These effects may be due to two factors:
- Music, in general, can help improve mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. It makes the dining experience more satisfactory.
- Songs can affect the heartbeat. It slows down when you listen to classical music and fast when you hear rock. When your heartbeat slows down, you feel more relaxed. When it’s fast, you tend to have more adrenaline and energy–fitting when dining in a fast-food restaurant.
3. Use and Maintain Industrial Heaters
From 2015 to 2018, Chipotle suffered significant setbacks after being involved in several food-related outbreaks. You don’t want that to happen to your restaurant.
You can implement many ways to improve and guarantee food safety, such as sorting ingredients properly or preventing sick employees from reporting to work. Another step is to use and maintain and industrial dishwasher.
Industrial dishwashers are better for restaurants since they have bigger capacities. Manufacturers build them to be durable and efficient as well.
Nevertheless, you must ensure that the heating element is working correctly. The heat doesn’t only soften tough stains and grease but also helps kill microorganisms, such as bacteria.
4. Craft Your Menu Well
Next to your servers, customers interact with menus, but they do so quickly. A Gallup survey revealed that guests don’t “read” but scan within 109 seconds.
Because of this, you want to make every moment count and provide excellent customer experience. You can do that with a well-crafted menu:
- Match the layout or design with your restaurant niche. For example, farm-to-table restaurants may use recycled paper.
- Divide the sections with proper headings.
- Use multi-sensory descriptions, such as “succulent” or “juicy”–but be honest.
- Don’t overcrowd the page with a lot of pictures.
You don’t need to overhaul your restaurant or increase the price. These tips show you that you can boost your profit with value-for-money strategies and investments.
