Nearly every restaurateur dreams of transforming their establishment into a food empire. Multiple locations, international expansion, franchising — these are the stuff of food industry dreams! However, making that dream a reality can be incredibly difficult (which is saying a lot in an industry where 60% of new ventures fail within a year).
While scaling out your business is unquestionably difficult, it is possible to do it successfully. Smashburger, for example, is expected to open 40 new locations this year — even though the restaurant industry took a nose-dive in the face of COVID-19!
How did Smashburger manage to survive the pandemic and come out stronger than ever? The answer is simple: the company invests in employee training.
What Do Workers (and Customers) Want?
Anytime a business explores expanding (restaurant or otherwise), they need to ask themselves two questions: what do their customers want, and what do their workers want? Obviously, customer service is of the utmost importance for every business. Equally critical is keeping your workforce happy to improve work quality and reducing turnover.
Customers primarily want great food, a pleasant atmosphere, and friendly and capable service in the restaurant industry. In the wake of COVID-19 a new requirement has emerged — high safety standards. In a survey from the ONE TABLE initiative, nearly 40% of respondents said they wanted to see safety measures like spaced-out tables, visible sanitation and cleaning regularly, and employees wearing masks and gloves.
And what do employees want now that restaurants are reopening? Many workers are asking for safer conditions, better pay, approved sick leave, and other benefits that prove their worth within the industry. Listening to worker requests and considering these benefits just might be the determining factor for which restaurants survive in the post-COVID world.
How Training Can Help
Restaurant owners might wonder how to accommodate both their customers’ needs and their workers’, particularly when they’re also trying to expand their business. Luckily, there is one straightforward answer: TRAIN YOUR EMPLOYEES.
Proper training on issues like customer service, food safety, and sanitation will go a long way toward improving your workforce and your business. When employees are properly trained, they are more likely to take pride in their work and perform better on the job. This directly impacts your business; a well-trained and hard-working staff will attract more customers, which will increase your profits and allow you to give your employees the working conditions they deserve!
Investing in employee training and helping your staff learn the skills for success in the restaurant industry is one of the best ways to improve your business in the long run — and we’re here to help make it happen. Contact our team today to learn how the SynergySync app makes training your workers easier (and more cost-efficient) than ever.
Visit us at www.synergyconsultants.com for more information about growing a restaurant.