LEADERSHIP: 5 Tips for Becoming a Better Restaurant Manager
One of the most important things in running a business is good communication. As hard as it is contriving restaurant management strategies, it might be even harder to delegate particular tasks to different people. If you are a restaurant manager, having strong communication skills is paramount to a successful restaurant and career. It starts with creating a solid plan and continues with your ability to keep the team on track, being flexible, and showing superior leadership.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Don’t Call it a Comeback
So how big is vinyl's comeback really? Should we all dust off our old record players to prepare for the future of music? According to Nielsen’s 2018 music report, LPs accounted for 12% of album sales in the United States, which is quite substantial. Factoring in streaming and downloads of single tracks, however, that number drops to 2.7% of album equivalent music consumption, which puts things in perspective.
WWE Leaves Disney
The WWE Network, one of the top OTT streaming networks, is leaving Disney to join Endeavor Steaming. The WWE says joining Endeavor will allow them to offer more features and “elevate the user experience.” Endeavor Streaming clients also include the NFL, NBA, Euroleague, Univision, Sportsnet, Skysports, MSG, NatGeo, and the Big Ten Network.
Best Employers for Diversity
Packaging and aerospace company Ball came first in 2019 with a score of 85.85. It places emphasis on embracing diversity and strives to provide an exclusive environment where employees can strive. Echoeing the studies mentioned above, Ball says that "diversity among individuals and teams helps to unleash ideas and fuel innovation, which drives growth and value throughout our global organization". The issue is also hugely important for second-placed Nielsen and third-placed BlueCross BlueShield, both of whom employ diversity officers to uphold their commitment to a workplace where everyone is valued and respected, regardless of factors such as race, culture, gender and sexual orientation.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE FROZEN ORANGE CONCENTRATE JUICE PRICE? [Video]
Why it matters to you: Commodities rule your inventory, what do you know about them?
You likely don’t think of yourself as dealing in commodities, but one of the many things you manage are price fluctuations in your inventory. 2018’s prices changes on those commodities tell a story about current trends in our industry. Hip products like kombucha, garbanzo beans and cauliflower all experienced significant price increases due to demand increases. Some of the hottest menu items are based on those products, and others, like soy beans and cold brew coffee. As an operator, knowing this type of data can help you navigate your menu development, but that’s not the only place that data tells a story.
For example, romaine lettuce experienced the disaster that is E. coli. The drop off was precipitous. It will recover, but you will see that prices have risen, then stabilize over time. By tracking the pricing regularly you are able to know before it’s too late that a surcharge is necessary for a scarce item. Many of us just ate the increase. By having foreknowledge of the issue, however, you can plan accordingly. That’s why we suggest you be on as many produce price delivery lists as you can. Review them briefly to see what major items are moving. Then find out why. You’ll be more prepared than your competitors and maybe even catch lightening in a bottle by finding a new menu star.
[Source: FSRMagazine]
WICKED S.M.A.R.T.
Why it matters to you: Goal setting is an under-utilized path to fixing things in your restaurant.
Ok, so we all know about S.M.A.R.T. goals and how valuable structured goal setting is to steering your business. But why do so few of us actually employ it? Yes, that was a rhetorical question. So to remind you, SMART is the acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and trackable. While New Years is already a bit in the rearview, it’s never too late to start systematically approaching your business.
It may sound like a pep talk, but honestly anyone that isn’t employing some form of planning is likely never going to achieve a goal. It takes focus and clear direction to really make a positive impact on your business. So start with something small -- a warm of up of sorts -- then use the tried and true goal setting paradigm aka S.M.A.R.T. and follow it through. You’ll love accomplishing something, your staff will like the leadership, and you will solve a nagging problem. Then pick another. It’s really that simple. We hope you take our advice, you might just like the feeling.
[Source: ModernRestaurantManagement]
