Service Scientist - restaurant business

HOW TO STOP THROWING YOUR DRAUGHT BEER. Some motivational instruments can even reduce your cost. Many bars have the same sore point: the souring of beer. When our BeerBarrel bar had been transformed into , we still had to keep 3 sorts of draught beer. And it was sour sometimes. Then we changed the sorts which can be supplied in 15-20 liters kegs. Still it soured.
And at that time the law which prohibits selling alcohol after 23 hours was implemented. But waiters and chefs like to relax after the shift with a glass of good drafted beer. And now they are not allowed to buy it after work

So we decided to let them take beer after their shift. The rules are next:
🍺An employee has a day off tomorrow
🍺Beer he takes at cost price after the bar is closed
🍺An employee pays for a plastic bottle at cost price (we have the button in the system “Plastic bottle”)
🍺An employee closes his bill on his personal button. So he doesn’t pay at the moment, and this process is not the sale

And the benefits are next:
😀Beer had stopped to become sour. Beer is always fresh, because if the guest didn’t finish the keg in time, employees do it
😀Employees are happy as they can relax at home with a glass or two of quality Czech beer while reading or watching a good movie

And as far as we talk about savings on beer: when the first customer orders beer, bartender must shed the first portion out. This portion is a beer which was in a hosepipe. And this beer becomes sour during the night. And I was so surprise when discovered that many bars don’t do it! It means that their first customer gets disgusting product! These spills bartender writes down into the special journal on a daily basis. And before it was 300-500 ml from each beer tower. “A lot!” I was thinking🤔. I looked down the bar counter and discovered that hosepipes are too long! I asked a technician of our supplier to come and to make all hosepipes from kegs to towers shorter. After that beer offs reduced to 200-250 ml per sort. Now, please, calculate, how much we saved within a year.

Finally, when you decide which price/cost you want for beer, remember that you don’t sell 100% of beer in a keg, but only 80-90% depending on how often you change a keg and if each sorts is in daily demand. The rest 10-20% of beer is your lost and cost.

DURING THE LAST 15 YEARS I WAS NEVER ASKED BY THE GUESTS “HOW THE WHISKEY IS PRODUCING?” wrote one of our followers in the comments to my post about how our waiters learn the product (they watch videos). And he is absolutely right. A guest never asks this. But why our waiters watch the videos from the producers?
So, what guest will ask? He wonders: “You have selection of Scotch. All of them are 12 years old. Which one should I choose? What is the difference between them?”. And here 99.9% of waiters and bartenders say: “The difference is in the region. And in a cask. This whiskey is from the Islay and was aged in the new cask. And another is from Highlands and was aged in the cask from sherry and bourbon”. And then employees are very proud of selves. They know so much details! But at the end of the day a guest still wonders: “So what? This is after sherry, another is from virgin cask. What this difference gives to the taste? Which one will suite my preferences?”.

I’ll tell you what. You ask me to make you friends with one of my girlfriends. I say: “I have 2 ladies who are agree to meet you”. You ask: is the difference between them? Which one will I like?”. I answer: “They differ in age and tall”. After all, one is 13 years old and is 197 cm, another is at the age of 68 and her tall is 140 cm. No one is the perfect match for you. So why we watch these videos from the producers?

We watch the videos because they give the answers to “so what?”. For example, from a video a waiter learn that the cask (wood) gives to the drink its rich smell and aroma. If we put whiskey into a new cask, the cask will give all it has to the drink. If bourbon was in a cask before, it took already a lot from a wood, because bourbon is strong and reactions go fast. If sherry was in a cask before, such cask still have something to give to the next drink, because sherry is not really strong and change between wood and sherry was not so intensive. You see? Which whiskey will have richer taste and smell and which one will be, in opposite, more elegant and simple?

Here we have the second advice on how to learn the menu. You will never learn how Macallan differs from Bowmore until you taste both during you watch the climate, land, the process of distillation and ageing of both. Also, you taste, watch, listen (and write), all your senses are at work. After that you will learn by heart and for a long time, which one is smoother and WHY. This is exactly what a guest wants to know about it.

Please, feel free to comment and give us new insights.

HOW TO MANAGE MILLEMIALS AND Z? Nowadays lazy managers only don’t discuss values of the mentioned generations. And usually managers finish their discussion with 😒 “Oh, young people just don’t want to work! What to do? Where to find waiters on chefs?”

Actually, managers are just mistaken. New generations want to work. They don’t want to plough at work. Travelling and new knowledge become available for them. Youth just send voice request, and Siri or Alice show them how beautiful is the World. So, isn’t it so understandable that Ys and Zs doesn’t want to die at work 6/1, but enjoy their lives as much as they can?

But how employer can manage this challenge? Easy. New generations should be able to get what they value at work. We create for them new working conditions, procedures and rules, and they repay their unreal optimism, cheerfulness and sympathy for the people. Ys and Zs are not the “moodies” from the previous generations who tends to complain at smoking place and to snap customers. Youth will de whatever you ask them (actually, sometimes they are too and over concrete🙈) Finally, I stop “pouring water” and share how we manage young people at our .

1. These guys don’t value money too much. They don’t spend all their life at work for buying new jacket. But if they are on duty, you have no need to force them to work: they try to do their best in order to get the highest tips. They have internal desire to show their best. From here we have a decision #1: we don’t have 6 waiters as before (2 shifts of 3 people). Now we have 10 waiters with free flexible schedule (2-4 subshifts per week, 130-170 hours per month for each). At the end of the day it doesn’t matter. Even better: we always have someone to call in case of emergency or unexpected demand.

2. Ys and Zs value emotions and broadening their horizons. That is why we laugh during the daily line-ups (instead of being chided) and taste fresh desserts. Once per month I present them some modern product, for example, organic and biodynamic wines (and we don’t have this product at the menu and will not implement – not our price segment). Or I teach them how to choose and deal with the cigar (yeah, Cohiba is for dabblers, also smoking is prohibited within the restaurants).

3. Kids live in Internet. They make friends there. They quarrel, reconcile, quarrel again, hugging and drink coffee together online without any single personal meeting! That is why to take away their smartphone at work is bad idea. At our bar they are free to use their gadgets while my customers are more than happy with their service, and the level of cleanliness is uncompromising.

4. Ys and Zs respect themselves. We don’t scream at them, don’t punish and we cancel all the penalties. We nurture them according the Montessori system🤱. We learn Psychology and develop our managerial emotional intellect. New generations will not work in a weird and uncomfortable uniform. They will not eat cheap sausages with overcooked pasta. And you will see them the last time in your life if one day you decide to frisk for a fork.

In short, I formulated my main idea. You see, you can deal with them! And I will repeat: new generations bring incomparable impact in your business, if you just know “how to cook them”. Some managers have long enjoyed working with Millemials nd Zs while the rest still cry that there is no one to work with. But the most effective leaders have already mentioned that the time gap between generations shortens and shortens… You’ve got it? What the most effective leaders do exactly right now?

Employees motivation and restaurant PR? Is possible to combine! At present we discuss the possibility to offer our employees a kind of “social vacation” at . The matter is that there are plenty of volunteer programs where people can restore castles in Czech Republic or help to take care of children in the developing countries. Such kind of activities supposes that volunteer pay for transportation and participation fee around 100-200 USD. The lengths of the program varies from 2 to 4 weeks. Host organization provides accommodation and meals.

So we discuss: what if we send 2 or 3 employees who have such a wish to this social vacation. We will cover the cost of the program and transportation. And our employee will gain new life and work experience, practice foreign language, get new friends and have a rest. From the side of employee we will ask for making stories and other on-line media content about his volunteer experience for our social media resources.

Should it be interesting to our guests and locals to follow his adventure online? Even though, different media resources such as newspapers and TV-news like to make such kind of publications about how local café’s employees spend their social vacation. And this kind of publications no need to sponsor.

What do you think about this instrument? Has it potential to foster our employees at work and to increase guests’ loyalty?

Today I has tasted our mushroom cream-soup before the lunches.
Me: the soup is not smooth. I feel the small pieces of mushrooms. Is that ok?
Cook: no
Me: is it possible to blend it one more time now?
Cook: no, it is hot
Me: then who made it? I will talk to the person to avoid the same situation in the furure
Cook: I don't know. Premix for the soup was done by yesterday shift
Me: but who added a cream today? Who boiled it when it is visible that the soup is not smooth?
Cook: silence
Second cook: Andrew, you've done it, common!
Cook: It looks like I did

The 21st century. No one beats slaves with a stick. Even more - it's not allowed even to raise a voice in subordinates. So why people fear to admit own error? Why they do not go to a dialog?

The question is: do you believe that this is possible to guide the majority of people to the self-managed job of high quality? Don't control them but guide and mentor. Of yes or no - why do you think so?

How to eat healthy any time and at any place?

The next situation had been challenging for me before: all day busy, then grab a kid, come back home late. The best dinner for me is vegetables with proteins, but there is no time to cook. So I ate what my daughter was eating.

But now I know a secret of the restaurants: they freeze ready-made dishes. Since I know it, I do like that: cook a large pan of a vegetable stew or soup. Cook fish or turkey breast separately to 70% partial readiness. Let them cool down. Then I portion this staff and put into freezer.

You can freeze bouillons and filling for a soup. Even homemade healthy cottage cheese casserole with no sugar.

The benefit is that you cook 1 time in 2 weeks and spend 2-3 hours. Then you always have healthy and tasty food in stock within a touch when there is no time to cook a fresh meal.

To defrost your meals just put them on a hot pan with water. When there is no stove around - microwave oven is fine.

You see: I cook 1 time per month, then all the month I eat healthy wherever I go and have or don't have time to cook.

❗Important! This is essential to use glass or ceramic boxes only. No plastic. With glass or plastic cover. Don't fill them more than 70%. Otherwise it will be cracked when freezed. Glass or ceramic boxes are safe for health to keep and to heat food in it.

People are 70% of water. Scientists have proven that water copies energy-information field which surrounds it. Don't you believe? Have a look at the researches of Emoto Masaru, Hans Jenny and others. Even the N***s used this knowledge and manipulated their citizens by sounds of the certain frequency.

Thousands of experiments demonstrate how sound influences living organism. Mimosa and petunia bloom 2-weeks earlier when "listen" major melodies. Mozart's music infuences positively milk yield of cows and fastens inflation of dough.

How to use sounds and music for own good, beauty, health and longevity?

🎵for brain and memory activation listen high-frequency sound (5000-8000 Hz) in 5-10 min. You can find a lot of such records on Youtube. Have an earphones at your desk and listen every time when work on an important project.

🎵every day listen classic symphonic music, violin and piano, sounds of nature.
Sound of water in forest, birdsongs, Vivaldi and Mozart are particularly useful.

🎵do not use abscene words. Don't let people to do this when you are around. Such words and its energy destroy water structure. Long stay in such an environment causes serious illnesses

🎵432 Hz sound considered to be the most curative and revitalizing. These tracks are also can be easily found on Youtube

Now I'll go and listen to my adorable Chopin💚

Who are they - the perfect match? Me and my husband - generator + doer😉 usually I have plenty of ideas (not of them are adequate). But if my husband likes any of my good idea, he will be the one who will care it through. Methodically. Without crashing. man said the man did.

I decided to start morning workouts? After one week I was in bed again. But he continued to exercise. I had started the "Japanese" diet? The next week I already had not complied the ration. But Andrey brought it to a close.

And the insight came upon me! My inner Broad pretty often grumbles at my husband: "oh, look, he's watching a soccer game, better would read some book about the restaurant business" etc. Lucky me, that in most cases she does this in silence. Hey, but who considers self as a Muse? Therefore, so "inspiring" are the ideas and a generator herself😂

A doer cannot succeed without a generator and vice versa. So, lucky me again, that my half doesn't have lots of ideas and wishes. When the two in couple just fount - who will implement??? Exactly such a bright couples usually are in the *ss to the middle of life.

Or look at 2 doers. Surprisingly, how come they are not lazy, they are smart, volitional, all the time are in action, but are also in the *ss. Because no one ignites. Flat, calm and a bit dull life .

But if a generator can be transfered into doer? Or doer into a generator? Hardly. Of course, I work on my will and force myself to finish what had been planned. But at the end of a day I quickly lose all the interest and only push myself.

It is interesting to read the memoirs of historical figures: who were they and their spouses?

And in your relationship who are you and who is your partner? A generator or a doer?

It doesn't really matter how little you sleep and how intensive you work. If there are the proper recovery rituals.
I had a diahwasherat my restaurant. She was 54. Her shift was 14 hours. Before she have been a school director in her country.
Since she left us for nursering her grandchildren, no one, even though young and strong ladies hadn't clean so perfect. And she had never been late or sleepy on duty. Because when it were short slow periods, she read the books.
Intuitively, I let her read on duty. Why not if everything sparkled? Even more - we gave her an e-reader. And there was the secret of her effectiveness: she alternated plowing and reading, plowing and reading

Universal dilemma: from where some people gain everlasting motivation to live deeper life and to succeed? It is clear - their motivation is internal. But from where it comes? Why it never ends?
The answer is simple. Internal motivation arises when your actions change others' life in a positive way or change something in this world.

The idea just to become rich cannot to motivate. Many rich people are puzzled: how come I rich but not happy? So they start to try the sources of pleasure: expensive food, group s*x, golden toilet and etc. But still cannot fill emptiness inside. Because they don't do anything meaningful for the world.

👆so just find a meaning for others in your activities. What for you are going to become slim? Who or what will benefit from it (besides you)? Why it is important? Believe in this meaning. Or do something different which is valued. And you will not face motivational issues any more. You will achieve success without even forcing yourself in whatever you do: losing weight, eating healthy, making money and etc.

The same works with your employees. If they don't get how their service and efforts influence others' life or what is the impact for the world, they don't want to be fully engaged. They always tired and lazy. Help them to find the meaning of their work

Recently had discovered that Toyota forces their designers to apply fake long nails when they design car models ladies-oriented. To be sure that a customer will enjoy 100% comfort. Interesting, if Lada does the same with mittens-on for Russian -25C?

Test your product or service from your customer point of view.

Once I made a control purchase for a cakes maker. I put my baby down, took off my backpack, fished out a wallet and a card, made a payment. Put a wallet and a backpack on the place. Took a baby on the hands. And here realized that I need a plastic bag for the box of cakes. Such a small thing but how annoyingly! Is it difficult to train your sellers to offer a bag BEFORE the payment is done?!

I make a call to a cosmetology clinic. And first I have to listen long advertisement of their stomatology. This is understandable that the clients of cosmetology trust the company. And as a result of this trust may easy become the stomatology client. But what about those who doesn't need a stomatology but has to listen this almost a year?

The same with some restaurants: you call to book a table, but instead of the restaurant you are refered to the multi-chanel number. And there you again spend 40 sec until you get the desired internal number.

📍Loyalty means how well you understand your client. When you put yourself in his place and think: if my service is comfortable? If it is not disturbing? If it is convenient and helps to care about my client?

Please, do not lose your customers by too agressive promotion of your complementary services