The famous saying “food business is good business” refers to the lucrative nature of the restaurant business and the rewarding feeling of successfully managing one. Without a doubt, being a restaurateur can be challenging. Regardless of if you’re an experienced restaurant owner or new to the role, there are relevant skills required to carry out formidable tasks. This includes overseeing staff performance and reconciling disputes, customer satisfaction, administration, and much more.
This article provides an insight into the necessary ways to improve your managerial expertise to thrive as a restaurant manager.
1. Have sufficient financing.
Good knowledge of restaurant equipment financing is vital, especially if you’re looking to acquire new equipment to upgrade your restaurant responsibly. To obtain equipment finance or a restaurant equipment loan, you must first research your lender, know the pros and cons of each, know your financial situation, credit score, or credit report, and ensure you have a good credit rating (bad credit means no loan).
For a new restaurant equipment lease payment, your goal should be to find the lowest interest rate with a favorable financing option and time payment plans (i.e., monthly payment or quarterly payment)
When preparing your financial information for your credit application, documents such as balance sheets, personal information, and your personal credit are usually required from a borrower. Some lenders don’t bother with collateral, as the equipment suffices. This depends on the type of equipment, be it stoves, commercial ovens, fryers, refrigerators, freezers, pans, knives, and other accessories.
2. Be open-minded to new ideas.
The restaurant industry is highly competitive; however, the best option to stay ahead is by being open-minded. Open-mindedness informs your ability to make changes from time to time. It could be a change to kitchen equipment or the need to upgrade customer experience by utilizing technology. Speaking of technology, a tool like the Bublup project management software can help you effectively manage your restaurant’s marketing endeavors. You can use it to manage your social media content and store all your images, videos, and notes in one central platform.
Also, try to watch what your competitors are doing by visiting bars and successful restaurants that are hitting numbers. For instance, studies show that 40 percent of adults said they would likely utilize a smartphone app if a quick-service restaurant offered it. Most busy owners or managers can’t afford the time to visit other places, so it’s a great way to stay updated and check out restaurant connoisseur blogs and magazines to learn about what’s in vogue to influence your business plan.
3. Motivate your staff.
To bring your dream restaurant to life, you must understand that the team (from the head chef to the cleaning staff and vendor) is the backbone of the business, and without them, it can’t run smoothly. Whether you run a new restaurant, a small food truck, or a startup business, consider incentives like employee of the month, the reward for hard work, and appreciation for long-tenured staff.
There are pros and cons to this. However, the important thing is that it keeps your employees happy and offers a sense of loyalty and recognition of their hard work. In the end, the business will likely have more profits in the long term.
4. Be proactive with managing your business
To successfully manage a restaurant business, ensuring maximum customer satisfaction and retention is the first thing you want to ensure you do every day. An effective manager doesn’t just sit in the backroom all day—they go out to where the main action is and manage the day-to-day operations.
By doing this, you can engage both staff and customers, make them feel a sense of loyalty, and get new ideas and feedback on your service, staff, and products. After all, happy customers are more likely to make referrals and return. The bottom line is that an efficient manager ensures satisfied customers by being actively involved in the business operations.
