The knowledge and will are there, but what about the time?

A genuine smile, positive energy, good attentiveness, and the ability to make recommendations from the entire wine list. The definitions of good service are as numerous as the guests, but what are the true hallmarks of good service for restaurants in 2023? In an era where staffing is often low and the workload is high for employees.

A survey shows that 75% of all restaurant-goers in the past year have been directly dissatisfied with the service they experienced. At the same time, all the restaurant owners we speak with say that service is their highest priority. How does that connect?

One reason could be that in Sweden and the Nordic countries, we have almost half as many staff per table as in France, for example. There is simply very limited time to take care of the guests.

The same person who is the host is also responsible for taking orders, handling payments, ringing up sales, communicating with the kitchen, clearing dishes, setting tables, and cleaning. Simultaneously being available and interacting with all guests in a genuine and relaxed manner is an equation that simply doesn't work for many restaurants.

Most guests also tend to eat at similar times for lunch and dinner, and restaurants quickly hit their capacity limits.

Avoid the staff becoming a bottleneck

If the serving staff becomes a bottleneck, it's immediately noticeable in the perceived service. Instead of making the visit special, the staff becomes something the guest has to wait for to get answers to questions, order, or pay. The feeling of failing to get the staff's attention directly leads to a bad atmosphere at the table.

It's not just the guests who are affected when service falters. The staff feel the stress, and then it's not easy to show the nicest version of yourself and have time to give guests “that little extra.”.

Ca 30% didn't find it smooth to order during their last restaurant visit, and as many as 40% have even canceled a visit in the past year because it took too long to order.

Free up time for the guest

Service is often described as the most important competitive advantage a restaurant can have. Having time for the guest is paramount in the concept of good service, not only to be available when the guest requests it but also to have the mental capacity to be genuinely pleasant.

Fortunately, there are currently several good examples of how to free up time for serving staff. Our customers testify that about 15 minutes of their work can be saved every hour just by digitizing administrative tasks with WEIQ.

Instead of taking orders, bagging them at the register, and going out with payment terminals, one can work as a “mood manager” whose sole responsibility is to focus on hospitality, serve, clear tables, and be there for the guests. And guests like to order and pay on their own terms.

A little extra time provides great opportunities

Of course, not all staff in the restaurant industry are overstressed. In many restaurants, there is actually time to talk to the staff, and there is also a general perception among restaurant owners that guests choose their establishment largely because of their good service.

So what characterizes truly great service, compared to good service? Here are some examples of what service staff can do when they have extra time to create that 5-star experience:

• Convey to the guest what is special about your restaurant and menu.
• Read the room and adapt your approach to the mood of the group.
• Add humor naturally and help your guests relax
• Get personal recommendations from the menu
• Clearly show that you have time for questions and additional orders
• Treat your colleagues with the same respect and kindness as you do your guests (guests will notice).
• Refill the glasses before they are empty
• Etc.

Tell me about the menu and give recommendations.

Restaurant owners often say that much of the value in the interaction with the guest is created when you tell them more about the restaurant, the menu, and give recommendations.

Over 80% Restaurant guests also appreciate receiving food and drink recommendations even when they order and pay themselves digitally, so there is no contradiction between self-ordering and personal service.

Rather, it can be a key to good service because it frees up time for the most important parts of interacting with the guest.

Ready to take additional orders

Another important key for both upselling and good service is add-on orders.

A survey shows that around 75% answer well or very well to the question of how smoothly they found ordering at their last restaurant visit.

Men under 50% respond similarly when it comes to additional orders.

When all purchases must be administered by staff, it's important that they are extra attentive to the guest's needs, which is often difficult in practice. Many guests also do not want to leave their companions to refill their glasses.

Adjust the level of hosting

In conclusion, good service is a subjective concept, and it's not necessarily better to talk more with guests. Most guests aren't there to talk to staff at all but to socialize with their loved ones. It's important to read the room there, a crucial skill for truly good service, so that each party is treated as they themselves wish.

The restaurant's task, after all, is to create a pleasant atmosphere to socialize in, with good food and a good vibe.

It would be a shame to let unnecessary waiting times, stressed staff, and complicated payments get in the way of that.

Summary

• Make time for the guest (simple tip, but often fails)
• Make recommendations (make it a general rule for all guests)
• Make it easy for customers to reach staff to order more (both for revenue and for a sense of service).
• Adapt the level of hosting to each party

And remember! The guest is there to spend time with loved ones, not with the staff.

So make sure your staff spend their time where it creates the most value for the guest.