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| Newsletter |
Books & Manuals Restaurant Training Manuals Training Book for Waiters & Waitresses Reviews and Evaluations
Reviews and evaluations are something that few managers seem to have time to do. Ideally, you know you should be conducting these employee benefits on a regular basis. Why don't you just make the time?
Many employees want to know if there will be periodic reviews and/or evaluations of their performances. Even if they don't ask about them in the interview process, you should mention them. Then you have to live up to your statement and conduct regular evaluations. What it does is convey the message that you run a professional organization and you expect them to have the same professional attitude about their careers.
I tell them in their training class that if they present themselves as professionals, their customers will see and treat them as professionals. You must start the professional image from the interview process forward. Holding regular evaluations shows that you are truly concerned about their performance. Even if they are not concerned, they are aware that you are and that you are monitoring their performance. I don't mean that you have to be "big brother," I simply mean that you have to let them know that you care about the image your staff portrays to your customers. They will either perform better because they are aware of your evaluations, or perform better because they know it is in their best interests or they will decide they don't want to be a professional and they will soon leave. You don't need those people anyway. They would have presented a bad image to your customers.
Make one afternoon, or two afternoons, if necessary, the day(s) of evaluations. If you conduct them every three months, then you can plan ahead and you can also let your staff know when you plan on conducting them. There is nothing wrong with letting them know the dates you plan your evaluations. Hold onto your host for an extra hour or so while you conduct your evaluations. Take no phone calls or accept any sales people's visits, including the visit I might make! The 20 minutes that you spend with each staff member can translate into a server who truly cares about his/her career and wants to continuously improve. That server will also most likely stay with you longer. You are sending them a message that you care about their careers and you want to help them get better and make more money. People want to work where they feel they are appreciated and cared about.
Another very important aspect of the evaluation process is your employees' feedback. You must listen and give their comments the respect they deserve. Address their questions or concerns honestly and tactfully. Many people who have only worked in the front of the house are unaware of the daily grind in the back of the house. Take this time to make them aware of why certain things happen the way they do.
Empathy is a big buyer of understanding. If you empathize with your staff over issues that concern them, they will be more likely to listen to you when you address the supposed problem or situation they have brought up.
Lastly, if you see a server having a hard time or just displaying a bad attitude, don't wait for the evaluation time to address it. If it continues for longer than a day, you must address it immediately. We all have bad days, but when they continue longer than a day, you have an obligation to confront the person and find out if there is anything that can be done to help him/her.
Susie Ross has been involved in the hospitality industry for ten years. She has just written a definitive work on front of house customer service and techniques for waiters and waitresses. For more information about Susie's book, "A Waiters Training," her training manuals and training seminars please visit her at http://www.waiter-training.com or email her at susie@waiter-training.com.©Waiter Training 2003
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ã2003,SUMARO INC. |
