11 Apr Moving the team from passive to active sales
The front of house crew is the face of a restaurant and their performance can greatly impact the success of your business. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to motivate everyone to actively sell your premium products, as they may feel uncomfortable or unsure of how to do so effectively. Here are some strategies that can help encourage your front of house team to shift from being passive to active salespeople.
First, it is important to provide training and education on how to effectively sell the products. This should include information on the ingredients and preparation of each dish, as well as any special promotions or seasonal items currently available. Additionally, waiters should be taught how to make recommendations to customers based on their preferences and dietary restrictions. This will help them feel more confident when approaching customers and making suggestions.
Periodic incentives for waiters who are successful at selling specific items or reaching certain sales goals is a proven way of getting the front of house team excited about sales. These could include bonuses, extra time off, or other rewards. This will help to motivate team members to actively sell items on the menu and beverage lists, as they will see the tangible benefits of doing so.
Another way to motivate your customer-facing staff is to have a leaderboard or other visible way to show the progress and performance of each individual. This could be done through a physical or digital display that is visible to the team and shows the top performers in sales. This will create a competitive environment and will encourage people to work harder to get to the top of the leaderboard.
It is also important to create a positive and supportive work environment. Staff should feel comfortable approaching their managers with questions or concerns, and should be provided with feedback on their performance. Managers should also be accessible and approachable and make an effort to get to know their staff on a personal level. This will help to build trust and create a sense of camaraderie among the staff.
Lastly, it is important to recognize and reward waiters who go above and beyond in their efforts to sell premium food and beverage items. This could include shout-outs during staff meetings, or even a special recognition program. It is important to acknowledge and appreciate hard work and effort, as it will encourage continued active sales behaviors.
The takeaway
By providing training, education, and incentives, creating a positive and supportive work environment, and recognizing and rewarding hard work, managers can help to encourage front of house teams to actively sell products and ultimately improve the success of the business.
