Restaurant Management Mistakes to Avoid
When you’re in restaurant management, your goal is to keep your establishment profitable and running smoothly. It sounds so simple when it’s put that way, but you know it’s anything but.
Your duties include designing menus, marketing, responding to customer feedback, hiring and training staff, establishing systems and processes, implementing quality control at every level, keeping everyone happy, etc. The list never ends. It’s a wonder you get any sleep!
At the same time, you love your job and you fully embrace the responsibilities that come along with the title. But plenty can go wrong — and maybe has gone wrong — and we’ve identified four restaurant management mistakes we believe contribute to pitfalls.
Mistake #1: Forgetting the Importance of Communication
When it comes down to it, you aren’t in the food service business, you’re in the people business. You know it’s important to keep the lines of communication open with your customers, but don’t forget about your staff. They can provide some of the most valued insight, since they’re working in the setting every day.
Make full communication with every team member your top priority, and you’re likely to head off many problems in their earliest stages.
Mistake #2: Losing Track of Inventory
So many bad customer experiences, internal staff frustrations or owner annoyances can be traced back to mismanaged inventory. Regardless of whether you directly track inventory, you need to make sure it’s done efficiently and correctly. The tighter of a grip you keep on knowing what’s on the shelves and what’s on the books, the better off your establishment will be.
Mistake #3: Not Maintaining Critical Equipment
This is easy to overlook in a busy restaurant, but your major appliances must be serviced regularly. If you are the only member of the restaurant management team, this responsibility is likely on your shoulders.
From seal replacement to in-depth cleaning, make sure you delegate the proper tasks to a professional or your staff on a scheduled rotation. Maintenance, such as lubricating mixer components, is essential to the longevity of your machines. Avoid breakdowns and make your investment last longer.
Mistake #4: Not Replacing Critical Equipment
There comes a time when you’ve made one repair too many and it’s time to purchase new equipment. The best-run restaurants might not all have top-of-the-line everything, but they have ovens that work. Their machines aren’t out of service repeatedly. If you have equipment breakdowns, you have frustrated customers and even more frustrated staff members who have to explain the problem. Leave room in the budget to replace critical equipment when necessary!
Stratton Sales makes it easy for bakery and restaurant management to find the equipment they need, and at the price they want. With financing options that make upgrades feasible, we are here to help. Contact us today.
