It takes a special person to run a restaurant and interact with customers and restaurant staff. Not everyone is cut out to be a restaurant manager.
Managers must be on their feet for long periods of time, between 8 and 12 hours a day. Managers must also be trained to understand labor and food costs, customer service, and how to manage people. They must be trained in all aspects of the restaurant business.
Five key aspects for every manager are:
1. Keep an open mind
2. Being able to accept criticism
3. Retain large amounts of information
4. Have excellent customer service skills
5. Knowing how to understand both sides of the story
Sometimes it takes years to fully train someone in this business. There are two ways that people generally become managers, either by earning a college degree or by moving up the ranks.
I have been in the restaurant business for over 25 years and have worked with both types of management. There are advantages and disadvantages to both paths. Either way, it’s important that you provide training for managers so they understand their role in the restaurant.
Most managers fresh out of college had very little hands-on restaurant training. Perhaps they have some experience working in fast food, or as a cook or server in an independent restaurant or chain restaurant. They may not have restaurant experience. The experience they have in life will be part of what they bring to the management role. A college graduate may have core knowledge without a clear understanding of the restaurant industry. He may not realize the complexity of the job. Even with a degree, it’s important to train the new manager at your restaurant. Everyone will benefit from the training.
People who have worked their way up the ranks may have a greater understanding based on the path they took. However, the person will need additional training to understand the manager’s role. It is not always easy for someone to move into management from other positions. Training is important for the person taking on the role of manager. That person will need to be prepared to see the restaurant from a different perspective.
Some people think that becoming a restaurant manager is easy, but it is not. Managers have many responsibilities. Managers are exposed to stressful situations throughout the day, they must maintain their composure and react to any situation in a calm manner. Every manager deals with situations differently.
It is like a car changing gear; Before proceeding to a certain decision, you need to think about the result. Think before you change. Don’t automatically change because of impulsive thoughts. In fact, most managers make mistakes in their careers. The key is to learn from those mistakes.
You will make new mistakes, although hopefully you won’t make the same mistakes over and over again.
I’ll give you some ideas and tips on how to be the manager people will respect.
1. Keep an open mind to change and accept it. Changes happen every day, especially in the restaurant business. Procedures and policies are constantly updated. As a manager, you must adapt to these changes. You may not like or agree to these changes, but it is the manager’s responsibility to adhere to these changes and help staff members implement them. If you disagree with a change, don’t just complain and don’t complain to other staff members. Go to your supervisor with possible reasons and alternatives. Have the attitude of wanting to follow your policy, but would like to suggest some reasons why this may not be the only way. Don’t say they’re wrong, but tell them you have other ideas about how to handle the situation. Open communication with your supervisor is vital to maintaining your credibility and maintaining respect for your supervisor.
2. Managers must be able to accept criticism from others. Accepting criticism from others simply means that other employees can tell you that they don’t agree with your decision on a certain issue. As a wise manager, you will use this to your advantage and correct yourself. Listening to other people can offer other ways of doing the same job. Your way is not always the right one. Sometimes there is no “right way”, just different options that may yield better results.
3. Managers must be able to retain a large amount of information. Managers must have a thorough understanding of all aspects of the restaurant. You must know the menu and the style of the restaurant, and have knowledge of the operation of each area. Must know how to cook, serve, greet, prepare and wash dishes, along with manager responsibilities. This includes observing the workforce, knowing if there are too many people working or more people are needed. You need to be aware of food costs and realize if food is wasted or even stolen. You also need to know how to handle money and count cash. The hardest part is that you also have to be able to juggle all of this knowledge every minute of the shift.
4. Managers need excellent customer service skills. Managers are constantly dealing with the public and staff members. The way you talk to people should be professional. Always think before you speak. Some people react on their first thought, but this may not always be the best way to handle the situation. If employees don’t get along, you’ll need to know how to help them work together, without a negative attitude. You also need to know how to handle difficult customers as well as nice customers. Knowing how to take a compliment is just as important as knowing how to take a complaint in a positive and professional manner.
5. There are always two sides to a story. This is especially true when staff members disagree. The manager needs to listen to both sides and see each staff member’s perspective. People often choose or fill a specific restaurant role based on their skills and abilities. Cooks may or may not have excellent people skills. The servers may or may not have a clue how to cook. Keep the personality of each staff member in mind when you approach them. A cook may be offended by a customer’s complaint about a dish he is proud of. The server can see the client side. As a manager, you will have to deal with the customer’s complaint and see her point of view. You also have to know how to communicate the customer’s concerns to the cook without offending him. Think before you speak on both sides. You learn a lot more by listening and asking open ended questions, not just yes or no questions. Don’t assume you know your answer before someone else answers your questions. Take the time to fully listen and understand.
Keep these five key things in mind whether you are the manager or the person hiring managers. All managers must have an open mind, be able to handle criticism, retain large amounts of information, have excellent customer service skills, and know how to understand both sides of a story. If every restaurant were run by people who have those key aspects as part of their skill set and knowledge, then problems would decrease and profits would increase in those restaurants. Training your managers is one way to make that happen.