63 / 68
oct.-nov. 2015
XIII
between a good food and a memorable
experience. Good food in a restaurant
accounts for 30%, the rest is welcome
that is divided in a matter ‘tech’,
furniture, music, scents, lighting, mise
en place, and operational procedures in
a “touch”, which involves the report, the
ability to make a person feel welcome
in this place: the stronger the latter
compose most customers will have
a perception of value, “says Mauro
Santinato, President of Teamwork,
consulting firm for the hospitality world.
Important, however, it is a right mix
between these two aspects: too many
procedures typical chains give the
feeling to the customer to be part of a
well-oiled cog, efficient but cold “but
also to avoid what we call the happy hen
house, where it is strong compose the
human and everybody does his best, but
he’s not sure what to do with disastrous
consequences on the timing and quality
of service.”
IT IS A DIFFICULT BALANCE, which
begins with selecting the staff that will
work in the restaurant. Which is the best
method? “We must choose people with
empathy, which is the most important
asset. One must evaluate their ability
to relate to others. The technical part,
the procedures are learned quickly but
if a person is rigid, negative, cold will
never do this job well, “says Santinato.
But be careful: the attitude also depends
on the work environment, because the
host does not rest only on the shoulders
of the waiter, but it is a team game. “It
takes a positive environment, but also
a corporate culture that is centered on
the customer. A good service should
be designed, defined and shared with
all the actors, who have to work for
the same goal. But there are very few
restaurants that invest to train staff on
marketing and hospitality.” It should
be remembered that the first ground of
complaint on social type TripAdvisor
not bad food, but they were treated with
indifference.
THE (DIFFICULT?) RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE KITCHEN. Waiters and chefs
are focused on what is in the plate, and
tend to ignore the rest. Traditionally
the relationship between room and
kitchen tend to be problematic, but
things are changing. “The waiters are
the first customers I need to convince
the goodness of my dishes because they
are the ones who communicate in the
room my job,” says chef Elio Sironi of
Ceresio 7, restaurant, bar and lounge of
Milan. “They are the ambassadors of the
restaurant and are involved in the team,
because everything is in the hands of
people. It should not happen that the
cook closes himself in the kitchen and
do not care what happens outside.”
THE NEW CUSTOMER ASK FOR
MORE CULTURE. The world has
changed, including globalization,
new technologies and crisis. Has also
changed the way we do welcome?
“Today we are dealing with a different
customer than just 10 years ago - says
Matteo Zappile from Noi Sala, an
association of professionals of room and
cellar created three years ago to restore
dignity to the profession and boost the
waiter -. Allergies, intolerances but also
the choices in life that require special
diet such as veganism are increasing.
Meanwhile, chefs are experimenting
with new techniques and ingredients
and exotic. The waiter is the glue
between the search of the chef and
the changing needs of customers. It
has to be ten times better prepared
than in the past, not only on the
ingredients and preparations but also
on general knowledge. To interact with
the customer we need to know what
happens in the world, not just in our
world.” “When I select a waiter I do not
look at the resume; on the contrary, I
ask what movies or music he prefers.
I want to frame the person,” confirms
Sironi.
INCENTIVES: IT DEPENDS ON THE
TYPE OF RESTAURANT. Increase the
need for a short, hard work already,
that requires long hours and do not
respect the religious holidays, but the
salary is better? “Absolutely not - says
Zappile – it is a job that is done out
of passion, we find satisfaction in the
gratitude of the customer.” With the new
technologies of cash you can calculate
the average receipt of each officer of
the hall, so why not offer incentives to
those who do it better? “It is important
to motivate, explain to its employees the
adrenaline of the service, another thing
is the economic incentive - says Stefano
Cerveni chef Terrazza Triennale Milano
and the Due Colombe in Borgonato
Cortefranca -. In certain contexts it can
be a double-edged sword to give the
impression to the customer to push to
order more. It can however make sense
in a restaurant more standardized.”
The chains, in fact, according to
Santinato “We are at a crossroads: we
are in a comfortable and family-run
should give themselves an identity,
focusing on territory, tradition,
kilometer zero, but is set to increase the
share of organized catering as in the
rest of Europe. There will be less and
less space for superfluous restaurants,
no personality.” And the welcome can
make a difference: the customer feels
welcome, at ease, returns. If not, we
hardly gave a second chance.
10 rules for good reception
1 TREAT CUSTOMERS LIKE PEOPLE.
If possible use the surname: is located
in the reservation and the credit card,
so the customer feels acknowledged,
important
2 USE THE VISUAL CONTACT. Not
facing a person just entering conveys the