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Yanking the Food Chain
Qualities and Initiatives the Food Business’s Best Leaders
By Doug Van Dyke
Whether you are a food distributor, a restaurateur, a supplier, or a franchisor – the food business is tough, and not just due to the present state of the economy. The food industry is always a tough business. That is why some of the gutsiest, most hard-working, savvy leaders can be found there. The business is not for the meek – it is for the talented. So what are some of the qualities and initiatives the food business’s best leaders laser in on? Here are five to consider.
- Customer Focus – this would be an obvious number one choice for most industries. However, customers in the food business are particularly unforgiving. Look in the mirror and tell me that you haven’t given up on a restaurant after you received one “bad” meal or less than stellar service, even though you had been wowed by their cuisine and professionalism many times before. Second chances are a luxury in the food business, so it is imperative to get it right – always! This calls for a big focus on customer satisfaction.
Tip: On a quarterly or annual basis hold a facilitated customer roundtable with 7 – 9 customers. The feedback and ideas you will collect are gold.
- Controls & Procedures – when your product is highly consumable, like right now consumable, you better have internal controls in place. This calls for systems that are the right fit for your business, and procedures that are detailed, no nonsense, and easy to follow. One restaurateur I know even goes so far as to have staff count the number of sugar, Sweet & Low, and Splenda packages available at each table – 10/10/10 – always available, always a uniform number.
Tip: Bar code everything! Not only does it make product recalls a breeze, but it will enhance your ability to analyze product popularity and cross-sales, while lowering product pilferage by double-digits.
- Relationships – this is different than customer focus. It refers to the rapport that is established and maintained with internal staff, as well as critical vendors. Rarely is an industry more dependent upon quality vendors than the food industry. As such, it makes sense for leaders to use tools and techniques to forge the best relationships possible with them. Likewise, ensuring internal harmony amongst team members typically increases efficiency and sets the table to be able to focus on the customer.
Tip: Master the skill of paraphrasing, and utilize collaboration building tools such as working agreements.
- Communication – it was only a matter of time for this jewel to make the list. Let’s face it, communication in the food industry is different than most. Due to the frantic pace and crushing deadlines of food businesses, communication is frequently staccato-like. Often times, leaders have mere seconds to make a point or issue a request. Thus, they need to be masters of brief, on-target messages, where shards of words can still convey meaning and direction.
Tip I: You can never over-communicate – especially during challenging times. Keep in mind that repetition never hurts.
Tip II: Carve out a few minutes during pre-shift meetings (i.e., calm time) to reinforce communication techniques, rules, and signals that work best for your work situation.
- Training – I could have easily stated quality here. In the food industry, however, training leads to quality. If your product and service needs to be 100% all of the time (which it does), continuous reinforcement of your standards and methods is critical. This means that continuous training is paramount.
Tip: For each position in your organization, create a one-page document entitled “Seven Steps to Excellence.” Develop a system whereby the document is reviewed in earnest each day. Just the repetition of best habits will lead to positive results.
Bottom Line: The food business is a challenging and wonderful business. It takes strategic thought, flawless implementation, and a ton of creativity to thrive in the current market. Can it be done? Of course. Food professionals are some of the toughest, smartest people in the workplace. They have grit and determination coursing through their veins. Stay focused, yet be open to ideas; listen to your heart, while thinking with your head; and above all have some fun – you’ll be just fine.
About the Author
Doug Van Dyke is a leadership and communication consultant, an executive coach, a business planner and President of DVD Consulting Incorporated. His father-in-law ran the legendary Kapok Tree Restaurant for many years. Doug’s book, Leadership Simplified, is available online.
Contact Doug today at doug@dvdconsulting.com or at 941-776-1121
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