TORONTO — Last week, Matt Rolfe, hospitality leadership coach, and Rosanna Caira, editor/publisher of Kostuch Media Ltd., hosted a webinar titled The Experience Economy, which explored how operators can execute a guest experience that exceeds expectations by incorporating some important trends and practical ideas into their businesses.
“During the past four years since the pandemic arrived on our doorstep, the foodservice industry has undergone a significant transformation. There has been change in every aspect of our restaurant operation. As a result, today’s consumer is more sophisticated and more demanding than ever before,” said Caira by way of introduction. “And while consumers continue to look for good food and great service when they go out to dine, they’re also demanding an overall excellent guest experience. This has fuelled a rise in the experience economy.”
Rolfe kicked off his presentation with the definition of the experience economy and then delved into its impact on businesses, consumers and the overall dining experience.
Drawing on survey results, Rolfe said guests “feel they deserve a great experience based on pricing, whether you’re a QSR or fine-dining. When we provide it, guests are more likely to come back and engage with us. It’s an incredible opportunity in Canada right now, but a lot of guest experiences are average and they’re not necessarily standing out to the point where they interrupt the pattern to bring guests back to your restaurant.”
He added that Canada is seeing double-digit transaction decline and close to 60 per cent of operators are either breaking even or operating at a loss currently.
“We’ve seen improved attraction results,” said Rolfe to shine a positive light on the industry. “We have better attraction to people getting hired into restaurants, management and staff, but we still have this revolving door of retention that we want to [address] as it relates directly to our guest experience.”
He said menu price increases in addition to guest tipping expectations have resulted in guests paying between 20 and 40-per-cent more for a dining experience.
Throughout the webinar, Rolfe demonstrated exercises and provided assets that operators can work on with their teams.
Rolfe first asked attendees to rate their guest experience on a scale of one to 10. “We know from the net promoter score that if you rate it between zero to six, you’re not satisfied. You’re a detractor, meaning you want more, you expect more and you’re looking for more. If you rate at a seven or eight, that means you’re neutral or indifferent to what the experience is. If you rate at a nine or 10, that means you’re a promoter and you’re excited,” he said.
Then, Rolfe stressed the importance of carving out time from busy schedules to focus on the guest experience. “Most of us are overworked, overwhelmed and over capacity,” he said. “Write down your priorities and identify what’s taking up most of your time. Rank your priorities, set a realistic amount of time to focus on the guest experience and then watch the impact.”
The next worksheet encouraged leaders to identify business patterns, including patterns that are working, patterns that are a challenge and patterns that no longer serve them.
“When it comes to your operation, what’s your definition of success?” Rolfe asked. “I’ll challenge that sales and profitability are a result of consistent human behaviour inside your operation. Success is defined by a metric, but what is the behaviour that leads to that metric?”
The second half of the webinar focused on the guest experience from a staffing standpoint. Rolfe said the number-1 service strategy mistake is expecting to have 100 per cent staffing.
Rolfe also discussed recruitment strategies, particularly for Gen Z and Gen Y candidates. “Don’t just skim through resumés, filter jobs ads and change your follow-up strategy,” he said. “Gen Z and Gen Y don’t answer their phones. They don’t know you so they don’t trust you yet. You need to have frequency of contact in order to get their attention,” adding that operators should either text, email or call three times for a qualified candidate at a minimum.
The webinar wrapped up on a note about creating a culture of recognition. Rolfe says workplace recognition motivates, provides a sense of accomplishment and makes employees feel valued for their work.
“Operators must look at the importance of recognition as a process,” said Rolfe. “Recognition is the core of all success.”
