Unlike many other organizations and business, restaurants are always going to be around and cannot be outsourced to another town, city, state, or country. So then what can you do to help your restaurant to keep booming? The list below highlights some ideas that you might highly want to consider.
- 1)As much as you always want to be the face of your business it just cannot always happen. Therefore, the first tip is to see the need to value your staff. The will be the ones that have the most day-to-day interaction with your customers. So if you show dedication, respect, and general want for them to be there they will reflect that onto your customers, friends, and family.
- 2)Show your community that you care about more than just your business. So the second tip is to get work to improve your community. Be willing to have others use your establishment for local events, gatherings, and host your own local meet and greets for the community to get to know each other. An idea might be to purchase as much of your ingredients from local vendors rather than out sourcing to large corporations. Help small business in your community grow.
- 3)While loyalty programs and discounts can be very expensive to uphold, the third tip is not going to hurt the bottom dollar as much. Make the customer feel special with small gestures like a free sample, espresso, or a dessert.
- 4)The fourth tip is very cut and dry. It is that you simply need to be at the restaurant. Make it a point to try to introduce yourself to a couple customers everyday. This will give the customer a feeling of friendship and possibly family.
- 5)Five and six kind of play hand and hand with each other. As much as people only like to acknowledge the good reviews your customers will leave, you need to respond to all of your reviews. Make it know that their opinions do not fall on deaf ears.
- 6)While five touches on some social media, six is about the other side of social media (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and etc.). Get your customers to advertise for you by holding contest of involving pictures of your restaurant. While the winnings might cost you something the free advertising will out weigh the costs.
- 7)News letters and e-mail blasts are great way to keep your customers informed about your establishment and reward them with coupons and discounts.
- 8)Eight is a combination of two ideas: be unique and quality over quantity. Give your customers a reason to talk about your establishment. An example would be to have a couple choice meals that really stand out, in a good way that is, rather than several bland meals that are like everyone else.
- 9)Try as best you can to at least know what your competitors are offering. Even if you do not have a great solution, knowing is half the battle.
- 10)The last tip might be the simplest and most important. Ask your customers opinion. You will find that a lot of customers are willing to talk to you about your restaurant and what they do and do not like.
Resources:
http://restaurantengine.com/restaurant-customer-loyalty/
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/222520
http://www.jordanos.com/JFS/index.php?id=525&PHPSESSID=12dc0e6d32f0ccd9f424c66df99bd5bc