Standing out in a cast of thousands
The evolution of the hospitality industry is an interesting phenomenon to watch and in the amazing city of Melbourne it can be a tale of two cities.
On one hand you have businesses that embrace technology. Some might say over-embrace it. Tempered glass touch screens pop out at the customer and invite us with vivid imagery of the dishes that will come marching out of the kitchen at the wave of a finger. Robots help cook your dishes, deliver your meals and ensure that every plate is exactly the way it looked on your tablet when you ordered it (looking at you, certain pizza chain that will remain unnamed).
It’s all about touch-less payment, pop-up upselling, automated stock inventory management, and combi ovens connected to WiFi that allow you to adjust cooking parameters from your phone. The list goes on, but you get the idea.
When you walk into a tech-heavy venue it feels like you’re about to buy a new smartphone to go with your bowl of ramen and boba tea. Inherently, not a bad thing, if that’s your vibe.
Go to the other extreme and you have businesses that keep it traditional. A person welcomes you at the door, shows you a menu that is often filled with dishes that have been in the vernacular for 10+ years, and are prepared using tried and true methods and equipment. Their decor may not conform to the latest styles and trends - the chairs might be a little worn and the tables a bit wobbly - but visiting a venue like this can feel similar like putting on a well broken in pair of boots.
And that’s the key word - “feel”.
There is no singular formula to creating a memorable experience just like there is no singular perfect recipe for creme brûlée (fight me on this if you want).
Every venue and every business is unique. What your customers will remember more than what was on the walls or how many flat screen TVs you have displayed is how you made them feel.
When I train new team members in any hospitality business, regardless of industry sector, I often find myself going back to these absolute fundamentals. To remind them that it’s right there in the name - ”hospitality” - and it needs to do what it says on the tin. What puts some businesses ahead of the rest and makes them stand out is their strong sense of identity and integrity.
For fear of sounding like Simon Sinek - it is their “why”.
If you have a strong grasp of the “why” of your business and frequently return to this fundamental identifier, it will become the driving force that differentiates you from the competition and allows you to grow and last. Business ventures are a marathon, not a sprint, and it pays to occasionally take stock of the relationship of your customers have with your business.
When I first stepped foot into fine-dining kitchens, I remember working in a restaurant for over a year before I ever saw the inside of its dining room.
I only ate there after another six months.
My obsession with mastering and perfecting techniques, creating dishes and delivering incredible meals blinded me to the rest of the dining experience. It took a while to be able to park my ego and admit that factors like decor, music and service played arguably a bigger part in the overall experience.
Think of it this way - our largest organ is our skin, yet we do not think about it very often.
Take this outside the concept of fine dining and you can apply it to literally any venue or event. Ask the same questions, focus on the same fundamentals, and you will set yourself up for success.
On the flip side, all the flashing lights and screens in the world won’t save you if you can’t nail that first part.
But I’ll save my thoughts on the hospitality industries relationship with technology for another blog post.
For now, please remember that it can be valuable to have a fresh pair of eyes on your business and customer journey to see if their experience is still in line with your vision.
As always, thank you for your time and have a good service.
AK