Customer service is one of the most important facets of the food and beverage industry – it’s called the food service industry, after all. But if you’re a restaurant operator, how can you be sure that your staff is providing each guest a quality experience?
One tried-and-true method is the service audit – a “secret shopper” who visits a restaurant and reviews the operation from a guest’s perspective. But the process isn’t quite as simple as that description may suggest.
Industry veteran Lee Schulman, founder of Panacea Management Group (PMG) Consulting, offers counseling to clients on the ins and outs of service audits. As the owner and operator of Old Vinings Inn, Schulman regularly relies on such audits to ensure that his business meets or exceeds the standards he expects.
According to Schulman, “if you’re not using a true outsider with an objective eye, you may not be getting an accurate picture of how your staff operates.”
Some factors of the service audit process include:
- Selecting an auditing service: Making sure you’re on the same page
- Establishing criteria: What are you looking for?
- Reading the report: What to weed out and red flags to look for
- What next: The right way to act on findings
Restaurant operators must make it a priority to ensure their employees are providing guests a quality experience. When done correctly, a service audit is a crucial tool to evaluate the typical guest experience. Learn more PMG Consulting and the services Schulman provides at www.pmgconsulting.us.
