Do you sometimes just want to fire everyone in your restaurant and do all the work yourself? Do you wonder why people can’t just do it the way you want it done? Do you ever find yourself saying, “It’s common sense?”
Common sense is a shared understanding based on experience. I can tell you right now that your managers, each and every one of them, do not share your experiences. They have not grown up in your shoes. They do not possess the same core values. They are not you and will not automatically do things your way just because you think they should have common sense.
You can overcome your assumptions about common sense with an easy two-step process.
Step 1: Create checklists for everything!
Creating checklists sounds so simple, yet I can’t even begin to count how many restaurants don’t have them. And when checklists do get drafted, many restaurant owners are not explicit enough about what they want done or how they want it done.
Here’s the easy way to avoid this pitfall. Grab a pad of paper, stand outside your front door and start writing down everything you see on a daily basis that needs to get done. Especially note the things that really get your blood boiling because they seem so obvious. Continue writing as you walk through your restaurant.
Be precise in your expectations. For example, “Clean glass on front door every two hours, starting with opening shift.” Then list the times.
When your list is complete, task one of your managers to customize opening and closing checklists incorporating every item on your list for every position. Remember, you cannot be too specific.
You have no idea how happy this will make your management team. They’re happy they no longer have to read your mind or endure your inevitable freak out. With lists in hand, your management team will be cool, calm and collected when they see you coming. They can say with confidence they didn’t miss anything if they followed the simple checklist.
Side note: Your checklists are never finished. You will continue to add all of the new things that drive you crazy as they come up. Don’t be surprised if your checklists are two to six pages long. But also don’t be surprised at how well they work.
Step 2: Follow up on the checklists.
Now that you have your checklists and have trained your managers and staff to use them, the easy part is done. You will see results almost immediately. I guarantee it.
But here’s what tends to happen. About three weeks after implementing checklists, when your managers see that you are not looking in the designated binder to confirm the checklists are being used, your managers will start to slack off. And once they slack off, everyone else will slack off. Eventually they’ll quit using them altogether.
How do you hold them accountable? To start, review the checklists daily at first. Find what your managers are missing and point it out. Better yet, show them how you want it done. It’s your job to coach your managers and help them be successful.
Once you see they are following them routinely, you can start to randomly spot check them a few times a week. These checklists will keep everyone on the same page for as long as they’re maintained, but you must check them or they will go away.
When you don’t communicate your expectations to your managers, you’re setting them up to fail. You’re also setting yourself up for endless frustration. Checklists give you an easy way to communicate your expectations and an easy way for your managers to know what is expected of them. This way, everyone is happy.
David Scott Peters is a restaurant expert, speaker, coach and trainer for independent restaurant owners. As founder of TheRestaurantExpert.com, he is known as the SMART Systems guy who helps independent restaurant owners remain competitive and profitable in an industry boxed in by the big chain restaurants. Learn more at www.TheRestaurantExpert.com.