Sponsored by 3M

There is no more competitive business than running a restaurant. For the consumer, choices abound. One bad meal and you risk not only losing them but suffering negative reviews online. Your best tool to combat the competition? Consistently satisfied customers and staying on top of restaurant industry trends.

3M supports these restaurant efforts by providing product solutions that align with service trends and optimize customer experience. Restaurants can streamline cleaning efforts in the kitchen with 3M’s diverse offering of kitchen cleaning products, and they can also transform their space with architectural and glass finishes.

In this six-part article series, 3M will dive into essential restaurant service trends that can help build brand loyal

Part 1: Hospitality

What does it take to meet high customer expectations? Recent research from management consulting firm Deloitte found that winning over guests included delighting them (43 percent) with touches that exceed their expectations and engaging them (46 percent) by interacting in friendly and authentic ways.

Restaurant leadership needs to have a good understanding of why customers are coming in and what they expect, says Dustin Rogge, associate professor, Hospitality & Business, at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. From food service trends to staff training to restaurant remodeling ideas, all are elements of the customer experience.

One crucial piece of setting your restaurant apart from the crowd is hospitality. There are many different aspects of hospitality that play a part in making a restaurant welcoming, sparking excitement and ensuring customers return.

One key element in hospitality is confirming you have the right team in place.

It’s hard to overstate how important having the right staff can be. Your team is not only the face of the brand, but also provides the in-person interactions with customers. The service must meet their expectations, Rogge says. It’s critical to constantly be on the lookout for the right people who understand restaurant service trends, especially in a tight labor market. And that doesn’t necessarily mean having someone with deep experience in the restaurant business.

“You can teach someone how to bring food and put a fork in the right place, but it’s much more difficult to teach empathy and true interest and passion for what it is that they’re doing. And that translates to the guests,” Rogge says.

Building a good relationship between the customer and the employee is based on communication. Efficient and clear communication, especially when taking orders, supports order accuracy and makes the customer feel valued. In addition to having the right team, providing them with the right tools can support communication efforts in your restaurant.

A trustworthy and capable team that delivers results can help your restaurant rise above competitors and increase customer loyalty. It’s simple – consistent, high-quality service does not go unnoticed.