I’m a first generation entrepreneur who nearly went bankrupt thrice over the past 34 years. So, I’ve a soft corner for owners. I realize how tough it is on them. Real estate (purchase or rental), infrastructure costs, licenses, bribes, salaries, attrition, customers demand more for less… high risk of failure.
The Harsh Reality of Hospitality
So, in hospitality WhatsApp groups, when educators and righteous thinkers rant about low salaries, long hours, dispensable off days, and toxic workplaces, I opine: Hospitality life is tough – get tougher to make it easier. Also the talent shortage is good for employees that last – as with experience, you can demand pay, promotions and perks. Since I play devil’s advocate, many think I’m vested. I’m not, I don’t own a restaurant or a hotel. But the perspective that employees should have, which I vouch for, is just one side of the coin. Because under the guise of labour cost control and so-called financial prudence, owners lose a lot more. I’ll elaborate through just three incidents out of the many I’ve experienced…
Incident 1: Loyalty Broken by Negligence
Years ago, my family had grown fond of an eatery near our home – we hosted my daughter’s Christening party and often entertained friends there. For years, every Friday afternoon, on the way back from school, my kids and I lunched there. Our order was fixed – Fried Rice, Chicken Lollypops and Manchurian Chicken. As was the usual practice, after they had their fill of Lollypops, I’d eat what was left. That day they left two pieces – as I bit into one, I was aghast – it was spoilt. Concerned about their well-being (both were below 10 years), I voiced my concern to the Manager – he scoffed, “You’ll have eaten nearly the entire portion and now you complain?” Loyalty broken for life by one sentence.
Incident 2: Service That Drove Guests Away
A family friend invited my family and me to experience a high-end restaurant that served: “Amazing Peking Duck.” As an antidote to delayed service (which is a norm), I order the entire meal at a go. After I placed the order (without any help from the Captain), I realised I’d missed out on starters. The Captain actually ridiculed me, “You’ve ordered the soup and main course, and now you think about starters?” The worst was not over; he missed serving our Crispy Pork. After I alerted him, he was back in a flash. While I was being served, my friend announced, “This is not pork, it’s chicken.” Without a word, he rushed to the Manager who indicated another table. He nonchalantly served them the balance and returned to our table. No apology, just “Should I cancel your order or will you wait till I get it?” We never went back.
Incident 3: Poor Training, Poor Experience
I regularly stayed at a business hotel in Baroda. On most days, they denied me breakfast as the Chef had not yet reported. One day, they did serve me an omelet in the room and while the top of it looked innocent, the bottom was badly burnt. I reported the issue to the Order Taker, who promptly apologised and explained that the Chef hadn’t reported, so his assistant had made it. A few seconds later, the server barged into my room – no knock or permission. Rushed to the omelet and began grating cheese over it. Shocked, I asked him what he was up to, “You ordered a cheese omelet, but Chef forgot the cheese.”
Owners Must Look Beyond Infrastructure
Owners and operators, your fancy property, digital presence and paid reviews will pull in guests but can’t hold them. Your regular and loyal guests are probably being chased away by your underpaid, untrained and unskilled team unintentionally. Not only is it expensive, the damage is incalculable. To ensure a healthy Return On Investment, build a brand, and push sales growth, your team must convert one-off patrons into regulars, and regulars into loyal guests.
Here’s A Great Example
Take B Bhagat Tarachand, a 130-year-old traditional popular vegetarian restaurant in Mumbai. BBT has today grown into a fairly large chain with a loyal fan following. BBT hires (mostly for the lower ranks) village boys with low education and with no passion for hospitality. Through personal mentoring by the owners and seniors plus formal hospitality training by Team HTI, they are transformed. Some staff voluntarily enrol in English and Computer classes paid for by BBT. Despite attrition, rising costs and competition, they consistently train the team (17 years now), and have slowly built a culture of hospitality and learning. Simple workers are now passionate Restaurant Managers and Head Chefs, while building the brand on their way up.
The Moral
Moral: Invest in your team – they make or break your brand!
About the Author
Dominic CostaBir, Director, Hospitality Training Institute (HTI) and Woosh Biz, is a first generation entrepreneur. A passionate hospitality veteran with 30+ years of experience, in ‘Third Eye’, he provides a perspective beyond plain sight.
