Education, Food/Beverage

Management Tips from Reputable Restaurant Management Companies

Management Tips from Reputable Restaurant Management Companies

Initial capital and a good location are significant predispositions for a successful business. But what makes the essence of success in the hospitality industry is the knowledge and love for what you do. Running a restaurant, whether you are an owner or just a manager, is a job that requires hard work. But it can be very satisfying if you follow specific guidelines.

Some tips on entering the hospitality industry with your own business are below:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/73384

Many times restaurants have a great menu and a great business plan. Still, they are not making the most of their surroundings. For a restaurant to thrive and succeed, it must keep consistency and attract new customers over and over. The best management tips are those that focus on attracting new guests and making successful changes along the way.

Be Proactive

Maybe the best tip you can get when you’re into restaurant management is to be proactive. Most owners and managers don’t have the time to research the market and competition. It means they’re usually catching up with others instead of taking the lead. 

Planning and anticipating are qualities that characterize every successful manager. To do that, you need to know not only the market but also the facility you run and the resources you have. List the things your restaurant needs in the next few months. Determine priorities and start solving them fast. This way, you will avoid backlogs and downtime due to lack of staff, problems with suppliers, etc.

Make Guests Happy

Owners and managers need to think about ways to improve the efficiency of the restaurants. That’s an area where many are lacking. Still, with a more proactive approach, they can develop many great ideas to increase guest satisfaction. 

Some of the things that managers can do include holding frequent customer appreciation events or rearranging the space to be more appealing. That will keep current guests aware of the finer details of their favorite place. Also, new visitors may decide to come in just to experience the atmosphere. 

Sometimes just changing the menu prices can make a huge difference. It’s not a bad idea either to understand the psychology of people coming to your restaurant. This way, you and your staff will cope better with demanding or dissatisfied guests, last-minute cancellations, special requests, etc. See here when the saying ‘customer is always right’ doesn’t have much sense.

Staff Is the Essence

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Every seasoned manager knows that good staff plays a huge role in the success of any business. Finding hardworking, productive, and loyal employees is a demanding task. So staff changes should only be made when necessary, as it can be a vast expense in the hospitality industry (especially in the last months).

Many great restaurants have only a few employees in the core team. Guests also feel better when they see familiar faces instead of new ones every once in a while. Instead of hiring new people every so often, you should create a reliable team to move towards success.

Positive Attitude

A positive attitude is essential when running a restaurant business. It can go a long way towards making the restaurant environment a pleasant one for everyone. Otherwise, you won’t be able to draw in new guests. Word-of-mouth about your or staff’s behavior can be quite harsh.

In order to be successful as a restaurant manager, you will need to instill a positive attitude within employees. Most owners find that they have more success when there are great energy and chemistry among staff. The positivity is spread to the guests who enjoy every moment of the visit.

Invest in Advertising

As for management proactivity, you have to adhere to that approach when it comes to marketing. Many hospitality businesses failed because they didn’t advertise effectively. Sure, word-of-mouth is a great way to get good recommendations. But you can’t rely solely on that.

You should be promoting in areas that show what your restaurant offers. Proper market targeting will help you stick to a budget and achieve great results. A rule of a thumb for good restaurant management is to advertise at all times, including off-peak hours. Also, use every means you can (social media, banners, signs, print ads, etc.).

When you’re trying to increase your customer base, it’s important to be proactive in your market approach and advertising. You should put your guests’ satisfaction first, but don’t ever neglect the importance of your staff.

Children's Books, Coronovirus 2020, Education, Parenting

5 Books that Will Help Your Child Transition Back to In-School Learning

5 Books that Will Help Your Child Transition Back to In-School Learning

If you have school-aged children they have had the longest break from the school building ever and learning for them drastically changed suddenly last spring. I know some school remained in-person, but here in Was. state and other areas schools have yet to open since March.

Kindergarteners as a virtual learner are heading to a classroom soon for the first time ever or as a secondary student trying to keep grades afloat in a change into independent learning before they were ready, going back will be an adjustment.

I found some books to help your child transition back to in-school learning. You will want to start reading now to open the discussion about going back, schedule changes and socializing again on the playground with new classmates. These books are great for older siblings to read to younger siblings so all ages are discussing the changes together.

Change is impossible to avoid because it happens ALL the time! In this book, the author speaks on how to cope with and embrace life’s changes by recounting personal stories and asking kids pointed questions.

One of my FAVORITE children’s book Authors’ write for A Kids Book About. If you have not seen these books I highly recommend all of their titles on many common and new topics for kids. For heading back into the classroom I recommend A Kids Book About Change. Buy on Amazon

An Invisible String made of love. Even though you can’t see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love. Does everybody have an Invisible String?

This book is so fantastic! The Invisible String is most popularly known as a best book for loss and grief, it is a great book to have on hand if an unexpected loss does occur in your family. However, it also is a great read for separation anxiety as it touches on the same need to feel connection when apart no matter how ‘apart’ they are. This is great for the child heading off to school for the very first time. Buy on Amazon.

The story is about Kate, a sporty and happy girl who uses her strong mind to tackle her daily challenges with a positive attitude.

My Strong Mind: A Story About Developing Mental Strength is a great book for so many situations to have on hand. For back to school, your child will be eager to start the new change off with a more positive mindset. When anxieties and worries start it’s time to use that brain power to work through change and new situations. Buy on Amazon.

Children love being able to make all the choices for this Superhero-in-Training and control the outcome of the book, while parents and teachers love the lessons the book teaches!

What Should Danny Do? School Day (The Power to Choose Series) brings problems forward. This is a fun read for kids that may have had to be out of structure as they have juggled at-home learning, working parents, siblings home all day. Now your child has to head back to class, sit still, make smart decisions around new kids and Teachers. This book is 7 stories in one and a great conversation book where your child and you can discuss ways Danny’s day should end given his situations he finds himself in. Buy on Amazon.

More and more places are requiring they or the adults around them wear masks, including their schools and pre-schools. This book adds some silliness and laughs around mask wearing to help young children see masks as something funny and not scary.

Many children have not been out and about as much or everyday and going back for many kids will still be while masked. If you have avoided public due to mask wearing anxiety with your child and now they may have to wear one back to school for a bit, this book is a must! Remember to Smile is a silly book that also introduces your child to many heroes and people that have to wear masks in their jobs and other situations making it less scary! Buy on Amazon.

2020 Holidays, Education, STEM Learning, Toy Reviews

Smarty JOJO Toy teaches directions, shapes, colors and opposites with Play

Smarty JOJO Toy teaches directions, shapes, colors and opposites with Play

Smarty JOJO!™ is not just smart, he is interactive. Smarty JOJO toy teaches directions, shapes, colors and opposites with play. Flycatcher is an early UK company that offers innovative tech toys that are brilliant. Available in the US on Amazon is this genius toy plane with personality (if there is a toy out there that has its own personality, JOJO is it)! He retails for under $25 and I still can hardly believe its price point is that low for what he offers in play.

The question I had after learning about Smarty JOJO is how well he actually performs in person so I was able to give him a try. I do not have any preschoolers at home. I do watch my 12 month old nephew – too young for this but he was highly intrigued by his voice and fun design. He carried it all around with him. But I was the one who played with Smarty JOJO for his features and any child from 3-5 will have instant friend with JOJO.

Let me list his awesome features for you

  • Identifies colors
  • Speaks English and Spanish
  • Encourages physical play with its motion sensors. The more your child moves with JOJO the more fun he offers
  • Fun missions teach directions, shapes, opposites, and emotional intelligence: Right & Left, Up & Down, Fast & Slow to name a few
  • Follow a task correctly and JOJO’s lights flash as he states you are correct

Kids learn as they play. For instance, when JOJO is asking your child to “go left” or “go right” there is a small light on each wing that will light up so they know which direction is right/left. When asked to go “land on a color” he will flash lights and give a congratulatory command to indicate you are correct.

He will surely be a hit over the Holidays. Smarty JOJO is likely to remain my favorite recommendation for ages 3-5 for the 2020 Holidays! Find Smarty JOJO and other Flycatcher products on Amazon. Another Flycatcher hit in our home for the older sibling (ages 5-99) is the smART Sketcher! Learn more at Flycatcher Toys!

Smarty JOJO Pin
Education, Healthy Living

4 dangerous careers: do the benefits outweigh the risks?

4 dangerous careers: do the benefits outweigh the risks?
Photo by Andrew Gaines on Unsplash

Want an exciting career? Whether you’re just starting out or thinking of a big change, it’s important to think long and hard about your career. While some people are happy working to live, others want excitement, progression and energy in their careers. You might want something that develops your skills or pushes you physically. 

However all careers of this nature have risks. Dangerous careers mean that you could face injury, illness or death. Here are some examples of dangerous careers where you need to decide whether the benefits outweigh the risks. 

Armed forces

There are lots of positives of going into the armed forces. You get to travel, meet interesting people and develop your skills. You’ll become physically fit and learn how to solve problems in a high risk environment. However, a career in the armed forces isn’t to be considered lightly. Burns, stress fractures and hearing problems are common (already affected and wondering: how can I receive VA disability benefits after burn pit exposure? You will need to submit an application). Plus, many veterans experience PTSD, which indicates the severity of this career. Make sure you know what you’re getting into. 

Stunts

You don’t get more exciting than working in stunts. Not only do you get to perform super cool tricks, but you’ll spend your day on a film set and meet lots of famous people. You’ll even pretend to be some of them. However, working in stunts is dangerous. Stuntmen and women face serious accidents and injuries every day, and need to be very well trained. You’ll need to be highly skilled and not phased by scuffs or scrapes.  

Police officer

Like working in the armed forces, there are lots of benefits of working in the police. If you’re someone who wants to make the world a better place and keep danger off the streets, it could be a great career choice. But, working as a police officer isn’t easy. You risk being injured or killed in the line of duty and will need to make difficult decisions. You will work long, unsociable hours and may need to do overtime. Plus, you might witness some unpleasant crime scenes. So, you’ll need to do some serious deliberating before going into this field. 

Firefighter

The thought of being a firefighter is exciting. It’s another profession that involves being highly trained and having great physical fitness. It can be incredibly rewarding, as you’ll be saving lives regularly. But, like working in the police, you might work unsociable hours and see some distressing scenes. Not being able to save someone could have a significant impact on your own mental health. And, you put your own life at risk. Facing dangerous fires and structurally unsound buildings, there is the chance of injury or death while in action, so it’s not a decision to be taken lightly.