How much more mistaken could we have been? Stop! Start. Well, kind of start… but hold on until we know more. Wait, not yet… maybe in a few weeks. Start (with limitations), stop again, then start once more. Repeat. Repeat again. Repeat with different rules. Now go back to "normal" like nothing ever happened. So has gone the life of F&B Directors since March of 2020.
To say that our industry has fundamentally changed these two-plus years is a gross understatement. The pillars of a quality F&B experience… detailed service, superior products, convenience, good value, and a pleasing atmosphere have changed dramatically in this tumultuous era of Covid. Some aspects have required more than a simple tweak. For instance, to maintain adequate staffing, operators may have lowered the required experience level of new employees, increased wage scales, liberalized scheduling flexibility, and even fast-tracked training to meet immediate needs.
It's important to realize these changes have not taken place in a vacuum. Unlike our freestanding restauranteur counterparts, hotel F&B Operations are part of an intricate dance whose participants share the common purpose of delivering the best hospitality experience possible… in the guestroom and at the dinner table. How these operational adjustments have impacted a property's top and bottom-line demands investigation. When do limited breakfast hours start to negatively impact RevPAR? How do large server stations discourage guests from adding that second glass of wine or an enticing dessert? What do variable closing hours in the bar mean to future group business? How do shortfalls in dining room service affect your ability to attract catering clients? The short answer is that we don't exactly know, but it surely can't be positive.
A simple visual aid that describes the challenges we've faced is that of a three-legged race. Two runners, joined at the ankle, trying to beat their competitors down the track. Stumbling, falling, a burst of speed then down on the ground and back up again. Now imagine six runners tied together. At any time, a fall by one individual can bring down the whole effort. That's what we are facing today as hotel F&B Operators. It's a busy Saturday night and the kitchen is hitting on all cylinders, but we're short two servers on the rooftop deck. A wonderful couple is being married on the terrace, but we unexpectedly incur high rental costs because our banquet equipment is back-ordered. A VIP guest approaches the Front Desk attempting to pay their lounge tab while their server is on break, but the Manager on Duty is busy running food. The opportunity to fail, both in service and financially, seems to lurk just around every corner.
Our reality is that without satisfied guests, we have no long-term viability. We all share the common sentiment that exceeding guests' expectations is paramount. Some may say regardless of the price. But what if no price can deliver a perfect experience? This topic is being discussed every day at manager meetings across this country. Phrases such as "I can't find staff no matter what pay rate I offer," and "I agreed to pay the vendor one-and-a-half times market price for new umbrellas, but they are still six weeks out" are all too familiar now. So, what do we do?
Continuously Asses the Landscape
To be successful in today's business environment, we must be honest about our current internal capabilities (which are ever-changing), aware of the external pressures (also ever-changing), and respond with determined fluidity. Strive to curate a well thought-out path for employees to follow and guests to travel, minimizing their exposure to our operational challenges while maximizing memorable moments that create satisfaction and repeat business. It won't be easy. Sometimes you will need to cede traditions and endorse operational flexibility and innovation instead. Ask your staff to be nimble, while still delivering a genuine hospitality experience that can set your property apart from the competition.
Future change starts by answering the most basic questions about your past. Who are we and what are we known for? How have our guests' expectations changed since the start of the COVID pandemic? What are we capable of executing at a high level based on current staffing? What shortfalls, if any, will have the least impact on our guests? Which services or dayparts should be put on hiatus while we focus on our core business? This last question will be the most difficult because it's not part of our psyche, as hospitality professionals, to withhold service. We're in this business to please people, by creating memorable stays and adding to their joy. We need our guests to be a part of our extended family, our history, and ultimately our success. Our goal is to make our home, their temporary home. Taking services away is the last resort for a welcoming host.
The next step is to take a hard look at the innovations that we relied upon these last two plus years and separate those which enhance from those that detract from the guest experience. Some COVID protocols and new technologies are now part of everyday operations, and some are here to stay. Anti-viral fogging technologies and more stringent sanitation requirements were implemented across the industry. Their relatively low cost and the good availability of these products will facilitate a safer environment for all moving forward. That's great!
To reduce the number of face-to-face interactions, on-premise use of QRC codes became widespread for the first time in our industry. Touchless check-in, mobile pay, packaged IRD delivery…the list is long. But at what cost to hospitality? The key moving forward will be in balancing the desire to expand on these new technologies with delivering the personalized service so many of our guests expect and may demand. This is especially true in high ADR environments.
Core Components Remain Consistent
Warm, genuine, personable service has always been the hallmark of a great F&B operation. The most basic components are quality, convenience, and value. If we prioritize each of them appropriately based on our customers' needs and wants, we have a better chance of meeting expectations. If we also integrate the best new technologies and systems where appropriate, our teams can be set up for success moving forward, despite our many challenges.
A hotel that caters primarily to business travelers understands their guests are looking for convenience and value in their morning routine. Convenience should not be confused with speed… consolidating steps for someone on the go is equally important. An early opening cafe with Grab n' Go breakfast options and a strong coffee program can keep those guests from searching out the closest Starbucks. A display of sparkling water and bottled soda priced below convenience stores may be just enough to prevent a stop while out in the field and another win for both the guest and operator. From there, add a menu that is easy to read from a short distance, a tap-to-pay option, and an offer to radio valet for the guests' car, and you've turned a typically lackluster day part into a memorable service moment that delivers value and convenience.
Do you have a demand for 60-minute lunches? Keep that menu QR code discretely on the table but be quick with a menu as appropriate for the business power lunch. Drive the service sequence to get those tickets to the kitchen ASAP, and buy precious minutes that may be needed later if things get hectic. Do you empower your team to deliver an impromptu "edible handshake" if the kitchen backs up? Every meal period should have something simple, but thoughtful ready... just in case. QR codes on guest checks allowing them to split their bill and pay from the table are a must in a fast-paced environment. Sometimes that one feature will be the difference in turning that table in less than an hour or not. If your POS doesn't have that feature, many third-party tech options can fill the void!
QR codes for in-room dining can make it easier to adapt if you are short in the IRD department. Unfortunately, many guests can easily overlook this easy option if they are not presented in a stylized, meaningful way. Consequently, guests may opt for outside services such as Doordash or Uber Eats. In-room orders presented in to-go type packaging may not reflect the quality commensurate with the ADR… and a disconnect in value starts to emerge. It is often the case that simple, well-presented IRD items will have greater appeal and perceived value than a more expensive entree better suited for traditional plates and cutlery. Historically, there has been a big disconnect between our IRD guests' expectations and their executed reality. The new low-contact procedures we've adopted may widen that gap if they are not thoughtfully executed and fail to deliver reasonable value.
Quality, convenience, and value. From an operational standpoint, fundamentals are often considered through the lens of logistics and costs. You can quickly change the price of something (value), switch out an ingredient (quality), or package it differently to meet the demand at hand (convenience). In hospitality though, we must consider the deeper impacts; how does the experience make us feel? This idea of pivoting to meet new expectations without sacrificing these ideals needs to be embodied by the people that are delivering the experience.
The impact a personable server or bartender makes should not be underestimated, regardless of the technological efficiencies employed. Personal interactions leave long-lasting impressions and can often make or break the guest experience. Who we put on the floor and how we support them ultimately has the largest service impact of any decision we make, and it should continue to be the primary focus of all managers.
Apply the Human Touch, Always
We would be wise to mirror an approach common to your room division counterparts by finding the friendliest, most accommodating personalities and putting them in roles that will generate the greatest positive impact on your guests. In many cases, shining personalities can more than make up for a lack of experience. When appropriate, cross-training staff in supporting positions allows these future stars a better view of the entire guest experience. Empower them to lend a hand in any capacity, at any time. Working together, they can smooth over minor hiccups in the service sequence with an amiable, proactive approach that communicates to their table effectively and compensates for any shortfalls with a smile and swift checkout.
The challenges we face moving forward may seem insurmountable at times. In reality, they are dwarfed by the array of possibilities that thoughtful change can bring. We must embrace this new dynamic in hospitality and keep searching, innovating, and moving forward. Some systems put in place will go by the wayside. Others will be honed into more effective tools. Remarkably, many "tools" of convenience may be equated with prompt, quality service, but nothing will replace the warmth felt by a staff that exudes true care and concern for each and every guest. Some things are timeless.
By Steve Smith Chief Operating Officer, Eat.Drink.Sleep.
This article was co-authored by Jennifer Johnson, General Manager, Padre Hotel, Bakersfield, CA
