Do you know what your guests really think of
your business?
What if you're assuming your standards are OK and your guests
don't agree?
At present, you are probably basing your management decisions
on comments from your customers or other forms of direct feedback.
Extensive research in the US, UK and Australia has shown that
this type of feedback is not likely to represent the views of
your broad customer base or be terribly accurate - people seldom
tell the truth in hospitality encounters if they are not happy
for fear of conflict or adverse reaction.
What if there are chronic aspects of your business that are
causing a problem and you don't know it?
Ask yourself a basic question: 'Is my business growing much
faster than inflation?' Lack of growth is a sign that something
is probably wrong - especially if you are pumping money into
marketing or expensive advertising and not getting a good result.
There will be similar businesses around your area that are busy
and in strong growth mode. Why are they doing so well while
you are not? The answer most probably lies in public perceptions
of your business. Why do people pass you by and resist trying
your establishment? Why don't they give you a go? Why do they
try you and not come back? What are they seeing that you can't
see?
The public vote for your business with their wallets and purses.
What you think of your business doesn't really matter - it's
the perception of the public that will dictate your ultimate
success. Do you know what they really think?
A disturbing percentage of business owners and managers think
they know and will argue till they're blue in the face that
they have their finger on the pulse - after all, they get direct
customer feedback all the time, don't they? We've no doubt that
they do, but is this feedback accurate?
The average owner or manager seems to substantially overate
the performance of their restaurant, cafe, hotel or other hospitality
business. It's much more than just blind loyalty to their business
that causes them to overate themselves, although this is certainly
a part of it. It's a combination of being that close to their
business that they can't see 'the dirt in the corners', and
misdirection they get from a vocal minority of their customers.
Misdirection from customers is where a business owner or manager
hears a disproportionate quantity of positive feedback from
customers and falls into the trap of believing it applies to
most customers (often because they want to believe it).
The reality is that only a very small percentage of DISSATISFIED
customers will give accurate negative feedback.
Research has indicated that 96 per cent of dissatisfied customers
will not complain and 75 per cent of them will not return.
You have a control system over your accounting. Why not have
a control system over the most important aspect of your business
- the perceptions of your customers?
Measured, objective reports by 'mystery guests' are an invaluable
and powerful management tool. They enable you to identify many
concrete opportunities to improve your business.
Do you want to:
Improve your business and stay ahead of your competitors by basing
your managerial decisions on measured reality - and
not on risky assumptions.