Scope of Work
- Deep-dive into understanding & streamlining operations
- Creating, conducting trials & implementing a cocktail & wine menu
- Improvising on the cuisine & introducing new elements
- Crafting and implementing detailed training programs
- Developing & implementing marketing campaigns
- Extensive focus on customer experience, service & engagement
Challenges
- Bridging the gap between the FOH & BOH teams
- Implementing extensive pre-opening format-style training programs in an already operational venue
- Inculcating a team spirit of superior customer service
- Ensuring the venue stands out in all respects amongst the other F&B venues in the highly competitive landscape of the community
Approach
The Critical Part
The venue had already soft-opened at the time of our association and had many gaps in terms of proper management, SOP’s, team training, cuisine orientation, team skills & personality and overall revenues.
It does become difficult & challenging taking on operating outlets and working through them to make continuous, day by day improvisations but it’s also a very interesting task to do.
We did just that and much more.
- Created daily briefing & training programs for all team members
- Brought in a spirit of camaraderie between the FOH & BOH teams
- Crafted new cocktails & wines in the menu mix
- Re-jigged all food recipes & made standardized improvisations
- Re-developed all SOP’s for each section of the venue & its operations
- Implemented, trained & perfected all SOP’s across overall operations
- Created extensive, day by day, marketing campaigns, thereby targeting different customer groups
- Worked extensively on creating the right vibe and environment, appropriately suiting the positioning of the venue as a high-end restaurant lounge
- Developed special weekend barbeques on the terrace, making it the first within the community
The Important Part
It is extremely important to stay the course and we had to do just that with the tasks created & implemented in the critical phase of the project.
Streamlining all SOP’s, monitoring training progress, conducting regular & daily reviews of all operational aspects, measuring success of all marketing initiatives, focusing on each customer’s experience & engagement parameters and above all ensuring high levels of commitment & motivation for all team members became the hall-marks for this phase.
The Fun Part
With the critical & important tasks out of the way and implemented, it actually turned out to be a whole load of fun just running the outlet.
It was interesting to be able to interact with customers, plan team gatherings, conduct exclusive parties knowing fully well that all team members were managing their sections so well and all SOP’s were on a run-as-you-go model.
The venue became the most visited & busiest one in the community with revenues soaring to great highs. It was indeed a great project run.
Learnings
- Team management of a large venue
- Competing with big names as established competition
- Laying maximum emphasis on team spirit, togetherness & operational checklists
- Navigating the complex mechanism of revenue generation
Awards & Recognition
- The biggest recognition came in from all patrons & guests who became regulars & friends of the venue. There is no greater award & satisfaction
