Restaurant operators know that hiring and training managers is a critical factor in growing the business. Things happen fast in a busy establishment, and on-the-fly decisions are crucial to keep the business running smoothing. When you aren’t there, your managers make those game-time calls.
While experience is key, hiring a manager with a strong personality that meshes well with your own is also important. Communication is also crucial. If you can’t talk to your managers, you aren’t going to get what you need from them. But finding the right manager is only the first step. Keep these five tips in mind as you establish a relationship with new managers—and coach them to run the business efficiently.
1. Train to train
Your managers and supervisors need to be able to train existing and new employees on restaurant procedures. This will show their effectiveness as leaders, and ensure that your systems and protocol stay current and streamlined. Consider outside training courses too; for yourself as well as your new manager. Effective leadership is both a gift and a learned skill.
2. Front and back software
The technology that runs your business is crucial for your managers to learn, and stay on top of. From order-entry to back office reporting, your manager needs to know all the operational ins and outs and key metrics to run things smoothly and make good decisions.
Speedy Tip: SpeedLine customer? Check out the online training videos and tutorials, info and resources, and up-to-date user documentation on SpeedLine Customer Site.
3. Complaint resolution tactics
Each restaurant has different approaches to resolving customer complaints. What’s yours? Make sure your managers are up to speed on your expectations, and provide support when they may need it to make a decision on the fly. By demonstrating trust, you instill a sense of pride and ownership.
4. Common sense
Not so common. Training breeds common sense in inexperienced managers and staff. By keeping things simple with easy to follow systems, you provide built-in guidance to your managers and staff at all times.
5. Cross-train
A great way to motivate employees, make them more efficient, and ultimately reduce labor costs is to cross-train. Taking the time to cross-train employees always pays off. It makes it easier to cover for someone who cannot come in, and no one sits idle: Drivers can stretch dough, servers mix drinks, dishwashers take orders. Training your managers to handle each job ensures not only that they’re able to train new staff, but that they can step in wherever they are needed. Productivity increases, and you’re better prepared to meet an unexpected rush if everyone can pitch in.
