Here’s How Much Your Time Actually Costs

Here’s How Much Your Time Actually Costs

by | Sep 9, 2016 | Business Toolkit, Management

When you’re in hospitality or food service, there’s plenty that demands your time and attention. However, what many fail to calculate is the cost of their time. Take a moment to consider this: what does your time really cost? While it’s not a perfect estimate, understanding what you’re sacrificing by trying to do it all yourself can give you a much stronger picture of what you need to outsource to others.

Calculating Your Value

In essence, the value of your time is expressed by your annual salary including benefits divided by the number of hours you actually work each year.

Value = Annual Salary (+ Benefits) / Annual Hours Worked

If you’re starting your business from scratch and its net worth is relatively low, your hourly cost might be as well. On the other hand, if you’re running a successful restaurant or hotel, you might find that your time is worth more than you think.

Examining the Balance

How much does it really cost to complete a particular activity, whether it’s having your taxes done, cleaning out an old storage room, or taking care of the decor for a new restaurant?

Sure, doing it yourself seems like a great way to shave a little money off of your budget, but that’s only true if your time could not be better used in accomplishing other tasks.

If you’re forcing yourself to work overtime, you’re lowering your net worth – and potentially bringing down the net worth of your business.

The Cost of Experience

Hiring experienced professionals to take care of things might have a higher up-front cost, but it also means that you can be sure the job is done right.

From a new paint job that won’t peel off the walls or need to be redone because you chose the wrong kind of paint to an experienced financial professional to oversee your books, hiring a professional means several things:

  • Less time spent cleaning up mistakes later
  • Greater professionalism
  • Higher levels of accuracy the first time
  • Accomplishing the task much faster than you’d be able to do it

Your contributions to your business are many and varied. You’ve done plenty of things, particularly in the business’s early days. The longer you own your restaurant or hotel, however, the more your time is worth–and the more important it is that you bring in professionals who will help make the most of it.

Sending another individual or hiring out a particular task is a more cost-effective use of your resources.

Your Employees’ Time Matters, Too

Accepting that your time is important is just one step in the process of making the most of your business. It’s also important to acknowledge how much your employees’ time means.

Whether it’s the manager who is the absolute best at dealing with customer complaints or the server who always receives glowing reviews from customers, sending them to take care of menial tasks means that you’re paying their current (higher) salary for those tasks.

In many cases, sending another individual–or hiring out a particular task instead of having your employees complete it–is a more cost-effective use of your resources.

Understanding the true worth of both yourself and your employees is the ideal way to increase your business and make the most of every aspect of it. The cliche is, “Time is money!” The truth is, your time is worth your money. Acknowledging that will make it much easier to decide which tasks are truly worth your time and which ones are better moved to someone else’s plate.

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The ABC’s of Being a Restaurant Employee

The ABC’s of Being a Restaurant Employee

by | Sep 7, 2016 | Career

From job searching to getting along with new coworkers, being a restaurant employee demands dedication, creativity, and a hospitable attitude. The path from the first job application to an experienced employee is long and often rocky, but take heart! The following tips guide you through the whole process: the search, training and continued improvement, interaction with coworkers, and finally interaction with guests.

Job Search ABC’s

  • Assertive: Nothing gets you nothing, so go for what you want and keep after it. Apply for as many positions as possible – we have a ton of great job opportunities on Sirvo!
  • Believable: The best way to appear trustworthy when interviewing for a to be a restaurant employee is to be honest — if you lie, it will become apparent quickly. Need more interviewing tips? Check out how to answer the 5 most common interview questions.
  • Careful: If at all possible, talk to past or current employees before taking a job to see if it will be a good fit.

How To… Know Which Position to Accept: Look at factors such as location, hours, flexibility, salary, coworkers, and of course, if you like the food you would be preparing or serving. Pick the one that fits your schedule and personality the best.

Do… Apply at Different Locations: Different kinds of food, different atmospheres, different sizes — you never know where you will find your perfect fit.

Do Not… Make Assumptions: You know nothing about a place until you do your research, so never assume you know something based solely on what it serves, the tables it uses, or any other peripheral factor.

The best way to appear trustworthy when interviewing for a job is to be honest.

Job Performance ABC’s

  • Ambitious: Take your progress into your own hands, show interest, and look for ways to take steps forward.
  • Busy: No orders? Ask someone to teach you something — a new plate, an off-menu special, a new drink, etc.
  • Creative: Step out of your box and try something you know nothing about — what do you have to lose?

How To… Get Feedback: Correctly made orders are good feedback, but if you are looking for something a bit more in-depth, take some time to talk to a manager or trainer — most are happy to do either a formal or an informal evaluation and go over your strengths and weaknesses.

Do… Take Advantage of Opportunities: If someone offers to show you something, take them up on it.

Do Not… Act Like a Know-It-All: So maybe you have experience and nothing feels new, but that does not mean you know everything about being a restaurant employee — stay open to learning.

If someone offers to show you something, take them up on it.

Interacting With Coworkers ABC’s

  • Agreeable: You spend a lot of time at work, be nice.
  • Bold: Experienced coworkers may intimidate you initially, but they are one of your biggest assets in learning and improving, so go after them.
  • Considerate: Pick up a little slack and clean up after yourself before you leave — your coworkers will always be happy to see you.

How To… Work With Even the Most Difficult: There will always be people you cannot stand, so when it comes time for your shift with them, ignore their snide comments or complaints and just focus on your own work.

Do… Try to Fit In: This does not mean following along with a mob mentality, it means learning names, going along with inside jokes, and doing your part without complaining.

Do Not… Let People Walk Over You: Stand up for yourself, even if you think people may not like it.

You spend a lot of time at work, so be nice!

Customer Service ABC’s

  • Approachable: Guests who know where to find a listening ear become repeat visitors, so do your best to be personable and friendly.
  • Bulletproof: People get picky — and angry — about their food. Shake it off — at the end of the day, it is just food.
  • Circumspect: Stay aware, always.

How To… Calm an Angry Guest: The first step is listening and sympathizing, next offer a plan of action that goes above and beyond what they expect, and finally make sure the guest leaves happy. Here are even more tips on dealing with angry guests.

Do… Make Friends: They come for the food, and come back — or not — for the service.

Do Not… Share Work Drama: What happens at work should always stay amongst coworkers. People come to eat, not hear gossip about their second favorite server — their favorite is you, of course.

Throughout your journey in restaurant service, your work ethic, attitude, and people skills will determine what kind of experience you have. While this ultimately depends on you, following these ABC’s, How To’s, Do’s, and Do Not’s will set you on the fast track to a successful, fulfilling, and lucrative career. So go get started!

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How to Define Your Company Brand for Job Seekers

by | Sep 5, 2016 | Business Toolkit, IndiTips

Job seekers are looking to the company brand more than ever to determine whether or not the job is the right one to fulfill their needs. Millennials even more than gen Xers and baby boomers, so it is imperative you convey your brand’s message clearly if you are trying to attract younger candidates.

Share your employee value proposition

This is a consistent message regarding what your restaurant or hospitality business can do for candidates as employees. And, with how competitive the hiring market is right now for restaurants and hospitality businesses, this is what will set you apart from others looking to hire from the same talent pool.

This is a consistent message regarding what your company can do for candidates as employees.

The best place to convey your company brand is in job listings because it’s essentially the point of sale when it comes to recruiting. For example, when creating a job listing on Sirvo, utilize the description section to convey a clear message that will resonate with candidates’ interests and needs.

Explain the benefits and perks of working for your company and even why your company receives high ratings from employees. Basically, include anything that shows the value employees experience.

Tell your story

Describe your values, workplace culture and what makes your restaurant unique in general. Engage candidates in the bigger picture of what your organization is trying to do beyond making a profit. Essentially, give them something that they can relate to.

Use your Sirvo company page to describe your company values and workplace culture.

These details should be everywhere – your website, physical location, social media, and hiring platform especially. On Sirvo, use your company page to this end. Describe your values and culture in the header description and upload photos that complement the story.

Treat candidates like customers

No matter what, your company brand should recognize professionals for their efforts when applying for your jobs. Candidates are volunteering their time to go through the process and currently have the power in this labor market. Make sure they feel appreciated and receive affirming communications throughout the process.

Don’t leave candidates in the dark when it comes to your hiring timeline.

One of the most frustrating aspects of applying for jobs is never hearing back from employers, and that’s why Sirvo has an in-app messaging hub – so that employers and candidates can easily communicate with one another throughout the hiring process.

From reviewing an application to scheduling an interview, don’t leave candidates in the dark. Let them know what to expect and how quickly you plan on making a decision… and follow through with your plan.

Make it a lifetime branding experience

From hiring to onboarding to performance management, employees need to experience a consistent company brand. Once you sell a candidate on what makes you great, you need to actually live it or they will just leave. Be clear about your vision and values and make sure they permeate every step of the process. 

Whatever you do, make sure you consistently apply the process for every prospective employee.

Ensure that you are evaluating how you are doing and collect feedback from your people about key parts of your culture. You can do many things to create a positive candidate experience and whatever that may be, make sure you consistently apply the process for every prospective employee.

By clearly defining and conveying your restaurant’s brand to job seekers, you will not only attract more qualified candidates but also find that retention is improved. To find out more about how Sirvo can help you share your company’s brand, click here.

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What a Little Competitor Spying Can Teach You

by | Sep 2, 2016 | Management

Keeping an eye on your competitors is valuable, but it’s something you should definitely be prepared for in advance. Blundering into a competitor’s restaurant and ordering a meal with no preparation is going to lead to little in the way of insight and is very likely to be a waste of time and money. And if you’re sending someone else to do it, you need to be sure that they are equally prepared. Here’s how to get started

Start with a digital stakeout

Examining their web presence and digital marketing materials is an easy way to start off from a safe distance, and it will help you to develop ideas about what to focus in on when you actually go in for a visit.

Check out their website. Put yourself in the shoes of the target customer, or better yet, get the feedback of a few other people who are close matches. Try to determine whether the structure and presentation of the site are enticing and welcoming. Does it provide enough information about the menu? And how well does it work on a variety of devices, from the office desktop to a smartphone?

Put yourself in the shoes of the target customer, or better yet, get the feedback of a few other people who are close matches.

Stalk on social media. Keep in mind that this type of traffic can be faked by services who are hired out for this purpose – a sure sign of fraud is a lot of followers and upvoters who have a very limited posting history and aren’t very active. How are they doing for likes, shares and comments? Is there a consistent theme or style to the posts that are most upvoted and shared?

Google them. Start with just their name, then search for their primary food category in conjunction with their location. Also, look into a few of the results like Yelp and TripAdvisor to see what their customers think. Where do they rank in terms of results? What are customers saying on review sites?

Get some face time

An in-person visit is mostly going to be centered on gauging the staff, the atmosphere and the internal marketing materials. You can get some sense for the quality of their food and beverages, but obviously, this is something that can vary greatly from day to day and from dish to dish. So, here are a few items to take note of.

Eyeball the overall layout. Think about what is appealing to the customer, and what could be interfering with their dining experience. Take note of which aspects of the atmosphere are working well and if this is something you could imitate or create your own variant of. Are the customers enjoying themselves? Does the staff have to waste time with inefficient movement to get supplies? Is it easy for customers to move around or is it a hassle?

Make specific note of what’s going wrong with competitors as well as what they’re doing right – these are the areas you can directly emphasize to customers.

Put the staff to the test. Get a rough head count of the staff, and how it compares to your numbers to provide similar service with the similar atmosphere. Take note of how long everything takes to get done, from initial contact to offering to bring the bill to the table. Is the waitstaff pro-active about refills and checking on customer needs? How do they handle unexpected questions, requests and complaints? What is their general demeanor and attitude?

Look into amenities. Make a trip to the restroom just to see how they’re keeping it up. While there’s no scientific correlation between a dirty restroom and a dirty kitchen, customers certainly get a negative impression of the establishment from the condition of the restroom, to the point that a nasty restroom can cause up to 30% of business to never return.

In some cases, several different visits will be appropriate to gather all of this data. It can also be helpful to have your staff pick up a variety of meals to get a better sense of the food quality. During all visits, most critically, make specific note of what’s going wrong with competitors as well as what they’re doing right — these are the areas you can directly capitalize on and emphasize to customers.

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What to Expect When You Become a Personal Chef

What to Expect When You Become a Personal Chef

by | Aug 31, 2016 | Career

When you decide to become a personal chef, things should start to go your way very quickly, and you may soon find that being a personal chef is quite the lucrative position. A personal chef goes into the homes of clients and creates magnificent meals that tend to be highly rewarded. On average, the profession makes more money than any other chef-related job. However, becoming a personal chef brings its own challenges.

Challenges

The problems that can arise during one’s stint as a personal chef can vary from one job to the next. For instance, you may be hired to cook in a poorly equipped kitchen. Your clients may be too demanding and difficult to work for. Children may be allowed to run in, out and through the kitchen while you are attempting to work. Still, the opportunities to explore the joys of creatively cooking your own way are worth the inconvenience of the occasional setback.

The best way to market oneself as a personal chef is to find a specific niche.

Becoming a Personal Chef

Besides having experience in other professional kitchen jobs, becoming a personal chef is different from other types of jobs, because it usually does not entail any type of formal job application, and acceptance rates depend on many different factors. Food handlers licensing varies from state to state as do taxes, and business laws. All of these things should be taken into consideration ahead of time.

The best way to market oneself as a personal chef is to find a specific niche. For instance, one chef might advertise that she cooks with local ingredients only. Another might make a mark on the vegetarian scene. Each choice has specific constraints and advantages that the chef should work out well in advance of starting a business.

People Skills

Chefs who work in restaurants have the advantage, or disadvantage, depending on their particular perspectives, of being separated from their customers. With few exceptions, chefs work in the kitchen and the customers eat in the dining area. Being a personal chef is a different scene altogether.

Oftentimes, personal chefs develop up close and personal relationships with their clients because at times, their clients want to work with them to help cook, or they want the chef to teach them a few tricks. In other instances, people walk through the kitchen and stop to chat, creating perfect opportunities to make new acquaintances and to work with the clients to prepare exactly what they want.

Personal chefs do not necessarily have the same job security as restaurant chefs, but it is an occupation that can be creatively rewarding, and monetarily rewarding as well.

Feedback

Personal chefs are more vulnerable to feedback than restaurant chefs because they are in closer proximity to their clients. In these more intimate types of positions, clients tend to be much more open to expressing exactly how they feel about the job the chef is doing.

Clients are able to ask for exactly what they want and how they want it cooked, and can readily give kudos or criticism, depending on how well they enjoyed the meal. Their comments should be taken in stride and noted for future reference.

Taking Care of Business

Chefs working in restaurants receive regular paychecks that reflect their hours worked or salary. They are able to spend that money at their own discretion. Personal chefs have a whole different scenario.

When one is a personal chef, he or she bears personal responsibility for making the cash flow. It is up to the chef to find clients who will pay a negotiated fee. Then come the business expenses, such as extra utensils, transportation, food containers and other things. Taxes are also different for a personal chef than for a restaurant chef. All income will be taxed as a business.

Personal chefs do not necessarily have the same job security as restaurant chefs, but it is an occupation that can be creatively rewarding, and monetarily rewarding as well.

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