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SET
UP YOUR SERVERS FOR SUPER SERVICE
March/April
2007
When you
get right down to the basics of any design effort for a foodservice
establishment, the same objective exists with each and every
project: design an efficient and effective system to prepare
and deliver food and beverage to the guest. That's it. Nothing
too fancy. But it is much easier said than done.
In previous columns, I have focused heavily on design techniques
within the back-of-house. But design techniques in the front-of-house,
specifically those related to service, are equally dependent
on both design and execution. Unfortunately, many overlook the
importance of design as part of the service equation, and attribute
the service performance almost exclusively to operational execution.
In this column, we will take a look at some front-of-house design
techniques that can help promote quality service. To clarify,
I want to focus on the functional aspect of the front-of-house,
not the aesthetics. Although good design cannot ensure good
service, bad design will almost always result in bad service.
Designing for Service: The Basics
One of the primary rules in designing an efficient front-of-house
is to make sure that the service staff meets the kitchen team
(cooks, dish washers, etc.) where ever necessary, but they never
cross paths. Any conflicting flow patterns, where the movement
of back-of-house and front-of-house staff overlap, are disasters
waiting to happen. Accidents, employee injury, breakage, slower
service, and lower morale are all potential outcomes. Design
should start with the general flow patterns of both food and
product. When travel patterns are used as the basis of the overall
layout, these potential "danger zones" are reduced
or completely eliminated.
Another important rule of thumb in designing for effective service
requires the designer to study the service sequence. The steps
of service should be identified and used as a guide for the
front-of-house planning and design effort. Common activities
for servers include order entry, food pick-up, food delivery,
beverage service, bussing (in some cases), and drop-off at ware
washing. Consolidating the areas associated with these functions
will help reduce the distance of travel. All necessary support
equipment, ranging from coffee brewers to refrigeration, must
be grouped together wherever possible. Reducing the distance
of travel promotes efficient service and frees up time for the
server to spend in support of their guests. The ability for
a server to move easily between these functions, in any order,
will result in better service.
Positioning Your POS System(s)
While the points listed above are what I consider to be the
basics of designing for efficient service, there are other design
techniques that, when implemented, can further enhance the service
system. First, let's look at the point of sale (POS) location(s).
When a POS system is located near the food pick-up area, it
requires servers to walk by the food pick-up window on a regular
basis. This promotes more frequent food delivery, as a manager
or expediter will ask servers to run food in the window whether
it is for their tables or not. This scenario encourages a team
environment, with servers learning to look out for one another.
Another school of thought is that the POS terminals should be
located remotely, closer to the dining room. When this occurs,
the servers can enter orders and "fire" their next
courses quickly. It tends to promote better management of the
dining experience, and often provides the server a greater level
of control. There is, of course, the possibility of combining
these two theories and locating POS systems in both locations
- near the food pick-up window and in the dining rooms, depending
on the number of POS systems required.
Though they have been on the market for several years now, wireless
POS entry devices (often a modified PDA) are becoming more attractive
with better durability, greater capabilities, and lower costs.
When a wireless POS entry system is installed, each server is
provided with a wireless device that they can use to manage
their orders - enter, fire, and in some cases close out checks
and accept credit cards. I will be honest. I did not fully understand
the impact of these wireless systems until l experienced them
myself, first hand. What they really do is ensure a well timed
dining experience. Let me share with you an example of what
I mean.
Assume for a moment that a server has two 4-top tables, both
of which are full. The first table is in the midst of enjoying
their appetizers while the second is just beginning to place
their order. The server, however, stumbles upon an indecisive
patron who can't seem to make up his mind. Our server, who does
not want to be rude, is forced to remain engaged with the guest
while he makes up his mind when an offer to return in a few
minutes is rejected. At the very same time, our server notices
that her other table is now finishing their appetizers and will
soon be ready for their entrées. She needs to fire the
next course, but can't break free.
With a normal POS station, the server would remain at the mercy
of our indecisive guest. When a wireless POS entry system is
implemented, however, the server is able to multi-task. She
can fire the next round of entrées for her second table
without ever breaking a connection with the indecisive patron
at the first table. The service steps are seamless, and the
guest is completely unaware. Overall service quality is improved.
Though there are other attractive features of these wireless
devices, their impact on the pace of service seems to be the
most impressive.
Transparent Service
Transparency is typically the goal of food and beverage service.
Think about it. If the guest has everything that they need,
then they really won't have to engage their server during the
course of a meal except perhaps to answer the obligatory "how
is everything?" question. From a design perspective, there
are some techniques that we can use to assist with this transparency.
Consider service stations in the dining room. When located and
configured properly, the server can keep an eye out on their
patrons without appearing to hover. Also, the type of equipment
located in these service stations can impact the guest's experience.
Is there a coffee brewer, or just a warmer for coffee brewed
elsewhere in the restaurant? What are the sight and sound impacts
that this equipment will have on the dining environment?
In the dining room, the seating configuration will create the
aisles and passages used by the servers to travel throughout
the restaurant. These aisles are an incredibly important component
of the service function. When I design a seating layout, I always
work to ensure that there are two ways in or out of any part
of the dining room, whenever possible. This prevents traffic
jams and allows the servers to move more freely through the
dining room. It also helps with service transparency, as servers
are better able to maneuver around guests that may be in the
way.
Finally, there is a technique that I use to design service bar
stations that again is based in this idea of transparency. Remote,
dedicated service bars are great, but require space and labor
that many operations simply cannot afford. As a result, many
bar service stations are physically connected to a main bar.
In most cases, however, the pick-up station is directly adjacent
to customer seating, inevitably exposing the customer to banter
by the service staff that is often inappropriate.
At best this is intrusive and distracting. At worst this is
extremely offensive and off-putting to the guest. To combat
this scenario, I strive to create a physical separation between
the guest and service area. In some cases, I am even able to
tie the bar pick-up area to a service station. This has been
a successful tactic, especially in country clubs, where members
will want to linger at the bar. A service bar and pick-up window
can be located on the back of the bar to completely separate
the service function from the guest's experience.
Any of these simple techniques can greatly improve the quality
of service in your foodservice establishment. If quality service
is expected, then the front-of-house must be designed to support
each step in the service sequence. Take a few minutes to analyze
your facility and see if you are set up for great service.
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