Large Header




Pizza Insight
CEO Project

Sure-Fire Staff Selection System
Contact Us
EFFORTLESS, INC.
PO Box 280
Gig Harbor, WA 98335 USA
(800) 767-1055
(253) 858-9255
Quick Links
 EHC #545
 Insights for the Professionally Curious
 July 11, 2008 
Good Morning!

OK, time to get back to work. There are no more (US) holidays until the beginning of September and we don't get to take the summers off anymore like we did when we were kids. (Little did we appreciate what a luxury that was!)


Bill Marvin
The Restaurant Doctor

Six Star Hospitality(sm)
The New Baby Has a Name

Normally I would get to kick back at least a little bit during the summer, but it seems that I have a tiger by the tail and I can't let it go. I am working with Michael Gerber (of "E Myth" fame) on a project that will transform the way that independent restaurants operate. Needless to say, it will also transform the nature of my business as well.

The project has now identified itself as the Six Star Hospitality Program. Here is what we know about it so far:

THE DREAM (The Great Result)
To create a resurgence of hospitality in the world and deliver the experience of true hospitality to every patron of every independent restaurant, every time.

THE VISION (How to Do It)
To create the Six Star Hospitality Program -- an elegantly simple system that provides the logic, methodology and support structure allowing independent restaurants to operate with effortless excellence.

THE PURPOSE (For Whom?)
To provide restaurant owners and employees with a fulfilling sense of purpose and the joyful experience of enriching the lives of the people they serve ... as they produce a consistent profit.

THE MISSION (How to Move It Into the World)
To make the Six Star Hospitality Program so irresistible and so affordable that hospitality becomes the competitive point of difference in every independent restaurant in the world.

As its scope and design become clearer, the Six Star project is drawing some of the best and brightest resources in the industry. Typical is this note I just got from Barry Shuster, editor of Restaurant Startup and Growth Magazine: "The Great Result is beautiful in its mission and simplicity. This could be big. I'm in."

Obviously a system that can facilitate all this on a global scale must be simple yet comprehensive, universally applicable yet infinitely customizable, priceless in its impact yet priced so fairly that it becomes a no-brainer decision. That is not something that can be developed without a massive team effort.

So far 135 operators have contributed their ideas to the first phase of the project ... and I would love to make it 200. Have I heard from you yet?

If this sounds like something you would like to see brought into the world, I invite you to be part of creating it. As a start, just answer a few simple questions and you will help us get a clearer picture of how the system needs to be designed.

As the saying goes, "Play big or go home!" How large a game are you willing to play? I invite you to join me as we do the impossible.
Cool Idea of the Day
The Red Napkin
I have shared this before but it is worth revisiting ... with thanks to Dennis Worsham of Mango Mike's in Alexandria, Virginia:

As the greeter is walking guests to the table, she asks if they have been to the restaurant before. If this is their first visit, the greeter puts down a red cocktail napkin (instead of the regular napkin) to signal the server, manager and anyone else on the staff who may come by the table that this is a first-timer.
 
The July Survey
Tipping The Scales

The media is reporting that another casualty of the down economy is server tips ... not only because fewer people are dining but becayse those who are may be leaving less to the hard-working service staff.

Let's look closer at that this month. Are you seeing evidence of reduced tips? If so, how are you addressing it? Have you instituted a service charge and if so, how has it been received by your guests and staff?

Staff compensation is one of the elements I will be examining as the Hospitality Imperative project proceeds. The first question to ask is not, "How do we do this better?" but rather, "Is this what we should be doing at all?" Let's find out.

As usual, I will send copies of the survey results to everyone who participates. In the meantime, you can download copies of all past EHC surveys -- including the massive WOW Ideas collections.

Click here to add your thoughts to this month's survey.

Here's What You're Passing Up To Save 75 Cents!
In This Week's EHC Special Edition ...
  • What If ... - five ideas on where you can better spend your advertising dollars in the quest to build sales
  • Doin' The Work - the art and science of seating the dining room is more than just getting fannies on chairs
  • What Did You Learn From Your Staff Today? - an insight into how the most important lessons you learn from your staff ... are usually about yourself!
Solve the problem of what to talk about in your next staff meeting. Upgrade to the EHC Special Edition and get it all!
Copyright ©2008 William Marvin. All rights reserved.

This e-mail is sent by William Marvin, Effortless, Inc., PO Box 280, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 USA, e-mail:bill@restaurantdoctor.com, website at www.restaurantdoctor.com. Past editions of EHC are archived on the website.

The Electronic House Call is sent only to subscribers who have requested it. If a copy of this was forwarded to you by a friend and you would like to receive it directly, you can subscribe on the website. You can take your name off the subscription list by clicking on the "SafeUnsubscribe" link at the bottom of the page. You can update your e-mail address, name, spelling and interest categories by clicking on the "Update Profile/Email Address" link at the bottom of the page.

Copyright Notice: The EHC may be copied and re-transmitted by electronic mail, and individual copies of a particular EHC e-mail transcript may be printed, provided that such copying, re-transmission, printing, or other use is not for profit or other commercial purpose.

Material from EHC may NOT be reproduced on the World Wide Web or in broadcast media, print media, or other media without express written permission. Please contact Effortless, Inc. at 253-858-9255 or bill@restaurantdoctor.com to submit a request. Any copying, re-transmission, distribution, printing, or other use of EHC material must set forth the following credit line, in full, at the conclusion of the portion of EHC that is used: "Copyright ©2007 William Marvin. Reprinted with permission." William Marvin and Effortless, Inc. may withdraw or modify this grant of permission at any time.

Privacy Statement: The e-mail addresses that make up the EHC distribution list are confidential; Effortless, Inc. does not furnish these addresses to any other entity in any form or for any purpose. Effortless, Inc. directly distributes the EHC only to users who have subscribed either by e-mail, or via our home page. Once you remove your address from the distribution list, no record of your address remains in the database. Addresses that are returned three times as undeliverable will be dropped from the list.