Setting the Table By: Danny Meyer

Setting the Table

By: Danny Meyer

(Summary Read)

In a world where business competition is fiercer than ever, the secret to standing out might lie in an unlikely place: the art of hospitality. This narrative explores how hospitality, traditionally associated with restaurants and hotels, can revolutionize any business sector. It delves into the significance of exceptional service, the importance of a positive workplace culture, and the benefits of community investment.

Through real-life experiences in the cutthroat restaurant industry, the transformative power of prioritizing customer experiences and employee satisfaction becomes clear. The principles shared offer a refreshing perspective, highlighting how businesses can not only improve their bottom line but also foster loyalty and a sense of belonging among their customers and employees.

Enlightened Hospitality

Enlightened hospitality starts with your team. You've got to put the needs and well-being of your employees at the top of your priority list. You see, when your employees feel cared for, they’re more inclined to deliver exceptional service to your customers. It’s a domino effect. The energy, the enthusiasm, the dedication - it all trickles down. When you nurture a positive environment for your staff, they'll mirror that positivity in their interactions with the customers. So, it's crucial to consistently demonstrate your commitment to them, recognizing their contributions, supporting their growth, and addressing their concerns.

Now, here's how you could apply this to your role. Let's say you run a department, a team, or a company. Start by assessing the current state of your employee relations. Are you providing ample training and development opportunities? Are you open and approachable, receptive to feedback? It's about fostering a sense of belonging, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and heard. Then, observe the impact of these changes on your team's service delivery. You'll see the magic of enlightened hospitality in action, as satisfied employees lead to satisfied customers, thereby improving your business outcomes.

The Power of Hospitality in Business

You may be thinking, what's the big deal about hospitality? Well, the power of hospitality in business is not just about being polite or friendly. It's about creating an experience for your customers, a memory they carry with them, making them eager to return. Hospitality goes beyond providing a service or product; it's about ensuring your customers feel cared for, understood, and valued. It's the difference between a transactional relationship and an emotional connection.

The trick is in the details. If you're managing a team or running a company, try taking small, consistent steps to incorporate more hospitality into your business operations. Make a habit of personalizing your interactions with customers, taking the time to understand their needs and preferences. Can you go above and beyond in some way? It could be as simple as remembering a customer's name or as creative as customizing your product or service based on their preferences. When you infuse your business with this level of care and attentiveness, you're creating an atmosphere that not only attracts customers but also makes them advocates for your brand, and that's when you'll see the true power of hospitality in your business.

Constant, Gentle Pressure

Imagine you're driving a car with a team aboard and you're heading toward your goals. You don't slam on the accelerator or make sharp turns; instead, you apply constant, gentle pressure on the pedal and the steering wheel. This approach, my friend, can be applied to your role in a business. Steadily and persistently pushing towards your vision, values, and standards can drive your team forward without causing jarring disruptions.

Now let's think about how you can put this concept into action. Say you're steering a project, guiding a team, or running a company. Start by communicating your vision and values clearly and consistently. It's not just about a one-off discussion; it's about reinforcing these ideas day in, day out. Then, don't be passive. Keep tabs on the progress, nudge your team towards the goals, but do so gently. It's not about being pushy; it's about maintaining a consistent momentum. Remember, you're in it for the long haul, not a quick dash. As you keep applying this constant, gentle pressure, you'll see your team moving steadily towards the destination, and that's when you'll feel the power of this approach.

The 51 Percent Rule

Ever considered a new approach to hiring? The 51 Percent Rule suggests focusing on emotional skills over technical abilities. It's not that technical skills don't matter; they do, but they should account for about 49% of your decision. The remaining 51%? That's reserved for emotional skills. We're talking about qualities like warmth, empathy, and a genuine sense of humor. These traits often determine how well someone can connect with others, making them essential in a hospitality-driven environment.

Now, how can you apply this in your own role? You're likely involved in hiring or team-building in some capacity. Start by tweaking your hiring process to give more weight to these emotional skills. During interviews, don't just focus on the resume and qualifications. Pay attention to the candidate's interpersonal skills, their emotional intelligence. Are they empathetic, optimistic, enthusiastic? Can they handle pressure with grace? You can train someone to improve their technical skills, but emotional intelligence is often ingrained. When you build a team with these 51-percenters, you're creating an environment where connection and care are the norm, and that can make a big difference in your team's performance and in customer satisfaction.

The Virtuous Cycle of Enlightened Hospitality

Picture a cycle, a continuous loop. At the start of this cycle, you place your employees, treating them with care and respect. As they feel valued, their motivation and engagement increase, and they deliver better service to your customers. In turn, these customers become satisfied and keep coming back, driving up sales. Higher sales make stakeholders happy and provide more resources to continue treating your employees well. And thus, the cycle continues. This, my friend, is the Virtuous Cycle of Enlightened Hospitality.

So, how can you bring this cycle to life in your role? Start by treating your employees as your most important customers. Provide them with training, development opportunities, and a caring work environment. As they begin to feel valued and empowered, watch how they interact with your customers. You'll find that they deliver a higher level of service, borne out of genuine enthusiasm rather than mere obligation. Then, observe your customers. When they feel taken care of, they will not only become repeat customers but also spread the word about your business. This will result in improved sales, satisfying your stakeholders, and enabling you to further invest in your employees' well-being, keeping the virtuous cycle in motion.

Collecting and Giving Away the Dots

In your interactions with customers, have you ever noticed the small, sometimes subtle details about their preferences? Let's call these details "dots". These dots might be a favorite order, a way they prefer their service, or even how they like to be addressed. Collecting these dots means paying attention to and remembering these specifics about your customers.

Here's where the giving away part comes in. Once you've collected these dots, you don't hoard them. You use them to customize your service and interactions, surprising and delighting your customers by catering to their individual preferences.

Now, consider how you might put this into practice in your role. No matter what your position, you likely interact with customers in some way. So, start by being more observant, picking up on their likes, dislikes, habits, and preferences. Make a record of these dots if you need to. Then, use this knowledge to personalize your service. Does a customer have a favorite product? Make sure it's always available when they come in. Do they have a preferred mode of communication? Use it. By collecting and giving away the dots, you'll be able to provide a level of service that feels personal and attentive, making your customers feel truly valued.

Mistakes are Opportunities

If you think about it, mistakes aren't necessarily roadblocks. They can be stepping stones, offering you valuable insights and teaching moments. When something goes wrong, instead of dwelling on the mistake, try focusing on what it can teach you. How can you improve? What can you do differently next time? By doing so, you transform the mistake from a failure into an opportunity for growth and improvement.

Now, let's consider how you can adopt this perspective in your role. You're likely to face challenges and make mistakes; it's a part of life. The key is how you respond. When something goes awry, don't be too quick to beat yourself up. Instead, ask yourself, "What can I learn from this?" Then, apply that lesson moving forward. Remember, it's not just about you; share these lessons with your team as well. By encouraging a culture that sees mistakes as learning opportunities, you cultivate an environment of continuous improvement, where setbacks become stepping stones. This approach not only improves the performance but also fosters resilience and innovation within your team.

Anticipation and Awareness

Imagine you're able to meet your customers' needs before they even have to ask. To be there with a solution before the problem arises. This isn't about psychic abilities but anticipation and awareness. It's about being observant, noticing patterns, understanding your customers, and predicting their needs. With this knowledge, you can then shape their experience in a way that not only meets but exceeds their expectations.

So, how can this concept be brought into your day-to-day role? Well, start by being more present and observant in your interactions. Whether it's with your customers or your colleagues, pay attention to what they need and how they behave. Over time, you'll start to notice patterns and be able to anticipate needs. Maybe it's as simple as knowing when to refill a customer's drink or as complex as predicting a potential bottleneck in your operations. But don't stop at observation. Put your insights into action. Use your newfound awareness to make small but meaningful changes that enhance the experience of those you interact with. As you continue to practice anticipation and awareness, you'll find it becomes second nature, and the quality of your service will rise as a result.

Context, Context, Context

Imagine you're an actor on a stage. Your lines are important, of course, but without understanding the context – the setting, the other characters, the audience – your performance would feel flat, wouldn't it? Just as context is crucial in theater, it's also essential in your role. It's the backdrop against which you provide your service, influencing your decisions and interactions.

Let's put this into action. When dealing with customers, consider not just what they're asking for, but why. Understand their needs, their desires, their circumstances. Likewise, don't view your colleagues in a vacuum. Consider their roles, their workload, their challenges. When you take into account the bigger picture, you can tailor your service and communication more effectively. You're not just serving a dish or providing a service; you're providing an experience. And the context – the when, where, how and why – plays a crucial role in shaping that experience. By taking context into account, you'll be better equipped to understand and meet the needs of your customers and colleagues, ultimately providing a higher level of service.

Finding the Right Staff and Training Them Well

Imagine you're an actor on a stage. Your lines are important, of course, but without understanding the context – the setting, the other characters, the audience – your performance would feel flat, wouldn't it? Just as context is crucial in theater, it's also essential in your role. It's the backdrop against which you provide your service, influencing your decisions and interactions.

Let's put this into action. When dealing with customers, consider not just what they're asking for, but why. Understand their needs, their desires, their circumstances. Likewise, don't view your colleagues in a vacuum. Consider their roles, their workload, their challenges. When you take into account the bigger picture, you can tailor your service and communication more effectively. You're not just serving a dish or providing a service; you're providing an experience. And the context – the when, where, how and why – plays a crucial role in shaping that experience. By taking context into account, you'll be better equipped to understand and meet the needs of your customers and colleagues, ultimately providing a higher level of service.

Conclusion

You've spent significant time honing your technical skills, gaining knowledge about your products or services, and understanding your role. Yet, there's a larger context to consider: your interactions with others, be it colleagues or customers. These interactions aren't just transactional exchanges; they carry the potential to build relationships, shape experiences, and influence perceptions about your business.

Now, how do you leverage this understanding? You could start by considering the concept of enlightened hospitality. It's not just about delivering a service or product but about considering the other person's perspective, being attentive to their needs, and creating a memorable experience for them. Anticipation and awareness, along with the power of context, can significantly enhance your ability to deliver outstanding service. When you make a mistake, view it as a golden opportunity for improvement rather than a setback. And remember, your aim isn't just to collect 'dots' of knowledge but also to connect these dots and use them to drive your actions. Each day brings new opportunities for learning and growth, and it's this continuous journey that ultimately shapes your effectiveness and success in your role.