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Negotiate to Build a Stronger Relationship
Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else have your way-Daniele Vare, Italian Diplomat We all negotiate every day. Much of our time is spent trying to reach agreement with others. We may try to negotiate in a cooperative spirit but frequently we find ourselves frustrated. We want to get to yes, but often the answer we back is NO. Broadly defined, negotiation is the process of back-and-forth communication aimed at reaching agreement with others when some of your interests are shared and some are opposed. Negotiation is not limited to the activity of formally sitting across a table discussing a contentious issue; it is the informed activity you engage in whenever you try to get something you want from another person. Think about the last interaction you have had with a supplier for instance. Was it a ‘hard’ approach? That was hard on the issue and also the person? Or was it sitting side by side seeking a resolution to an issue be it pricing, service or quality? Joint Problem SolvingWe may all be negotiators, yet many of us don’t like to negotiate. We see negotiation as stressful confrontation. We see ourselves faced with an unpleasant choice. If we […]
Negotiate to Build a Stronger Relationship
Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else have your way-Daniele Vare, Italian Diplomat We all negotiate every day. Much of our time is spent trying to reach agreement with others. We may try to negotiate in a cooperative spirit but frequently we find ourselves frustrated. We want to get to yes, but often the answer we back is NO. Broadly defined, negotiation is the process of back-and-forth communication aimed at reaching agreement with others when some of your interests are shared and some are opposed. Negotiation is not limited to the activity of formally sitting across a table discussing a contentious issue; it is the informed activity you engage in whenever you try to get something you want from another person. Think about the last interaction you have had with a supplier for instance. Was it a ‘hard’ approach? That was hard on the issue and also the person? Or was it sitting side by side seeking a resolution to an issue be it pricing, service or quality? Joint Problem SolvingWe may all be negotiators, yet many of us don’t like to negotiate. We see negotiation as stressful confrontation. We see ourselves faced with an unpleasant choice. If we […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – December 2020
We discuss on a regular basis the kitchen management techniques that are applied in relation to the costs, recipe management, waste, purchasing and menu planning of a food operation. How often do we apply the same detail to the capability of our teams?No single person is an army and the team behind the menu both front and back of house are key to a successful and sustainable operation. We should work with our teams and set in place an communication and follow up system with team members to encourage them to self-action and personally develop in line with a group communication strategy. All plans are different and are bespoke to each organisation, but the core detail follows the guidelines below, so if you don’t have a communication strategy , you could apply some of the following actions. • Act as a positive role model through individual performance.• Show support for and commitment to organisational goals in day-to-day work performance.• Interact with team members in a positive and professional manner.• Develop team commitment and cooperation.• Develop and clearly communicate short, medium and long-term plans and objectives consistent with organisational goals in consultation with the team.• Communicate expectations, roles and responsibilities of […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – November 2020
It is pretty obvious that these are challenging times for everyone in the hospitality industry. Lockdown is tough but if you can survive, you can use the experience to thrive. Use any extra time you have to update your business model, get your purchasing in order and ensure that your margins are as profitable as possible. There is only weeks left to reopening so make sure you are ready to trade in these unique times. Below we provide you with some basic tips that you can tick off before what will hopefully be a succesful Christmas period. Update Your Online PresenceTired website? Little or no social media presence? These days that just won’t cut it. Now is the time to update that website that you put online six years ago with the best of intentions. The role of websites has changed across most sectors and the hospitality sector is no different. The world has gone mobile and people consume their information through social media so your online presence must reflect this. The good news is that this actually makes your life easier. The below checklist will get your website up to date and relevant. Keep it simple. Your website should […]
The Kitchen Key, An Opinion. October 2020
We visit a major supermarket or food retail environment in our community at least once per week. Usually our task is a quick in/out or a substantial shop to restock our home larder and fridge/freezer for a time. This journey is almost instinctive, we know where the bread is, we turn without thinking into the chill aisle and we can read very quickly what till will be the quickest exit. Nothing new there…. What is new is the ever-changing offers, fridge tags, shelf talkers, signs from ceilings , electronic and digital coupons, all of these are vying for your attention. Most are subtle, the sneaky freebies attached to products you normally use in order to tempt you into trying it , discounts on multiple purchases, interesting and cleverly designed packaging and various loyalty offers.Maybe your influenced by these, maybe your completely unfazed by the nuances of the phycology of consumer behaviour, but what you may not know, is that your being Nudged. ‘Thaler and Sunstein’ published work in 2008 which set out a broad perspective of Nudging as any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people’s behaviour in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their […]
The Kitchen Key, An Opinion. September 2020
The 80/20 versus the Menu Matrix. In the past, a minimum selling price was ascertained loosely by a calculated food cost figure, multiply this by three, apply the required VAT and keep an eye on your labour cost across your rota. Pick your best sellers and keep these staples on the menu. This is now, and the 80/20 rule referred to above is loose at best. Menu planning is more than spying on what the local competitor is selling and doing the same but cheaper, it should be more than eating something on holidays and deciding it fits your bill of fare. Good menu planning will allow you to experiment and try new things and variations on the old, but the real trick is the Menu Matrix. You may not have referred to your menu in astral terms before but hidden in your pages is a different world. This system may not be new; however, the approach is modern. Step 1 Spend time and carefully cost each dish in the menu plan and work out your margin according to your selling price. Step 2From historical data on your till sales, assign a moniker to each dish. CometsLovely to look at , but useless….they may or not […]
Negotiate to Build a Stronger Relationship
Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else have your way-Daniele Vare, Italian Diplomat We all negotiate every day. Much of our time is spent trying to reach agreement with others. We may try to negotiate in a cooperative spirit but frequently we find ourselves frustrated. We want to get to yes, but often the answer we back is NO. Broadly defined, negotiation is the process of back-and-forth communication aimed at reaching agreement with others when some of your interests are shared and some are opposed. Negotiation is not limited to the activity of formally sitting across a table discussing a contentious issue; it is the informed activity you engage in whenever you try to get something you want from another person. Think about the last interaction you have had with a supplier for instance. Was it a ‘hard’ approach? That was hard on the issue and also the person? Or was it sitting side by side seeking a resolution to an issue be it pricing, service or quality? Joint Problem SolvingWe may all be negotiators, yet many of us don’t like to negotiate. We see negotiation as stressful confrontation. We see ourselves faced with an unpleasant choice. If we […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – December 2020
We discuss on a regular basis the kitchen management techniques that are applied in relation to the costs, recipe management, waste, purchasing and menu planning of a food operation. How often do we apply the same detail to the capability of our teams?No single person is an army and the team behind the menu both front and back of house are key to a successful and sustainable operation. We should work with our teams and set in place an communication and follow up system with team members to encourage them to self-action and personally develop in line with a group communication strategy. All plans are different and are bespoke to each organisation, but the core detail follows the guidelines below, so if you don’t have a communication strategy , you could apply some of the following actions. • Act as a positive role model through individual performance.• Show support for and commitment to organisational goals in day-to-day work performance.• Interact with team members in a positive and professional manner.• Develop team commitment and cooperation.• Develop and clearly communicate short, medium and long-term plans and objectives consistent with organisational goals in consultation with the team.• Communicate expectations, roles and responsibilities of […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – November 2020
It is pretty obvious that these are challenging times for everyone in the hospitality industry. Lockdown is tough but if you can survive, you can use the experience to thrive. Use any extra time you have to update your business model, get your purchasing in order and ensure that your margins are as profitable as possible. There is only weeks left to reopening so make sure you are ready to trade in these unique times. Below we provide you with some basic tips that you can tick off before what will hopefully be a succesful Christmas period. Update Your Online PresenceTired website? Little or no social media presence? These days that just won’t cut it. Now is the time to update that website that you put online six years ago with the best of intentions. The role of websites has changed across most sectors and the hospitality sector is no different. The world has gone mobile and people consume their information through social media so your online presence must reflect this. The good news is that this actually makes your life easier. The below checklist will get your website up to date and relevant. Keep it simple. Your website should […]
The Kitchen Key, An Opinion. October 2020
We visit a major supermarket or food retail environment in our community at least once per week. Usually our task is a quick in/out or a substantial shop to restock our home larder and fridge/freezer for a time. This journey is almost instinctive, we know where the bread is, we turn without thinking into the chill aisle and we can read very quickly what till will be the quickest exit. Nothing new there…. What is new is the ever-changing offers, fridge tags, shelf talkers, signs from ceilings , electronic and digital coupons, all of these are vying for your attention. Most are subtle, the sneaky freebies attached to products you normally use in order to tempt you into trying it , discounts on multiple purchases, interesting and cleverly designed packaging and various loyalty offers.Maybe your influenced by these, maybe your completely unfazed by the nuances of the phycology of consumer behaviour, but what you may not know, is that your being Nudged. ‘Thaler and Sunstein’ published work in 2008 which set out a broad perspective of Nudging as any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people’s behaviour in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their […]
The Kitchen Key, An Opinion. September 2020
The 80/20 versus the Menu Matrix. In the past, a minimum selling price was ascertained loosely by a calculated food cost figure, multiply this by three, apply the required VAT and keep an eye on your labour cost across your rota. Pick your best sellers and keep these staples on the menu. This is now, and the 80/20 rule referred to above is loose at best. Menu planning is more than spying on what the local competitor is selling and doing the same but cheaper, it should be more than eating something on holidays and deciding it fits your bill of fare. Good menu planning will allow you to experiment and try new things and variations on the old, but the real trick is the Menu Matrix. You may not have referred to your menu in astral terms before but hidden in your pages is a different world. This system may not be new; however, the approach is modern. Step 1 Spend time and carefully cost each dish in the menu plan and work out your margin according to your selling price. Step 2From historical data on your till sales, assign a moniker to each dish. CometsLovely to look at , but useless….they may or not […]
Negotiate to Build a Stronger Relationship
Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else have your way-Daniele Vare, Italian Diplomat We all negotiate every day. Much of our time is spent trying to reach agreement with others. We may try to negotiate in a cooperative spirit but frequently we find ourselves frustrated. We want to get to yes, but often the answer we back is NO. Broadly defined, negotiation is the process of back-and-forth communication aimed at reaching agreement with others when some of your interests are shared and some are opposed. Negotiation is not limited to the activity of formally sitting across a table discussing a contentious issue; it is the informed activity you engage in whenever you try to get something you want from another person. Think about the last interaction you have had with a supplier for instance. Was it a ‘hard’ approach? That was hard on the issue and also the person? Or was it sitting side by side seeking a resolution to an issue be it pricing, service or quality? Joint Problem SolvingWe may all be negotiators, yet many of us don’t like to negotiate. We see negotiation as stressful confrontation. We see ourselves faced with an unpleasant choice. If we […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – December 2020
We discuss on a regular basis the kitchen management techniques that are applied in relation to the costs, recipe management, waste, purchasing and menu planning of a food operation. How often do we apply the same detail to the capability of our teams?No single person is an army and the team behind the menu both front and back of house are key to a successful and sustainable operation. We should work with our teams and set in place an communication and follow up system with team members to encourage them to self-action and personally develop in line with a group communication strategy. All plans are different and are bespoke to each organisation, but the core detail follows the guidelines below, so if you don’t have a communication strategy , you could apply some of the following actions. • Act as a positive role model through individual performance.• Show support for and commitment to organisational goals in day-to-day work performance.• Interact with team members in a positive and professional manner.• Develop team commitment and cooperation.• Develop and clearly communicate short, medium and long-term plans and objectives consistent with organisational goals in consultation with the team.• Communicate expectations, roles and responsibilities of […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – November 2020
It is pretty obvious that these are challenging times for everyone in the hospitality industry. Lockdown is tough but if you can survive, you can use the experience to thrive. Use any extra time you have to update your business model, get your purchasing in order and ensure that your margins are as profitable as possible. There is only weeks left to reopening so make sure you are ready to trade in these unique times. Below we provide you with some basic tips that you can tick off before what will hopefully be a succesful Christmas period. Update Your Online PresenceTired website? Little or no social media presence? These days that just won’t cut it. Now is the time to update that website that you put online six years ago with the best of intentions. The role of websites has changed across most sectors and the hospitality sector is no different. The world has gone mobile and people consume their information through social media so your online presence must reflect this. The good news is that this actually makes your life easier. The below checklist will get your website up to date and relevant. Keep it simple. Your website should […]
The Kitchen Key, An Opinion. October 2020
We visit a major supermarket or food retail environment in our community at least once per week. Usually our task is a quick in/out or a substantial shop to restock our home larder and fridge/freezer for a time. This journey is almost instinctive, we know where the bread is, we turn without thinking into the chill aisle and we can read very quickly what till will be the quickest exit. Nothing new there…. What is new is the ever-changing offers, fridge tags, shelf talkers, signs from ceilings , electronic and digital coupons, all of these are vying for your attention. Most are subtle, the sneaky freebies attached to products you normally use in order to tempt you into trying it , discounts on multiple purchases, interesting and cleverly designed packaging and various loyalty offers.Maybe your influenced by these, maybe your completely unfazed by the nuances of the phycology of consumer behaviour, but what you may not know, is that your being Nudged. ‘Thaler and Sunstein’ published work in 2008 which set out a broad perspective of Nudging as any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people’s behaviour in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their […]
The Kitchen Key, An Opinion. September 2020
The 80/20 versus the Menu Matrix. In the past, a minimum selling price was ascertained loosely by a calculated food cost figure, multiply this by three, apply the required VAT and keep an eye on your labour cost across your rota. Pick your best sellers and keep these staples on the menu. This is now, and the 80/20 rule referred to above is loose at best. Menu planning is more than spying on what the local competitor is selling and doing the same but cheaper, it should be more than eating something on holidays and deciding it fits your bill of fare. Good menu planning will allow you to experiment and try new things and variations on the old, but the real trick is the Menu Matrix. You may not have referred to your menu in astral terms before but hidden in your pages is a different world. This system may not be new; however, the approach is modern. Step 1 Spend time and carefully cost each dish in the menu plan and work out your margin according to your selling price. Step 2From historical data on your till sales, assign a moniker to each dish. CometsLovely to look at , but useless….they may or not […]
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Negotiate to Build a Stronger Relationship
Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else have your way-Daniele Vare, Italian Diplomat We all negotiate every day. Much of our time is spent trying to reach agreement with others. We may try to negotiate in a cooperative spirit but frequently we find ourselves frustrated. We want to get to yes, but often the answer we back is NO. Broadly defined, negotiation is the process of back-and-forth communication aimed at reaching agreement with others when some of your interests are shared and some are opposed. Negotiation is not limited to the activity of formally sitting across a table discussing a contentious issue; it is the informed activity you engage in whenever you try to get something you want from another person. Think about the last interaction you have had with a supplier for instance. Was it a ‘hard’ approach? That was hard on the issue and also the person? Or was it sitting side by side seeking a resolution to an issue be it pricing, service or quality? Joint Problem SolvingWe may all be negotiators, yet many of us don’t like to negotiate. We see negotiation as stressful confrontation. We see ourselves faced with an unpleasant choice. If we […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – December 2020
We discuss on a regular basis the kitchen management techniques that are applied in relation to the costs, recipe management, waste, purchasing and menu planning of a food operation. How often do we apply the same detail to the capability of our teams?No single person is an army and the team behind the menu both front and back of house are key to a successful and sustainable operation. We should work with our teams and set in place an communication and follow up system with team members to encourage them to self-action and personally develop in line with a group communication strategy. All plans are different and are bespoke to each organisation, but the core detail follows the guidelines below, so if you don’t have a communication strategy , you could apply some of the following actions. • Act as a positive role model through individual performance.• Show support for and commitment to organisational goals in day-to-day work performance.• Interact with team members in a positive and professional manner.• Develop team commitment and cooperation.• Develop and clearly communicate short, medium and long-term plans and objectives consistent with organisational goals in consultation with the team.• Communicate expectations, roles and responsibilities of […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – November 2020
It is pretty obvious that these are challenging times for everyone in the hospitality industry. Lockdown is tough but if you can survive, you can use the experience to thrive. Use any extra time you have to update your business model, get your purchasing in order and ensure that your margins are as profitable as possible. There is only weeks left to reopening so make sure you are ready to trade in these unique times. Below we provide you with some basic tips that you can tick off before what will hopefully be a succesful Christmas period. Update Your Online PresenceTired website? Little or no social media presence? These days that just won’t cut it. Now is the time to update that website that you put online six years ago with the best of intentions. The role of websites has changed across most sectors and the hospitality sector is no different. The world has gone mobile and people consume their information through social media so your online presence must reflect this. The good news is that this actually makes your life easier. The below checklist will get your website up to date and relevant. Keep it simple. Your website should […]
The Kitchen Key, An Opinion. October 2020
We visit a major supermarket or food retail environment in our community at least once per week. Usually our task is a quick in/out or a substantial shop to restock our home larder and fridge/freezer for a time. This journey is almost instinctive, we know where the bread is, we turn without thinking into the chill aisle and we can read very quickly what till will be the quickest exit. Nothing new there…. What is new is the ever-changing offers, fridge tags, shelf talkers, signs from ceilings , electronic and digital coupons, all of these are vying for your attention. Most are subtle, the sneaky freebies attached to products you normally use in order to tempt you into trying it , discounts on multiple purchases, interesting and cleverly designed packaging and various loyalty offers.Maybe your influenced by these, maybe your completely unfazed by the nuances of the phycology of consumer behaviour, but what you may not know, is that your being Nudged. ‘Thaler and Sunstein’ published work in 2008 which set out a broad perspective of Nudging as any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people’s behaviour in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their […]
The Kitchen Key, An Opinion. September 2020
The 80/20 versus the Menu Matrix. In the past, a minimum selling price was ascertained loosely by a calculated food cost figure, multiply this by three, apply the required VAT and keep an eye on your labour cost across your rota. Pick your best sellers and keep these staples on the menu. This is now, and the 80/20 rule referred to above is loose at best. Menu planning is more than spying on what the local competitor is selling and doing the same but cheaper, it should be more than eating something on holidays and deciding it fits your bill of fare. Good menu planning will allow you to experiment and try new things and variations on the old, but the real trick is the Menu Matrix. You may not have referred to your menu in astral terms before but hidden in your pages is a different world. This system may not be new; however, the approach is modern. Step 1 Spend time and carefully cost each dish in the menu plan and work out your margin according to your selling price. Step 2From historical data on your till sales, assign a moniker to each dish. CometsLovely to look at , but useless….they may or not […]
Posts with Default Box Layout
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Negotiate to Build a Stronger Relationship
Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else have your way-Daniele Vare, Italian Diplomat We all negotiate every day. Much of our time is spent trying to reach agreement with others. We may try to negotiate in a cooperative spirit but frequently we find ourselves frustrated. We want to get to yes, but often the answer we back is NO. Broadly defined, negotiation is the process of back-and-forth communication aimed at reaching agreement with others when some of your interests are shared and some are opposed. Negotiation is not limited to the activity of formally sitting across a table discussing a contentious issue; it is the informed activity you engage in whenever you try to get something you want from another person. Think about the last interaction you have had with a supplier for instance. Was it a ‘hard’ approach? That was hard on the issue and also the person? Or was it sitting side by side seeking a resolution to an issue be it pricing, service or quality? Joint Problem SolvingWe may all be negotiators, yet many of us don’t like to negotiate. We see negotiation as stressful confrontation. We see ourselves faced with an unpleasant choice. If we […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – December 2020
We discuss on a regular basis the kitchen management techniques that are applied in relation to the costs, recipe management, waste, purchasing and menu planning of a food operation. How often do we apply the same detail to the capability of our teams?No single person is an army and the team behind the menu both front and back of house are key to a successful and sustainable operation. We should work with our teams and set in place an communication and follow up system with team members to encourage them to self-action and personally develop in line with a group communication strategy. All plans are different and are bespoke to each organisation, but the core detail follows the guidelines below, so if you don’t have a communication strategy , you could apply some of the following actions. • Act as a positive role model through individual performance.• Show support for and commitment to organisational goals in day-to-day work performance.• Interact with team members in a positive and professional manner.• Develop team commitment and cooperation.• Develop and clearly communicate short, medium and long-term plans and objectives consistent with organisational goals in consultation with the team.• Communicate expectations, roles and responsibilities of […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – November 2020
It is pretty obvious that these are challenging times for everyone in the hospitality industry. Lockdown is tough but if you can survive, you can use the experience to thrive. Use any extra time you have to update your business model, get your purchasing in order and ensure that your margins are as profitable as possible. There is only weeks left to reopening so make sure you are ready to trade in these unique times. Below we provide you with some basic tips that you can tick off before what will hopefully be a succesful Christmas period. Update Your Online PresenceTired website? Little or no social media presence? These days that just won’t cut it. Now is the time to update that website that you put online six years ago with the best of intentions. The role of websites has changed across most sectors and the hospitality sector is no different. The world has gone mobile and people consume their information through social media so your online presence must reflect this. The good news is that this actually makes your life easier. The below checklist will get your website up to date and relevant. Keep it simple. Your website should […]
The Kitchen Key, An Opinion. October 2020
We visit a major supermarket or food retail environment in our community at least once per week. Usually our task is a quick in/out or a substantial shop to restock our home larder and fridge/freezer for a time. This journey is almost instinctive, we know where the bread is, we turn without thinking into the chill aisle and we can read very quickly what till will be the quickest exit. Nothing new there…. What is new is the ever-changing offers, fridge tags, shelf talkers, signs from ceilings , electronic and digital coupons, all of these are vying for your attention. Most are subtle, the sneaky freebies attached to products you normally use in order to tempt you into trying it , discounts on multiple purchases, interesting and cleverly designed packaging and various loyalty offers.Maybe your influenced by these, maybe your completely unfazed by the nuances of the phycology of consumer behaviour, but what you may not know, is that your being Nudged. ‘Thaler and Sunstein’ published work in 2008 which set out a broad perspective of Nudging as any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people’s behaviour in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their […]
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Negotiate to Build a Stronger Relationship
Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else have your way-Daniele Vare, Italian Diplomat We all negotiate every day. Much of our time is spent trying to reach agreement with others. We may try to negotiate in a cooperative spirit but frequently we find ourselves frustrated. We want to get to yes, but often the answer we back is NO. Broadly defined, negotiation is the process of back-and-forth communication aimed at reaching agreement with others when some of your interests are shared and some are opposed. Negotiation is not limited to the activity of formally sitting across a table discussing a contentious issue; it is the informed activity you engage in whenever you try to get something you want from another person. Think about the last interaction you have had with a supplier for instance. Was it a ‘hard’ approach? That was hard on the issue and also the person? Or was it sitting side by side seeking a resolution to an issue be it pricing, service or quality? Joint Problem SolvingWe may all be negotiators, yet many of us don’t like to negotiate. We see negotiation as stressful confrontation. We see ourselves faced with an unpleasant choice. If we […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – December 2020
We discuss on a regular basis the kitchen management techniques that are applied in relation to the costs, recipe management, waste, purchasing and menu planning of a food operation. How often do we apply the same detail to the capability of our teams?No single person is an army and the team behind the menu both front and back of house are key to a successful and sustainable operation. We should work with our teams and set in place an communication and follow up system with team members to encourage them to self-action and personally develop in line with a group communication strategy. All plans are different and are bespoke to each organisation, but the core detail follows the guidelines below, so if you don’t have a communication strategy , you could apply some of the following actions. • Act as a positive role model through individual performance.• Show support for and commitment to organisational goals in day-to-day work performance.• Interact with team members in a positive and professional manner.• Develop team commitment and cooperation.• Develop and clearly communicate short, medium and long-term plans and objectives consistent with organisational goals in consultation with the team.• Communicate expectations, roles and responsibilities of […]
The Kitchen Key – An Opinion – November 2020
It is pretty obvious that these are challenging times for everyone in the hospitality industry. Lockdown is tough but if you can survive, you can use the experience to thrive. Use any extra time you have to update your business model, get your purchasing in order and ensure that your margins are as profitable as possible. There is only weeks left to reopening so make sure you are ready to trade in these unique times. Below we provide you with some basic tips that you can tick off before what will hopefully be a succesful Christmas period. Update Your Online PresenceTired website? Little or no social media presence? These days that just won’t cut it. Now is the time to update that website that you put online six years ago with the best of intentions. The role of websites has changed across most sectors and the hospitality sector is no different. The world has gone mobile and people consume their information through social media so your online presence must reflect this. The good news is that this actually makes your life easier. The below checklist will get your website up to date and relevant. Keep it simple. Your website should […]
The Kitchen Key, An Opinion. October 2020
We visit a major supermarket or food retail environment in our community at least once per week. Usually our task is a quick in/out or a substantial shop to restock our home larder and fridge/freezer for a time. This journey is almost instinctive, we know where the bread is, we turn without thinking into the chill aisle and we can read very quickly what till will be the quickest exit. Nothing new there…. What is new is the ever-changing offers, fridge tags, shelf talkers, signs from ceilings , electronic and digital coupons, all of these are vying for your attention. Most are subtle, the sneaky freebies attached to products you normally use in order to tempt you into trying it , discounts on multiple purchases, interesting and cleverly designed packaging and various loyalty offers.Maybe your influenced by these, maybe your completely unfazed by the nuances of the phycology of consumer behaviour, but what you may not know, is that your being Nudged. ‘Thaler and Sunstein’ published work in 2008 which set out a broad perspective of Nudging as any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people’s behaviour in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their […]
The Kitchen Key, An Opinion. September 2020
The 80/20 versus the Menu Matrix. In the past, a minimum selling price was ascertained loosely by a calculated food cost figure, multiply this by three, apply the required VAT and keep an eye on your labour cost across your rota. Pick your best sellers and keep these staples on the menu. This is now, and the 80/20 rule referred to above is loose at best. Menu planning is more than spying on what the local competitor is selling and doing the same but cheaper, it should be more than eating something on holidays and deciding it fits your bill of fare. Good menu planning will allow you to experiment and try new things and variations on the old, but the real trick is the Menu Matrix. You may not have referred to your menu in astral terms before but hidden in your pages is a different world. This system may not be new; however, the approach is modern. Step 1 Spend time and carefully cost each dish in the menu plan and work out your margin according to your selling price. Step 2From historical data on your till sales, assign a moniker to each dish. CometsLovely to look at , but useless….they may or not […]