Tools of the Foodservice Trade
Joseph M. Carbonara, Editor in Chief -- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, 9/1/2008 12:00:00 AM
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Joseph M. Carbonara Editor in Chief |
With the uncertainty around the economic climate continuing to swell, the pressure to deliver sales results, drive efficiencies and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction only intensifies. As a result, many foodservice professionals continue to wonder what they can do to weather the storm.
Unfortunately, there’s no magic bullet that anyone can shoot to help eradicate the challenges of the day. If there were, everyone would load their gun with it and start firing away as if they were in the last scenes of an old-fashioned spaghetti western. So, that leaves you with one simple choice: Go back to basics. Regardless of what segment of the foodservice industry you call your own, there’s one universally fundamental truth: There’s no substitute for customer contact or product knowledge.
Data generated through customer contact remains some of the most important information any business can collect. Waitstaff, dealer sales reps, service technicians and territory sales reps all have the opportunity to engage the customer of a particular foodservice business to find out what clients really want. “We are not at the table but our servers are,” said Luke Palladino, a chef and owner, during a symposium hosted by the Foodservice Institute of America last month in Chicago. “If you shun the information they collect, you are disregarding some of the best data you have.”
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“Our biennial missive contains information that provides you with an in-depth overview of a specific product category that covers 10 aspects of the subject matter.” |
Don’t just thank your customers for their business, find out what prompted them to buy from you and, just as importantly, find out what made them choose your business over your competitors and what or when they plan to buy in the future. With this valuable information in hand, you can look to capitalize on the strengths of your business, while taking advantage of the slower times to shore up your weaknesses.
Of course, it’s not enough to nod your head and pretend to listen to your customers. “You have to be well-connected and establish a level of trust with your customer,” said Robert Bryson, executive vice president of Follett Corp. and another speaker at the FIA event. “It takes a lot of listening and a lot of empathy.”
Putting the walk behind his talk, following the symposium Bryson was off to visit with customers to get their feedback about a new product his company had introduced within the last year. “It enhances the connection, whether it’s with the internal or external customer,” Bryson added.
Knowing your customers’ wants and needs are one fundamental aspect of being a foodservice professional. The other fundamental component foodservice professionals need to master is product knowledge. Successful foodservice professionals have the ability to match their customers’ needs with the proper product, whether that’s a menu item or piece of equipment or a supply item.
Indeed, it’s the products that remain the tools of the foodservice industry trade. For that reason, it is with great pleasure that we at FE&S present to you our “2008 Product Knowledge Guide.”
Our biennial missive contains information that provides you with an in-depth overview of a specific product category that covers 10 aspects of the subject matter. In providing you with a comprehensive overview we hope to empower you to continue to make informed decisions when choosing products for specific applications.
And be sure to visit our web site for information on additional product categories we were unable to list here. While there, be sure to check out our other product-related content including “Energy Aware,” which gives you ideas on ways to conserve resources and operate more efficiently; and When to Replace, our monthly newsletter that provides a primer for making informed buying decisions.
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joseph.carbonara@reedbusiness.com |
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