Why Every Professional Should Start in Food Service

When I share the topic of my most recent book, many people respond with the statement above.

Turning Tables: Everything I Needed to Know about Business I Learned as a Server is a trip down memory lane for anyone who started their career in customer service. More specifically, the book takes a close look at the lessons learned in the public-facing parts of food service. Whether the person I am speaking with was a bartender, a waiter or waitress, or even a table busser, they typically reply with something along the lines of, “everyone in business should start as a bartender or server.”

I get it.

Food-service workers understand the value of the lessons they learned and are quick to acknowledge the skills they attained inthe service of others. Customer service involves a broader spectrum ofpositions, and there is value in those experiences as well, but forface-to-face experience, you can’t beat the lessons received during the hecticpace of a breakfast, lunch, or dinner shift.

Biggest Lessons Learned in Food Service

The takeaways of food/customer service experience can be beneficial in a number of ways. They also translate well to the 9-to-5 workplace, as well as to the gig economy many of us find ourselves working in these days.

·      Smile When You Feel Like Frowning: People interacting with you don’t want to see your long face. They may sympathize with your problems, but those conversations aren’t appropriate during the first interaction.

·      Take Responsibility: People mess up. That’s a part of work, learning, and life. It’s what you do next that sets the tone. Good servers own their (and even others’) mistakes, which makes for a better customer experience.

·      Work on the Small Things: When you’ve done a simple thing like refill the paper tray in the copier ahead of a rush-to-finish-on-deadline project, you’re setting yourself up for success. Stopping in the middle of a shift to give a customer new salt and pepper shakers can be avoided with a little forethought: just fill them prior to the lunch rush.

·      Adjust Your Priorities as You Gather New Information: Good business people shift on the fly. They have a plan, but as they gather new information, they formulate a better one. That’s a food-service lesson you can carry with you throughout your career.

These attributes translate well to any industry. High performers know how to care for others, handle their business, and create new paths to success.

Think, Then Act When Prioritizing Your Work

People brag about being able to multitask but realize they can actually only do one thing at a time. Multitasking is about doing multiple things quickly in a fast-turn sequence. The best servers I’ve watched or worked with can change their priorities on the fly. They gather new information and immediately shift their to-do list to ensure the most important task is done next. That means effective workers drive the best results by reprioritizing their actions based on the information they just took in. The only way to make that shift is by strategizing before a meeting or debriefing after the meeting has concluded. What are your hoped-for outcomes? What needs to happen for you to achieve your objectives? Focusing on those items drives the success of the meeting. Activating the next steps once the meeting is over ensures you have the beginning of a plan and that your teammates are aligned to handle their parts. When you share next steps with the client or prospect, it frames the relationship and allows for a connected path forward.

To create forward motion, better outcomes, and alignment, there are two smart steps you can incorporate into your normal routine:

1.     Prepare ahead of time: Give yourself three to five minutes beforehand to remind yourself of the purpose of the meeting, what you plan to accomplish, and how you’ll achieve it. Preparing notes can be helpful.

2.     Wrap up and provide next steps: Without a follow-up, attendees can leave with different recollections and takeaways. Summarize, provide the next steps, and keep up the momentum from the meeting to prepare everyone for activity and success.

You can purchase Turning Tables:Everything I Needed to Know about Business I Learned as a Server here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/turning-tables-bruce-c-bryan/1147090537?ean=9781636987293

To learn more and to schedule a Speaking Engagement, visit the following website: www.brucecbryan.com

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