Hospitality: managing for success
I am asked to help numerous hospitality premises for help , as I know the business . It's a tough business & easy for costs to quickly get 'out of control' . I ALWAYS visit the premises first as a mystery diner , without even the owner realising , as it's very easy for staff to be on 'best behaviour' otherwise , & I don't get the 'true picture' of what's going on . I see EVERYTHING . After all , that's what you're paying me for .
Based in beautiful Co.Kerry Ireland , but if there's an airport, I'll get there. Dollars , Pounds or Euro's, they're simply currencies & my calculator has yet to complain.
I'm always upfront and honest with owners , and I need the same from you. Ask yourself, are you in business to make money ? To do my job , I need total honesty and 'access all areas' backing to help you . I don't consider it being 'blunt' but simply being 'honest' .
ALWAYS remember , 'I'm on YOUR side' , no matter what .
Ignore the ESSENTIALS at your cost
Are you experiencing preventable losses in your hospitality business? From inventory shrinkage to inefficient operations, these challenges can significantly impact your bottom line. I provide strategies to identify and mitigate these issues, turning potential losses into profit .
Ignoring the 'essentials' is a very common mistake . EVERY single item represents savings & I see EVERYTHING . Ignoring them could be the difference between a profit or a loss or simply staying in business .
For an example . A supplier naively assumed he had a customer 'for life' . The toilet rolls HAD to be bought from them to fit the 18 dispensers, no discount was offered . Simply changing dispensers and suppliers saved £5,500 per year , on just toilet paper . Me being me , I checked ALL of the supplier's products and found the same quality cheaper elsewhere . Total savings of over £12,000 per year , a SERIOUS saving . Don't EVER simply assume you're getting the best deal because you are told it is . An hour online could save you thousands.
"I was very reluctant to correct my management because I was scared I'd lose them . They were taking advantage of me and it had to stop or my business was basically gone . I quickly learned that 'no one's indispensable' and I 'cleaned house' . Mike 'empowered' me to take back control. I Couldn't have done it without his help . I'll be forever grateful. Susan Taylor , Limerick
Mastering costings for profitability
Effective costings are the backbone of a successful hospitality business. I help you analyse and optimise your expenses, ensuring every spending contributes to your growth. Reduce stress and increase success by understanding your true costs and improving your profit margins.
Costings is the MOST important part of a head chef's job , cooking comes second . There is no point in serving 100 customers if you are losing money on every plate . The more food that's served, the more money you lose . There's a break even point , yes , but once reached you HAVE to make a profit .
"A head chef who doesn't control costings , is NO head chef" - Marco Pierre White.
As a quick exercise , please ask your HC to simply cost every dish on the menu , it'll take time but it could save you thousands . It's not your job to do so , it's theirs . Make them prove their worth . If they refuse to do so or are unable to , then seriously question their position there . They'll lose you money .
Management Can Either Make You or Break You
'Michael basically saved my restaurant . He's relentless and leaves no stone unturned . I trusted my management way too much , and was hesitant to question them , and costs got out of control . As Mike says "Out Of Control , Means No Control" . He can cost a meal down to the last penny, it's eye opening. He EMPOWERED me to take back control and become the confident boss & person I always wanted to be . I can't thank him enough!' .. Rachel Wilson , Edinburgh.
I have total respect for management who prove themselves worthy of their title and wage . But when they can prove neither , then that's a serious issue that needs to be addressed , quickly .
Don't EVER be scared of your management including chefs, you're Paying them to do a job . It's YOUR money, NOT THEIRS. If the place closes because of their incompetence , they go elsewhere, leaving YOU and you alone to deal with the aftermath . Staff ALWAYS blame the owner for the failure , NEVER themselves .
Losing 'bad' staff is a RELIEF . NOT a Problem !
Good management always welcome me & help me to help them , it's fantastic , but doesn't always happen .
Sometimes , bad management put up a 'brick wall' upon my arrival . If they're good at their job , there's NOTHING to hide or fear . Some of the biggest ego's I've experienced , came from managers , not chef's . An ego is frequently used to 'mask' inadequacies & incompetence & I immediately see a red flag .
"Losing good people is symptomatic of only one thing: truly crap, appalling and abysmal management." - Gordon Ramsay
Diversification ... Why Not ??
A dining room is simply a room with tables & chairs . Empty it , and what do you see ? .. I see an empty space FULL of potential . Birthday parties , theme nights & small to medium business meetings to name only three . The list is ENDLESS .
If they need accommodation , organise it for them . Get a hotel discount and give them a FULL package . ALWAYS think outside the box .