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Chapter 7: The Food and Beverage Sector
Article: The Customer Journey to Success …Walking in the footsteps of its customers to ensure all of its restaurants deliver consistent quality service is the approach this restaurant chain used to create a nationwide brand that is consistent in high standards and service. The Customer Journey is a journey that never ends as we constantly review and update the process to ensure customers consistently receive excellent service.
OVERVIEW: Granada Hospitality manages the largest network of motorway service areas in the United Kingdom. As a contract catering business, Granada Hospitality oversees a large portfolio of companies including three key brands: Burger King; Travelodge, one of the largest budget accommodation brands in the country; and Little Chef, the leading roadside restaurant chain in the United Kingdom. Little Chef is a family style restaurant with a full menu selection ranging from all-day breakfast to traditional foods and desserts. Having grown from a single property established in 1958, Little Chef is today a chain of over 430 restaurants found on nearly every main road throughout Britain. Despite its nationwide growth, Little Chef lacked brand consistency in high standards and service. In a five year plan, involving every employee and manager in
the organization, restaurant management created a program to improve customer service through an internal auditing system. Brand consistency became a company wide focus and a program called Customer Journey is responsible for maintaining consistent customer service at each Little Chef property, be it a small site in the Scottish hills or the busiest restaurant on a holiday destination route. Customer
Journey evaluates every aspect of the customer’s experience at a Little Chef restaurant from initial arrival, to the dining experience, through to the departure from the property. IMPLEMENTATION: Customer Journey was launched nationally in spring 1997 through a series of countrywide roadshows by a team of managers and training managers, introduced by the regional director. Directly following the roadshows, each Little Chef property received a starter package containing support material for implementing the philosophy and structure of the Customer Journey program. The starter package included:
The computer based training package for all staff is an integral part of Little Chef’s brand consistency training program. It was developed by management, in conjunction with two thirds of restaurant managers, and downloaded to each Little Chef property. The self paced program takes staff anywhere from three months to a year to complete, during working hours. To ensure all staff understand the purpose of Customer Journey, the program covers theory and practical knowledge with assessments judged by the restaurant manager. Staff can retake the program until a passing grade is secured. Customer Journey had been implemented by all individual properties for 12 months prior to the program being reviewed and updated by a Standards Committee, consisting of company managers, field managers, and staff. After a year, management anticipated it would be timely to introduce the second version of the program at the annual managers conferences. During the review process, management identified a need to replace the pre-existing method of outside assessment. External companies were hired to mystery dine at Little Chef restaurants during the first year of implementing the program. While there were some benefits to outsourcing assessment, feedback was typically slow and the assessors did not seem to know enough about the restaurant business to provide quality information. By developing an in-house evaluation procedure tied directly to the objectives of the Customer Journey program, the entire evaluation process became more efficient, thereby providing more useful and accurate information. With a detailed assessment outline mirroring the Customer Journey program, management had to determine which personnel would best manage the auditing process. Site managers were considered, but it was felt their talents were best utilized in managing the delivery of quality service on-site. It was decided that the company’s restaurant manager designates - managers in training - were best suited to perform site evaluations. To launch the auditing process, 10 restaurant manager designates were trained to be auditors and work undercover for one month. Using a company car and payment vouchers each auditor was instructed to visit a designated list of locations within a two week period, completing an unannounced Customer Journey audit while on-site. Results from each audit are immediately put in the mail, using prepaid envelopes, to a central base where the score is recorded and feedback sent to the property within 24 hours. After one month, participating auditors (the restaurant manager designates), company directors, and a selection of field management attended a debriefing session where the experiences of over 900 restaurant visits were detailed in up-to-the-minute feedback. The debriefing session focused on the following topics:
As a result of the debriefing session, the audit information was recorded and distributed with action points to be resolved in a general report to all restaurants. Included in the general report, each restaurant received detailed information of their site and general information for the region and restaurant franchise as a whole. After the first 10 restaurant manager designates completed their four weeks of undercover audits, another group of 10 managers in training repeated the procedure. Characteristically, the returning restaurant manager designates came back to their place of work highly motivated to deliver quality service - having seen both good and poor service through the eyes of the customer. Because the auditing process proved to be an invaluable motivational tool, the Customer Journey auditing procedure is a core element of the restaurant manager designates fast track development program. After 120 restaurant manager designates completed undercover visits, the program continued to evolve with additional strategies implemented in various areas, including: Weekly Commentary: Weekly audit scores are distributed to field management providing up-to-date feedback regarding customer service. Restaurants reported to have performed poorly are required to provide head office with an outline of action points within the week. Audit records: To assist individual restaurants in tracking their audit findings, a write up poster board was placed in each restaurant staff room. The poster board is updated after each audit feedback is received and acknowledged by staff signatures. Some of the topic areas recorded are:
Program revisions: Each revision to the Customer Journey program is easily recognized by a change in poster colour. Hardware upgrading: In the fourth version of the Customer Journey program, new tills were placed in all Little Chef restaurants. Auditor efficiency: Auditors are provided with mobile phones allowing for immediate feedback to operations managers.
Travelodge: A Guest Journey program for Travelodges with accompanying audits is being completed by the same teams of restaurant manager designates. Measurement Process: Periodical business reviews are based on a firm measurement process. Over the years, the company has set higher benchmark standards to improve evaluations. For just over a year, scores are rewarded in four new formats.
With regular audits received bimonthly, the drive to monitor and deliver consistently good service has resulted in measurable change.
Statistics from the audits also showed which day of the week and what time of day that best and worst service is experienced. Owing to these data, changes have been made to provide more consistent service throughout the week. For example, weekend service problems were resolved by introducing more flexible contracts across the workforce. Another challenge - a lull in service during shift handover times - was resolved by assigning shift accountability to the outgoing duty manager and incorporating a shift handover section into daily shift plans, i.e. the day shift (7 a.m. - 3 p.m.) handovers to the night shift beginning at (3 p.m. - 10 a.m.). From the employee’s perspective, customer service is now a number one priority. Employees also recognize that they are constantly measured and rewarded for the service they provide. Customer Journey has become a positive buzz word for all employees. Little Chef attributes their recent accreditation by Hospitality Assured, a National Scheme for Service Excellence set up by the Hotel & Catering International Management Association (HCIMA) and the British Hospitality Association (BHA) for a Definitive Standard for Customer Service Excellence to the Customer Journey program. Little Chef was the first national restaurant chain to achieve the award. The Hospitality Assured logo is displayed on the cover of each Little Chef menu informing customers of management’s commitment to deliver consistently good service. In 1998 and 1999 Little Chef restaurants also received the Tommy Campaign award for the Best Family Restaurant in the United Kingdom. More recently, the company was named the Most Improved Brand of the Year 1999 by the British Hotel Guest Survey. As for Travelodge, management had little success replicating the Customer Journey program to fit the accommodation properties. Instead, Guest Journey has been re-launched as Travelodge Rest Assured. Similarly, the audit for Travelodge has been revamped and results are not known at this time.
- Recent customer quotes at Little Chef Restaurants
Customer Journey was developed not only as a stand-alone training program, but a company
philosophy that front line staff, field management, and head office employees all bought into and developed. Management was wise to update the program to prevent stagnation, as well as to
provide both monetary and non-monetary rewards and incentives to encourage participation. Forward thinking on Little Chef management’s part is the selection of restaurant manager
designates as the regularly scheduled auditors of Customer Journey. As noted, these managers in training returned to work motivated and possibly, more important, better equipped to conduct training from the bottom up. Chapter 7 Suggested Web Sites: 1. The Canadian Federation of Chefs and Cooks (CFCC) The Canadian Federation of Chefs and Cooks (CFFC) encourages professional standards of creativity and performance, offers a national certification program, and supports training programs to assist members with professional development issues. On the CFFC web site one may post a resume or research advertised jobs, find out information on the association leaders, and locate CFCC offices across Canada. There are also links to industry partners in the food and beverage sector of tourism. Also on-line is the CFCC magazine, ESSENCE which is published four times a year, featuring news, views, and food industry related articles of interest to the Canadian chef and cook. 2. Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) is the largest hospitality
association in Canada, with more than 15,000 members representing all types of restaurants, as well as hotels, caterers, institutions, educators, and foodservice suppliers. CRFA's mission is to
create a favourable business environment and deliver tangible value to its members. It accomplishes this through a variety of services to members, including: government lobbying on
behalf of the foodservice industry; information and research on consumer trends and industry performance; group buying programs; and national and regional trade shows. Foodservice is one
of the largest and most dynamic industries in Canada. With annual sales of more than $36 billion, foodservice represents 4% of the country’s gross domestic product and employs 6% of the
country’s workforce. Learn why the foodservice industry provides a valuable first-job experience, by visiting the CRFA web site. 3. Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) The Canadian Food Inspection Agency reports to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and is
responsible for providing safe food, consumer protection, and market access. Safe food and consumer protection are essential to the health of Canadians and contribute to marketplace
fairness. Inspection and certification of importers and exporters enhance the level of confidence in agricultural inputs, animal and plant health, and food safety, elements essential to marketplace
confidence. The legislative authorities provide health, social and economic benefits for all Canadians. Visit the CRIA web site and lean about CFIA acts and regulations along with all the
areas of their jurisdiction. There is lots of useful food safety information for consumers and a link for Travellers - learn what one can and cannot bring back when travelling outside of Canada. 4. Canadian Food Service Executives Association (CFSEA) and Kostuch Publications Limited For 25 years, Kostuch Publications Limited has been the industry leader in hospitality and foodservice communications. Through its flagship publications, Foodservice and Hospitality, and
its sister magazine, Hotelier, Kostuch reaches more than 35,000 hospitality professional in Canada and the United States each month. In addition to the above four-colour magazines and
www.foodserviceworld.com, Kostuch also produces a number of research, specialty and other industry publications and reports. Kostuch is also very active on the international scene with
groups such as the 1.5 million member World Association of Cooks Societies, other international associations and major industry events and shows. Visit this web site to access these
publications and navigate through the detailed site map to refine your search for food and beverage related associations, and scheduled trade shows. Access the current events links for
updates on industry events such as conferences, educational seminars, culinary salons, and workshops - providing the principal learning and networking opportunity for everyone in the
business. Industry events such as conferences, educational seminars, culinary salons, trade shows and workshops provide the principal learning and networking opportunity for everyone in the business. 5. Hospitality Industry Education Advisory Committee (H.I.E.A.C.) The Hospitality Industry Education Advisory Committee (HIEAC) was established in 1976 as a
non-profit society by the hospitality and tourism association. Membership representation from eight industry associations include: The BC Cabaret Owners Association; The BC Chefs
Association; The BC Motels, Campground and Resort Association; The BC & Yukon Hotels Association; The Neighbourhood Pub Owners Association of BC; The Restaurant and
Foodservices Association of BC; The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association; and The Canadian Food Service Executives Association. Each representing association provides a
volunteer, thus forming the board of directors who provide guidance, direction and input to HIEAC. The association is credited for producing the correspondence version of Serving It Right - The
Responsible Beverage Service Program, FOODSAFE Level I correspondence program and has worked with Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) on Hospitality Professional
Development Training Projects. This site provides links to on-line training opportunities, licensing, the FOODSAFE and Serving it Right programs, and answers to frequently asked questions. 6. Vincent’s Cookbook Vincent’s Cookbook is a special blend of recipes form Restaurant Nights hosted by second and
third year students in the Tourism and Hospitality Management program at Mount Saint Vincent University. The recipes are a selection of those used during the past three years in the two
required courses of the program. These courses train students to plan and run a Restaurant Night in the university’s teaching lab - Vincent’s Restaurant. Visit this web site to find out more
information on the cookbook and the Tourism and Hospitality Management program at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. 7. The Cooking & Culinary School Directory The CookingSchools.com International Page is your one stop shop for culinary education
resources for students coming to America and for American students going abroad. There is a direct link to a Directory of Cooking Schools in Canada - a basic site but quickly allows you to
get to the schools by map or by list of provinces. The web site also features two links to Work Futures, BC Occupational Outlooks. These include: Nature of the Work: Bakers - a detailed
article about being a baker in British Columbia with sections on duties, job titles, education, and working conditions; and Nature of the Work: Chefs and Cooks - good, detailed article about being
a chef in British Columbia with sections on duties, job titles, education, working conditions, and more. There are also international food glossaries for Foreign Food Terms - a list of menu terms
with translations for French, German, Italian, and Spanish and Italian Cooking Glossary Terms. Check out these and other useful links on this web site for the food and beverage sector. 8. Hard Rock Café Become a Hard Rocker by signing up on-line and learn about the phenomenal growth of this
theme restaurant. Currently, there are 104 Hard Rock Cafes in 36 countries, combining rock music sensibilities, memorabilia from top musical artists of the last 40 years, classic American
food, and a commitment to widespread altruistic causes. At Hard Rock, music is truly the universal language, and perhaps nothing ultimately defines Hard Rock better than music. 9. Restaurants Galore The University of Nevada Las Vegas has a global on-line posting of restaurants and dining
reservations systems. One will find cafes and diners, chains, contract food services, delis, ethnic restaurants, family restaurants, fast food, franchises, grills, guides and reservation services,
independents, international restaurants and guides, personal pages about restaurants, and more. Students researching the food service industry will find this site a good starting point. 10. National Restaurant Association (NRA) The National Restaurant Association (NRA) was created in 1923 by industry leaders who recognized that there are some things restaurateurs can do better when working together than they can do working alone. To this day, that credo serves as a basic principle for the Association as it continues to serve its members by representing, educating, and promoting the restaurant industry. The NRA is the leading source for research and information on the restaurant industry. Search the NRA web site and one will find a wealth of useful research and facts on current issues facing the industry, trends, quality control measures, publications available, training and certification, government affairs, and related internet sites. At the bottom of each page in the NRA site is the handy option of searching at restaurant.org. The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, located in Chicago, develops and provides educational training programs. Check out the NRA’s Educational Foundation web site at http://www.edfound.org/ . The Educational Foundation has links to various career and training information available through the NRA.
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