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E. Determine which products that you might be able to Summary / Action Plan
downgrade in quality slightly to save money; do it! I. Increasing Sales
F. Verify that all your employees understand the proper A. Assess you current operational fundamentals, correct or
portions of ingredients to use in your menu items enhance where necessary.
1. create recipe sheets if necessary 1. store appearance
2. make sure you have the proper tools to portion accu rately 2. customer service
3. watch employees when they working 3. product quality
4. do random portion checks B. Distribute to-go menu w/ free drink coupon to 3-block
G. Check variables related to product loss due to spoilage radius once a week for one month
1. make sure your order just enough product to get through 1. owner to distribute to surrounding businesses
to your next order day (use order system that will allow 2. establish rapport with fellow business owners
you to determine usage). 3. give ½ off next purchase coupons to anyone who redeems
2. make sure you prep cook is only preparing enough items free drink coupon
to get through the day (use system that will allow you to C. Turn cashiers into marketing associates
determine usage) 1. have cashiers identify the products they like best
3. make sure your employees understand how to label a 2. inform them of their new marketing duties
rotate inventory when products are delivered a. ask customer if they would like a big one
4. make sure your employees understand how to properly b. suggest a specific food item with every beverage
wrap and store products purchase
5. make sure you employees understand how to properly 3. conduct role playing
heat and cool products safely 4. supervise each cashier to make sure they are 100% with
6. make sure your employees understand how cross contami- the marketing program
nation occurs, and how to prevent it D. Develop your coupon mock-ups for your proposed alliance
7. check to make sure all refrigeration equipment is working marketing partners (free drink)
properly 1. coupon should have proposed ally’s name/logo on it
8. conduct a daily management inspection of all products 2. coupon should project that it is being given as a gift
and equipment from your proposed ally
a. inspect all food products in refrigerators, freezer, E. Visit your proposed allies to see if they are interested
pastry case, & dry storage (check dates, smell, feel, F. Follow up with your allies weekly to see if they need
taste, determine acceptability) additional coupons
b. inspect all equipment to make sure it is functioning
properly You Are the Key to Your Success!
H. Make sure your employees understand how to get the OK, so now you have the information necessary to
maximum yield out of ingredients during preparation increase your bottom line income by at least $1000 a month!
I. Implement waste buckets and do daily trash can checks for Knowledge is power, right? No, knowledge is knowledge. It won’t
several weeks do anything for you until you put it into action!
J. Control employee product theft Use the action plan outline that you have just read to
1. make sure employee’s personal property is not stored near help you organize your activities in implementing this action
where products are stores plan. If you only get part of it implemented in the next 30 days,
2. make sure back door stay locked with a key, install alarmed that’s OK, implement the rest the following month; but don’t give
breaker-bar if necessary up, and don’t get discouraged!
3. do undercover observations of any employees working Concentrate on the individual activities, not the prize.
alone to make sure they are not carrying product out of Too often people become discouraged if they don’t see immedi-
your store ate, significant, measurable results. They simply give up before
K. Control theft of money they have applied all the principals, or allow them enough time
1. establish cashier policies/systems to make one person to work.
accountable for the cash drawer and check out Think of this plan as if it were a commitment to get into
2. observe cahiers to make sure they aren’t obscuring POS better shape. If you wanted to loose weight, and get into better
display from customers, or that they are leaving the shape, you wouldn’t expect an exercise routine to transform you
drawer open between transactions into body-beautiful within a week, or even a month. You would
3. Implement policy w/ management that no over rings understand that with commitment to the process, doing the
are to be removed from the register with the manager’s prescribed exercises without failure, that positive results will
control key be realized. Understand that the exact same type of focus, and
4. Conduct weekly audits of cash register detail tapes commitment to the process, will be necessary to get your busi-
a. look for excessive no sale indications ness in better shape. Don’t look in the mirror, just keep doing the
b. look for items being removed with management exercises!
control key
L. Look through the list of suggested other expenses to see if
you can lower; do it if possible!
M. Establish an employee consumption policy if you don’t
have one Ed Arvidson has been a leading consultant to the Specialty
N. Ask for a reduction in rent Coffee Industry for over 20 years. His company, E&C Consulting,
can be found at www.coffeebizconsultant.com
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