The hospitality industry is ever-changing and to ensure you stay ahead of your competitors, the first step is to be aware of what’s happening both inside and outside of the industry.
The top dining trends have been recently revealed by the Eating Out in Australia 2017 magazine, so we picked the top 5 worth a mention for a successful 2017;
- Staffing problems will not go away
We know that people are the backbone of any business, and in the hospitality industry the calibre of your employees could not be more important. They are what will keep your customers coming back to your venue time and time again. With high staff turnover across the industry as well as poor work ethic, especially regarding casual staff, the question is how do you retain the high performing employees and improve those who are lacking?
High performing employees are hard to come by and when you have them, you want to do your best to ensure that they stick around. The most straightforward way is to ask them how YOU can help them do their job better / more easier. There may be something they are unhappy with – and a minor adjustment is certainly worth keeping a high performing employee. Often hard-working employees will also be ambitious and may want to move up within your venue. So what better way to utilise a great employee than to transition them to a management position?
Investing in training for your team is the number one way to engage your employees. Give them a goal, a common interest and more confidence to do what you’ve asked them to. Reward them well – sometimes with monetary value, sometimes it’s letting the whole team know how they have impacted the business with a public ‘thank you’. Everyone feels valued in a different way, so with a bit of nurturing, your worst staff members could turn into some of your best.
- Healthier food is no fad
Eating healthier is certainly not a trend that will be going out of fashion any time soon. People are eating healthier and that’s a fact. The interest in healthy food is increasing – this is obvious when you see fast food chains which are known for their unhealthy menus now providing a healthier option. Your venue’s menu should take this into consideration, ensuring it reflects the changing tastes of your customers and the trends are all pointing to fresh, good quality ingredients.
- The old cuisines are declining
As well as consumers eating healthier, people are also now eating LESS of older cuisines such as Chinese and Italian food. Although these cuisines are still popular, modern Australian cuisine is growing in popularity. A venue’s menu can be a significant deciding factor for customers as to whether they pay a visit to your venue or go somewhere else.
- The virtual world meets the physical experience
The world is continuously moving online and customers are looking for venues who are digitally friendly. Having an online presence is becoming increasingly more important – consumers research venues online, they read online reviews, check out your menu, and more and more they are booking online. Does your website have these capabilities? Can we split a bill easily if we come in a big group? Can you get instant confirmations for peace of mind? If not, you may be losing potential customers.
- Customers are becoming harder to please
It’s no secret that customers are becoming more demanding. They expect more and in-turn are more likely to make a complaint if they don’t get what they want. With the range of different options that are available, customers are spoiled for choice.
I know it’s a scary notion, but are you making it EASY and, more importantly, inviting your customers to tell you what they think? For too long we have dismissed bad feedback as the customer being difficult or too demanding (and that’s just the 10% who actually tell you!). Make getting real honest feedback a focus in 2017, and show your customers you actually care by using that information to be better.
These 5 simple trends are not ground-breakingly new – but tried and tested concepts that must not be ignored any longer.
Thinking of kicking off with some fresh new concepts in 2017? Talk to us how we can make that happen for you through training, planning or if you don’t know where to start, by reviewing what you’re currently doing and where you need to be. Contact one of our consultants at DWS on (07) 3878 9355, or email info@dws.net.au.
