Empower the employees with the freedom to do whatever needs to be done to Exceed the Expectations of the Guest. This is a success factor in your restaurant marketing.

Management's leadership and example is important; they need to define exactly what "WOW, Exceptional Service!" is and then to communicate that definition very clearly to every employee. Then, empower every employee so they can give "WOW, Exceptional Service!", in a sincere, warm, spontaneous manner to the guest.

A lot of thought and detail must be given to the Guest Dining Cycle to ensure "WOW, Exceptional Service!" It is going to take a lot of effort and planning on the part of every employee, but, once this is accomplished, it is just a matter of personalized execution. When the guest leaves your restaurant, they should leave feeling that they are your favorite customer. This should be the ultimate goal in your restaurant marketing.

What do you need to do to provide "WOW, Exceptional Service?"

• You need to make every guest feel special.
• You must define your standards for the Guest Dining Cycle.
• You need to integrate into the Guest Dining Cycle some "Extras" that will give the guest the distinct impression that they are the most important person in the restaurant.

What are some of these "Extras"?

It is flattering to a guest if you remember his name. "Hello, Mr. Brown" sounds a lot more personal and welcoming than an impersonal "Good afternoon" or "Good evening".

Know and use the Guest's names:

When attempting to remember a customer's name, you should always first make sure that you have the name right. Repeat the name aloud, and use it if possible and study the customer's face for details, making it a point to notice any outstanding characteristics of the guest.

You'll also find it helpful to look for any outstanding personality traits and take note of the customer's height, weight, and manner of speaking.

It often helps to write the name down on a slip of paper, say it over to yourself several times, and visualize the customer's face. In this way your mind is associating the visual image with the audio message, and this will make it easier for you to link the face to the name the next time you see that customer. If necessary, write the name phonetically so you (or anyone) will know how to pronounce it properly.

You can also remember a customer's name by a process of associations. Make an effort to associate the name with:

• that of a well known person
• a word which is spelled or pronounced the same
• someone you know
• a word which rhymes
• a word that means the same