Everyone benefits when a server skillfully and professionally does her job to enhance the Guest's meal experience. The Guest enjoys the meal more and tips the server more. The server benefits financially and has a deep inner feeling of self-satisfaction; the feeling that only comes when you do an outstanding job. The restaurant benefits because the Guest will dine out more often and bring their friends. They will tell a lot of people about their wonderful experience and I'm sure many of them will also dine at your restaurant. Guest Satisfaction is a win/win situation. Everyone benefits. People like to talk about the good things that happen to them and they will tell their family and friends about it. They will become a Word of Mouth Ambassador for your restaurant.

When was the last time that "any" business Exceeded Your Expectations?

Let's start from the very beginning. When was the last time that "any" business Exceeded Your Expectations? In the last ten times that you dined out, did any Restaurant Exceed Your Expectations? Too many times we go to a Restaurant hoping that we will get "Adequate" Service.

Time Magazine did an article about how badly service has deteriorated throughout the United States. It was determined that Customers expect to have something go wrong. The last time that you went out to eat, did you and/or any member of your family or group leave the Restaurant raving about the Food and/or Service? Or do most Restaurants operate in a field of mediocrity.

Too many Managers do not even focus on Guest Satisfaction. They have too many "other things" to do. They manage by CRISIS. Yes, some day they are going to get around to making sure that their Guests are being totally satisfied, but right not there is just too much interference. Management does not have very high Expectations of their Employees because they just haven't had the opportunity to train them. To put this situation into the proper focus, let's compare service to a target. The quality of Service is arranged in concentric circles. The Bull's Eye of the target is Exceptional Service; the next circle is Good Service; the next circle is Awful Service.

No Restaurant is going to Aim for Awful Service. But, the trouble is that too many Managers shoot blindly at the target.

The law of averages dictates that even the best companies will sometimes deliver service and/or Food in the Awful Category. On occasion they will deliver Exceptional service and/or Exceptional food ... even if it is by accident.

If you set goals and train Employees it is very possible to be in the Exceptional Service arena. Isn't that really the goal? If you have a good Management Team. If they take training serious. If the Employees are well-trained; if the Employees have a good understanding of what "Exceptional Service" consists of and if the Employees have identified How to "Wow" the guest. The possibilities of success in delivering Exceptional Food and/or Service is improved.

Guest Satisfaction Surveys will tell you how well you are doing. If you have consistently Exceptional evaluations, then you know you are achieving your goals.

When you reach this level of Service and/or Food, then chances are that even on your "bad" days, you'll never fall below the "Good Service" category on the target. You have set standards for yourself and know that your Employees can deliver Exceptional Service and then you can raise the bar and give the Guest, "WOW, Exceptional Service!" "WOW" is the center of the Bull's Eye.

You need to set high goals, realizing that no one is perfect. Even Marriott and Disney must have unhappy Customers and service disasters some time. After all, humans do make mistakes. But, why wouldn't you set high goals? Why not set a goal to be the very best? I'm sure that you would never set a goal for awful service, so why not strive to be the very best? Why not strive to Exceed the Expectations of the Guests? Why not strive to give "WOW, Exceptional Service!"?

It's easy to think about giving this type of Service within your Restaurant so why not train your Employees to achieve it?

Fortunately, because of the terrible state of Food and Service in Restaurants today, the Expectations of the Guests are lower than what they should be and as you provide "Exceptional" and "WOW, Exceptional Service!", the Guests will recognize and appreciate it and you will begin to create positive Word-of-Mouth Advertising. Your "WOW, Exceptional Service!" will be the talk of the town.