How Staff and Guest Correlation Contributes in Biz

Providing customer experience is very critical today with trained manpower and quality time delivered to them. Now, when more than 50 per cent of the crowd eating at a restaurant or a pub is well versed with the food he is having there needs to be a correlation with staff and guests at the pub. “I think in today’s time as compared to decades back it’s about crafting experiences. It’s not just crafting beers at pub these days but also the food, the ambience, the music as it is not only the rock band playing centre stage to the entertainment industry but there is workshops happening, there is poetry competitions happening and there is a new horizon of experience based entertainment which is going around,” shares Pravesh Pandey of Big BrewSky.  

Rise of the fine-casual segment

There is the whole pub culture taking the next stand in the market which is full of innovation. It was like 20 years ago when wine was introduced and there was so much of education going on. Microbrewery is growing at 20-25 per cent year on year and there is huge potential of creating something which is so beautiful and it’s just beginning of this. There are chefs who are taking beer into the kitchen and doing special menus and lots more on the food and the beverages side.

Also, there is lots of term being coined in the industry. There is this segment of fine casual coming where people want nice ambience but they don’t want to pay too much. Customers today like more relaxed atmosphere. “I think in any industry it’s the experience that you provide to the customers that sets you apart,” says Nirupa Shankar, Director, High Ultra lounge. There is a need of service being taken to the different level where the restaurants service staffs are interacting with the customer on an eye to eye level. They are not just taking the orders but also befriending with customers and that’s the only way one can keep their customers intact. “It’s not just the conversation but the knowledge. Getting staff understand what they are selling and how they interact with the customers,” adds Shankar.

It’s more than Just Food

Nobody comes to a restaurant these days looking for false ceiling and furniture anymore. Customers need a friendly service and food, comfortable and relaxed evening. Hence, restaurant owners and chefs have to raise the bar of the service level drawing a thin line between being over friendly and professional. “Training goes a long way and brands must invest into training. Also, educating customers on the product is very important,” points Meenakshi Raju of The Bierre Club.

Commenting on the same Collin Timms of Pecos says, “Our priority is to get the format right. We are not poised for expansion. We opened our second outlet after seven years of Pecos becoming successful. The next big thing is the kind of self classification”, adding that the we need to understand that we live in a very complex culture with many different layers and we in the F&B industry need to define ourselves and cater to each player there and develop a expertise in that.