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Here’s the free November 2005 edition
of the Sullivision
E-Newsletter
you signed up for. Check out our e-news archives, quote
of the day, product catalog and free downloads at
www.Sullivision.com 
Become
Brilliant at the
Basics
this
Holiday
Season
By Jim
Sullivan - CEO Sullivision.com
Well, it’s getting to be that time of
year once again, when stores and malls are so lit up,
it’s hard to tell if they’re celebrating the birth of
Jesus or General Electric.
Still, Thanksgiving through New Year’s is a peak
period business-wise for most foodservice operators, so
this month let’s focus on the Little Things That Count
when you’re busiest and how to Be Brilliant at the
Basics even when you’re not.
 Food safety is
job one. You can’t build business or
sell or serve anything in a closed restaurant. Food
safety is never unimportant, but the busier we are the
more important safe food handling becomes. Reinforce it
daily with your team.
Make hay while the sun
shines. If this time of year finds you
extremely busy and teeming with new and current
customers, take advantage of the opportunity by making
sure that everyone is bringing their “A” game to work
everyday. In your pre-shift crew meetings focus on
service and how to build repeat business. Treat every
customer who comes in the next 4 weeks with TLC and
hospitality so that they return—with their friends--in
January, February and March.
Holiday’s Hire
Power. If this is one of the busiest
times of the year for you and your operation, it means
you’re not only selling more food and beverage, you’re
also selling your restaurant as a place to work after
the holidays. Treat everyone as if they sign
paycheck…because ultimately they do.
Pre-shift meetings are
mandatory. The best managers today are
less focused on being in charge and more focused on
helping employees be charged up. The best managers set
goals for every shift, share them with their crew, and
detail how they’ll accomplish them together. Ideally
this is accomplished  with both the
front-of-the-house and the kitchen crew daily in a 3
minute pre-shift meeting.
(For a free pre-shift meeting daily
planner template visit our Home Page at
www.sullivision.com). While you’re there, check out
our brand new manager training DVD called JUMPSTART! The
Art of Effective Pre-Shift Meetings. It’s only
$99 if you order by December 31, 2005.
It’s the perfect Holiday gift for your restaurant
because it’s guaranteed to pay for itself in less than
30 days. It’s the gift that can be opened again and
again. Click
HERE to order the Jumpstart
DVD.
To sell is to
serve. If your business balloons the
next 5 weeks, make dang sure your servers and/or
drive-through crew is well-versed on how to suggest
starters, beverages, and desserts. Train
them daily in your pre-shift meetings to suggest and
sell. Have fun team sales contests; post
last month’s “sales per hour” or guest check average and
encourage the team to beat that total. I call the
contest “BOB”: Better Our Best.
 Grin
and win. Have fun with your customers
and crew every day during this holiday season and year
‘round.
“Having a good time is the best motivator
there is,” says Dave Longaberger, CEO, The Longaberger
Co. “When people feel good about a company, they produce
more”.
The best of the Season to
you and yours from your friends at Sullivision.com,
where leaders go to learn. Thanks
for your continued support! Check out our free
downloads, newsletter archives and quote of the
day.
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Q: How many real estate agents does it
take to change a lightbulb?
says yes and asks the bartender to line
up ten pints of Guinness.
Immediately the Irishman tears into all ten of the
pint glasses, drinking them all
back-to-back. The other pub patrons cheer as
the Texan sits in amazement. The Texan gives the Irishman the
$500 ands says, “If you don’t mind me asking,
where did you go for that thirty minutes you were
gone?” The
Irishman replies, “Oh…I went to the pub down the
street to see if I could do it first.”
