The 10 best upselling strategies

1. Know Which Menu Items Have High Profit Margins

When upselling, you want to suggest menu items that have the best profit margins so that you are increasing your
profits to the maximum potential. This means knowing which items you sell that have the best profit margins and
training your wait staff on this as well.

When taking the customer’s order, servers can suggest items with the highest profit margins instead of items that make
less of a profit. For example, if a customer is deciding on which wine to purchase, the server can suggest the wine with a
high profit margin and give a short description of why it’s a good wine to purchase.

You would never say that you are suggesting this wine because of the profit margins, as this would be a turn-off for
customers. Always have a good description of the flavour or enjoyment that the customer would get from purchasing
your suggested menu item.

2. Offer Extras

When a customer orders a specific menu item, the server can offer a variety of extras that could accompany the meal
that the customer has asked for. Offering extras to customers is a good way to increase the cost of the meal that the
customer wishes to purchase.

For example, with pasta dishes the server can suggest to addition of shrimp in the pasta or garlic bread on the side, with
meals that come with fries the server can suggest adding gravy or making it into a poutine and with salad orders the
server can suggest the addition of chicken to the salad.

When extras are suggested, the customer is more likely to order them thereby increasing the amount that the customer
is paying for their meal. This is a simple way that servers can help to upsell without sounding too annoying to the
customer.

3. Offer Specific Items

When the server uses generalities, like simply asking if the customer wants drinks or dessert, it is easier for the customer
to refuse, therefore losing the restaurant the increased profits that come from upselling.

It is more effective if the server suggests specific items when recommends courses that the customer has not already
ordered. For example, when asking if the customer would like a drink order, the server should suggest a specific drink
that they think the customer would like.

When the customer has a specific option recommended to them, they are more likely to accept it. With desserts, the
server should suggest a dessert on the menu and, if possible, show the customer a picture of the item in the menu.

By suggesting a specific item and showing the customer a picture of it, you are enticing the customer more into
purchasing it. By offering specific items, the customer does not have to think about what they want and will be more
likely to order what has been suggested to them.

4. Be Enthusiastic About the Items You Are Suggesting

Never underestimate the power of an enthusiastic server in upselling at your restaurant. If the server sounds bored or
uninterested with the items they are suggesting, the customer will get a bad impression and will be less likely to order
those items.

In addition, it could leave a bad impression overall, with the customer feeling like the waiter does not really enjoy the
food that they are serving or suggesting. Having an enthusiastic waitstaff is an important component to effective
upselling in your restaurant.
Servers who are enthusiastic about the menu items, and seem genuinely happy and excitedhappy waiter about how
they taste, will be able to get the customer more excited to try the items they are suggesting. Servers who love the food
they are serving create customers who love to try their suggestions.

When your servers are suggesting items to the customers, have them describe how good the food is as if they ate it
earlier in the day. Impressing on customers that the servers have tried all of the food will make customers more readily
trust the suggestions and be more likely to purchase them.

5. Know What Items to Upsell at What Times

When your servers are taking the customers’ orders, they need to be aware of the right items to suggest and the right
times to do so. Suggesting dessert when a customer first sits down will not be effective because customers are not likely
to want to eat dessert before their meal.

Training your servers on what items upsell best at what times means that you are more likely to be able to capture the
potential for extra profits that upselling presents. When a customer first sits down, this is the time to offer them a drink
from the bar or an appetizer. After they finish eating, but before you bring the check, offer them dessert and tea or
coffee.

Ensure that your servers know which menu items sell in each of these areas so that they can suggest items that will be
more likely to be accepted by the customer. For example, at a high class dinner restaurant offer to bring a bottle of wine
to the table when the customer’s first sit down.

Since they haven’t had a chance to look at the menu yet, they will be more open to the wine choice that you suggest and
you can upsell a highly profitable bottle. Plus, customers often like to have a drink while they are looking at the menu, so
when they first sit down is the perfect time to offer them wine with a better likelihood that they will accept.

6. Do Not Annoy the Customer

There is a fine line between effective upselling techniques and annoying the customer to whom you are making
suggestions. It is important to know the difference because you do not want to annoy your customers to the point
where it leaves a bad impression and they do not want to come back to your restaurant.

Customers do not want to be constantly bombarded with suggestions and attempts to upsell annoyed customerand will
become unhappy with your restaurant if this happens. Training your servers to know how many suggestions they can
make and at what times they should make them before they become annoying is an important part of effective
upselling.

It is important to ensure that the upselling techniques are inserted naturally into the conversations with customers so
that they do not even realize that the server is upselling to them. When servers make upselling seem like a natural part
of the conversation, they are less likely to annoy the customer and more likely to make upselling work.

7. Mention Takeout Options

One barrier to upselling is that customers are full by the end of the meal or they don’t want to over-indulge by ordering
dessert after their meal. This is a barrier that is easily overcome by offering a take-out option.

When customers say that they do not want dessert at the end of the meal, offer them the option to take it home for
later. Most customers actually take awaydo want to order the dessert, but they are either too full or don’t want to seem
like they eat too much so they choose not to order it instead.

By allowing and encouraging customers to take dessert or coffee and tea to go, you can convince more customers to
order something that they already really want. While the server is asking if the customer wants dessert they should also
suggest that they can have it packed up for the customer to take home.
This way the customer can wait for the dessert while they are waiting for the bill and everything will be ready at the
same time. Giving customers the option to take food home means that they are more likely to order it and increases the
profits for your restaurant.

8. Suggest Other Courses that the Customer Hasn’t Ordered

Another effective upselling technique is to suggest options for courses that the customer has not already ordered. By
doing this, you can increase your profits by convincing the customer to order every possible course that you offer at
your restaurant. If the customer only orders water or soft drinks suggest a drink from the bar as well.

They may be more likely to order something if it is suggested to them than if they have to think of it themselves while
looking at the menu. When the customer places their meal order also ask if they would like to start with an appetizer
that can be brought out before their meals are ready.

For customers who are hungry, suggesting an appetizer that will be ready faster than their mealchef is a good way to
upsell to them. Finally, once customers are done eating, before asking if they would like their bill, ask them if they would
like tea, coffee or dessert.

Customer may not have thought of ordering the course you are suggesting and other customers are more willing to
order something when it is suggested to them. Having your servers ask these questions is a good way to implement
effective upselling techniques.

9. Train Servers Regularly

Training servers regularly is an extremely important aspect to effective upselling in your restaurant. As the ones who
converse with the customers regularly, your servers are the most important tool you have at your disposal to increase
your profits through effective upselling.

Make sure that your servers know what is on the menu, the specials that you are offering and that they have tried the food
so that they can easily make suggestions to the customer. Also ensure they they are trained on how to upsell to
customers without annoying the customer.

You should make sure that they are trained on when to suggest items, which items to suggest and how to upsell without
the customer noticing. By having servers who are well-trained on upselling techniques you will be in a better position to
effectively take advantage of the profit opportunity that upselling presents.

10. Make Assumptions About the Order

This is a technique that should be done cautiously so as not to offend the customer. Making assumptions does not mean
that you just add an item to the customer’s bill and deliver it to them without ensuring that they want it.

Making assumptions means that when taking a customer’s order the server should make an assumptive statement to
the customer about what they are ordering. For example, if the customer asks for a salad the server can say “You would
like chicken in the salad, correct?”.

When faced with a statement like this the customer is more likely to agree to the upsell. This can also be done when
customers order drinks by making an assumptive statement to them about making their drink with a higher priced
alcohol. When servers make assumptive statements to the customer about their order they are more likely to go along
with it then if the server were to ask “which vodka do you want that made with?”.
 10 interviewing rules

Advance prep will help you stay calm during your next job interview.
In the current job market, you'd better have your act together, or you won't stand a chance against the
competition. Be prepared to the best of your ability. There is no way to predict what an interview holds, but by
following these important rules you will feel less anxious and will be ready to positively present yourself. Check
yourself on these 10 basic points before you go on that all-important interview.

1. Do your research- Researching the company before the interview and learning as much as possible about
its services, products, customers and competition will give you an edge in understanding and addressing the
company's needs. The more you know about the company and what it stands for, the better chance you have
of selling yourself in the interview. You also should find out about the company's culture to gain insight into
your potential happiness on the job.

2. Look sharp- Select what to wear to the interview. Depending on the industry and position, get out your best
interview clothes and check them over for spots and wrinkles. Even if the company has a casual environment,
you don't want to look like you slept in your outfit. Above all, dress for confidence. If you feel good, others will
respond to you accordingly.

3. Be prepared- Bring along a folder containing extra copies of your resume, a copy of your references and
paper to take notes. You should also have questions prepared to ask at the end of the interview. For extra
assurance, print a copy of Monster's handy interview take-along checklist.

4. Be on time- Never arrive late to an interview. Allow extra time to arrive early in the vicinity, allowing for
factors like getting lost. Enter the building 10 to 15 minutes before the interview.

5. Show enthusiasm- A firm handshake and plenty of eye contact demonstrate confidence. Speak distinctly in
a confident voice, even though you may feel shaky.

6. Listen- One of the most neglected interview skills is listening. Make sure you are not only listening, but also
reading between the lines. Sometimes what is not said is just as important as what is said.

7. Answer the question asked- Candidates often don't think about whether they are actually answering the
questions their interviewers ask. Make sure you understand what is being asked, and get further clarification if
you are unsure.

8. Give specific examples- One specific example of your background is worth 50 vague stories. Prepare your
stories before the interview. Give examplesthat highlight your successes and uniqueness. Your past behavior
can indicate your future performance.

9. Ask questions- Many interviewees don't ask questions and miss the opportunity to find out valuable
information. The questions you askindicate your interest in the company or job.

10. Follow up- Whether it's through email or regular mail, the interview follow-up is one more chance to
remind the interviewer of all the valuable traits you bring to the job and company. Don't miss this last chance to
market yourself.
 Answering the phone and responding to inquiries

Telephone always plays a very important part in hospitality industry. People all over the world call for making
booking or asking for information or transferring messages to the guests or for various other purposes. If you
work at the hotel you certainly have to answer the telephone calls. It happens mostly with front desk staff but
also in the back office. Here you can find some basic techniques and some useful tips while answering any call
in the hotel business.
DO-s

 Answer the telephone promptly within three rings

 Say the name of the hotel, your name and appropriate greetings
 Always have pen and paper in hand to make the records
 Listen carefully, pay close attention to the details being expressed by the caller
 Make the callers feel that they have your undivided attention, mention the name of the caller, if possible
 If you have to ask the caller to hold, explain, why. Wait for the callers agreement before putting him/her
on hold
 If you say that you call back do it as soon as possible, tell the caller the approximate time you can do it.
 Repeat back in any details and follow up in writing (if necessary).
 Close the conversation politely. Always say "thank you for calling".
 Never give wrong information, if you don't know the answer, transfer the caller to the right person.

DON'T-s

 Let the telephone ring more than three times

 Answer the phone with "hello" or "yes".
 Ask the caller to hold on while you scramble for pen and paper
 Say "hold on" and leave the caller wondering if he/she is still being attended
 Forget to call back
 Say you cannot help and not offer the caller to someone who can.
 Say "he hasn't come in yet" or "she hasn't come back from lunch yet" or "he/she is in the toilet". People
don't want to know the reason and are given a wrong impression.
 Hang up without thanking the caller for calling
 Keep talking to another person while answering the phone
 Eating something while answering the phone.
 Practical Ways to Handle Customer Complaints in a Restaurant

Excellent food and a great location are must-haves for any successful restaurant, but good customer service is
just as important.

One of the most important parts of giving great customer service is knowing how to deal effectively with
customer complaints. Things are bound to go wrong once in a while no matter how hard you try. Food gets
burned, orders get forgotten in the middle of a dinner rush, or new servers simply forget all their training.

No matter the reason for the complaint, send your customer home knowing that, yes, there was a problem, but
it is not typical of your establishment. Let her know that you, the owner, value her comments and her business.

How you handle customer complaints will determine if the customer comes back to your restaurant.

Listen to Your Diners- Listen to what your customer has to say. You have to listen, with your full attention,
even — and especially — if you can’t fix the problem.

Maybe a customer is displeased because there was a waiting line. There isn’t much you can do about that
except let him vent, but make eye contact and nod while he does it.

The Customer Is Always Right- This basic rule of customer service is particularly important to keep in
mind when the complaint is petty and teetering on the verge of being outright ridiculous.

The important thing is that your customer is unhappy. Commiserate with him that the guy four tables over is too
loud. He's right, so offer to move him to another table a little farther away.

You might even consider thanking him for his constructive advice if you can manage to sound sincere.
Anything less than commiseration or — if you can manage it — a solution will only rile him up more, and
that's not in your restaurant's best interests. You want your customers to go away talking about how great your
food was, not that crazy guy seated a couple of tables over that no one could shut up.

Be Aware of Body Language- The way you stand and look at a customer can speak more than words.
Don’t cross your arms over your chest if you're feeling defensive. Avoid the urge to roll your eyes if
you're feeling exasperated. Nod and smile no matter how irritated you might feel. This shows that you value
her opinion and her business.
Be Empathetic — He Might Just Be Hangry- Remember that customer who was so upset over the long
waiting line? Offer an apology: “I understand that you're not happy about the wait, sir, but we're working as fast
as we can to get you a table. We really appreciate your patience and willingness to wait. Perhaps you'd like to
have a drink at the bar until your table is ready? We'll call you as soon as your table is ready.”

You've demonstrated that you completely understand his frustration, that you're working on the situation, and
you've offered something of a solution. And keep in mind that a long waiting line is a really good thing for your
restaurant to have. That might improve your mood.

Offer Some Freebie Appetizers or Drinks- The best route is usually to apologize and offer some sort of
compensation when a customer has a problem that could have been prevented, such as an overcooked steak
or a snippy server. Freebies don't have to cost you a lot of money, and they'll go a long way toward assuring
future business.

Consider offering the long-waiting-line customer a free round of drinks while he sits at the bar. How much will it
really cost you? You might also offer a free dessert, a gift certificate for a future visit, merchandise such as a
beer glass or a T-shirt, or to take a certain percentage off his meal. The extent of your gift should correspond
with the magnitude of the problem the customer experienced.

When All Else Fails - Every once in a while, you'll encounter a truly angry customer who declares, “I’m
never coming back!” Maybe she's justified, but maybe she's not. Freebies probably aren't going to change her
mind. Calmly assure the customer that you understand her frustration. Offer an apology — again — and let her
know that you'd love to see her again if she changes her mind.

The idea is to keep the situation from escalating. You don't want to let her get so worked up and loud that
every other diner in your establishment begins to wonder what you did wrong. And there's a very good chance
that she'll try your restaurant again when her anger has cooled if you send her off on a calm, courteous note.

Keep in Touch - No, you probably don't want anything more to do with that customer, but it's in your best
interest to reach out to her again. Her anger has almost certainly evaporated after a few days or a week — at
least it's not at a fever pitch.

Get contact information for your unhappy customer before she departs. Reach out to her later, even if it's just
by email. Apologize again and keep it short and simple: "I wanted to thank you again for stopping by. If there's
anything we can do to improve your experience next time, please reach out to me at this number in advance so
that I can personally make sure that your experience is as pleasant as possible."

It might sound like a lot of effort for one disgruntled customer, but word of mouth is king. Your response to
customer service complaints could go a long way toward ensuring that your business stays profitable.