Positivity…Patience…Perception…Passion….The 4 P’s

The 4 P’s were initially (and as presented here) created for the restaurant industry. While this adabldoya entry is all about the 4 P’s for hospitality workers, we can imagine The 4 P’s are relatable for many paths and walks of life.

Your level of Positivity makes a difference.

• Will affect the Guests….
  • They will feel your vibe and reflect it back to you
  • It will make them feel happy and more at ease
  • When guests are relaxed and confident in you, you make more $$

• Will affect Teammates.
  • They too feel your vibe, but absorb it and carry it around with them.
  • If you are negative, it is like a mental virus, and by infecting one team member, it can spread it to others. So leave your negativity outside of work to avoid infecting the whole team.
  • No one’s issues are big enough to sacrifice the integrity of the whole staff, so brush off the small stuff (bad tip, slow bar, miss-cooked food…) and communicate accordingly. Trust your teammates want you to be positive too.

• Will affect Your $$….
  • By spreading positivity to your guests you increase your chances for a higher gratuity percentage
  • By spreading positivity to your coworkers makes their guests’ happier and more likely to be a repeat guest due to positive experiences

Having Patience in Hospitality is Important:

• Understand that losing your patience affects your level of Positivity. We are selling food and drinks to people who want to relax and enjoy, and all staff members aim to achieve the best outcome for guests and teammates. 

• It shows great strength to have control instead of getting upset or frustrated. Have faith that your team will support you in time of need. We’re all in the same boat. 

• You must remember that you are not the only person working, so if you lose control in a situation, please do not disrupt the entire business. Instead, communicate your problem nicely to a manager or team lead and proceed with proper positive business practices. 

Having Patience with your guests is what they expect.

• Try to put yourself in the guest’s shoes, and imagine how you would want to be treated.
  • Making suggestions and asking questions are good ways to know more about what your guests’ needs and expectations are….and try to moderate your back and forth, over-explaining, etc. 
  • Even if they don’t take your recommendation, try to accommodate their requests/needs with knowledgeable suggestions and positive communication….and don’t hesitate to ask a manager for support. 

• Understand that no one person is the same. Keep an open mind and be perceptive
  • The more people you are in front of, the more types of personalities you can become accustomed to, and the easier it will be for you to adjust to each person’s needs and maintain control. In every situation, staying consistent with our service sequence and standards is an easy way to maintain your (and the restaurant’s) reputation. 

• Never act rushed in front of guests. Walk, talk and move with grace and elegance.
  • It’s OK to politely excuse yourself tableside if you have other priorities to accomplish.
  • Always yield to guests while moving through the dining room.

The Patience your guests have with you

• If you feel like you have been ignoring a table due to a heavy work load, make sure to thank them for their patience the next time you approach that table. By doing this you show your guest that you recognize your tardiness and care about them.

• Proper communication about food delivery times, bar drinks or any special situations will help to maintain your guest’s patience with you. If your guest loses their patience with you, it’s most likely due to poor communication on our part. 

The guests Perception is what builds our restaurants reputation

• By following service standards (and being consistent in executing those standards correctly) the whole staff will be able to deliver a consistent level of service to each guest that visits our restaurant. Remember, if it’s their second visit, they will want equal or better service than the last time.

• “If it quacks like a duck, it must be a duck”. Being professional and having regard for your guest will make them feel important. Ideally each guest should arrive and leave having confidence in our restaurant. 

• Don’t forget…all team members should have concern for what the guest’s perception is because the more people return to our restaurant, the more they can enjoy themselves, the more friends they tell to give us a visit, the more business our restaurant receives, and eventually the more money we will all make. $$

Understanding Teammates Perception will help you succeed

• Understanding the function of each position and the abilities of each employee, will allow you to execute your job more efficiently. It’s always best to ask the right person for a correct answer.

• If we all lead by example, then we would all be ideal teammates. It’s my experience that those who lead by example are willing to help others maintain focus to achieve our greater goal. $$

• Talking to teammates and asking them questions about their service techniques, or their past service experiences will help you manicure your method of service. A rising tide floats all boats.

The Perception you should have within yourself

• Our restaurant is a place of business and our guests arrive ready to relax, enjoy, and spend money. 

• We respect our restaurant, teammates and guests by practicing refined service techniques, using top quality products in the kitchen and bar. 

• Stay positive, patient, professional, have confidence, and be prepared for anything. 

• Confidence = product knowledge + understanding proper procedures and standards

• Be Prepared = come to work with all appropriate tools to fulfill your duties

• If you can see it, hear it or smell it, so can your guest. If you keep yourself clean, your language clean, and our restaurant clean, our reputation will be clean.

If you have Passion for service, our restaurant will continue to be popular and pleasant.

• The restaurant industry is fueled by passion. A relentless drive for excellence and a love for the art of hospitality are what transform a simple visit to a restaurant into an unforgettable experience. 
• True excellence isn’t built overnight….It’s forged daily by learning from one another, knowing our product, anticipating guest trends, and practicing/executing our service standards. Our passion dictates our trajectory; without it, we stall. With it, we flourish.
• Fine dining tableside service is a prestigious art form. Every touchpoint is an opportunity to redefine expectations and shape how our guests feel. By sharing this art with unwavering passion and consistency, we create a brilliance that sets us apart from the competition and builds lifelong guest loyalty. Our teammates commit to mastering the craft and participate in making our restaurant thrive.

In conclusion, all 4 P’s are very important and they all work together to build and strengthen our restaurant’s reputation. Mastering the 4 P’s will allow our restaurant’s team members to be more professional and profitable. So remember to be happy, to take your time, to keep an open mind and to embrace the art of service, because our restaurant’s goal is to be successful and have successful teammates.