Changing Concepts,
to Upgrade a Business

By Lloyd M. Gordon, restaurant consultant

My friends often call me a glutton for punishment because I seek out and suffer gastronomic and empirical abuse. Recently, I visited a fast food restaurant that had been opened for a few years. My perception of the place was that the food was barely edible, the appearance just short of condemnation and the service almost mediocre. All-in-all, it was nothing to write an article about.

I Received A Surprise

Last week by chance, I revisited that restaurant. The ownership was the same but business activity had skyrocketed. The facility proudly flaunted a lively new menu, attractive decorations, clever neon signage, enthusiastic employees and a restaurant full of customers.

"What happened?", I asked the gentleman I remembered as the owner from my former visit. The ebullient proprietor replied "I bought into a new concept and it revitalized the business."

I smiled as I thought, "That certainly is a startling way to solve a restaurant's aches and pains - change your old ways for better ones." I'll call this "RECONCEPTING."

How The Restaurant Surgeon Operates

If you are facing diminishing sales, lowered employee morale and see the shadow of creditors at your door, maybe you need to consider undergoing major reconcepting surgery. As the expert in surgery for GEC Consultants, Inc., I often suggest a review, such as that which follows, of the health of the restaurant prior to ordering that it undergo a drastic biopsy: I usually ask the patient (the operator) these questions:

1. How much are sales down from last year? If more than 25%, you may need to take action.
   
   
2. Is your workforce demoralized? If so you should make a major move to upgrade service.
   
   
3. Does your facility look ill? If it looks tired, dingy and shopworn, you may need a face lift.
   
   
4. Are your customers pleased with your menu? Do they complain about portion size, price or variety? If they do, you may need to re-menu.
   
   
5. Are you getting new customers? Every month the average restaurant loses 5-10% of its customer base because of attrition. You need new faces to fill the seats.
   
   
6. Does your restaurant look healthy? Is it fresh smelling, light and airy or dark and depressing? The country's mood today is toward "cheerfulness" in a restaurant's ambiance.
   
   
7. Have you given up on marketing? Do the sales results of your advertising or promotions never seem to cover the costs? You may need a new outlook on what to tell the marketplace about yourself.
   
   
8. Are your operating standards high and are they kept consistent every day? If not, could employees, vendors and customers feel uncomfortable doing business with you? You may need to restructure how you run your business.

Reconcepting is Painless Major Surgery

If you see that at least four of the eight symptoms mentioned above hold true for your establishment, and sales are on a slippery downward slope, you are a prime candidate for "RECONCEPT surgery" that can result in a turn-a-round to zip your business's life.

Before the surgery you must develop an action plan to evaluate where you are now and where you want to go while establishing the correct means for you to get there. Also, such a turn-a-round plan must include a method to evaluate your progress and get positive feedback every step of the way so you can maximize results with a minimum cash outlay. These are activities where the experts in reconcepting can help you make it almost painless.

My thirty nine years of restaurant consulting experience convinces me that a properly planned turn-a-round can save your business financially and your own peace of mind as well. All it takes are the guts to make a move and a sound action plan for getting to your goals. Consider then that a "RECONCEPT plan" might be just the idea the "doctor ordered" to turn your ailing restaurant business around.

©2002 Copyright GEC Consultants, Inc. Website: http://www.GECconsultants.com