Trust in the Food and Beverage Industry

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TRUST IN THE FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY
By Lea Brovedani

 

ON BIG BLEND RADIO: Lea Brovedani “The Trust Architect” discusses Trust in the Food & Beverage Industry and how implementing her 5 Tenets of Trust can help boost customer satisfaction and employee loyalty, and provide a positive economic return. Watch here in the YouTube player or download the podcast on Spreaker, PodBean, or SoundCloud.  

Driving back from our holiday I recognized a restaurant my friend had posted online. She said they made the best key lime pie in the Florida Keys. My husband’s favorite dessert is… you guessed it, key lime pie.

Did we stop?

You bet we did, and we were not disappointed.

There was a car full of us and we bought all their pies as well as buying sandwiches, drinks, and a couple of tacky t-shirts. The owner of this tiny shop was pleased.

People in the food and beverage industry know how important referrals and testimonials are to their business. It’s built on a platform of trust!

We stopped at the shop because I trusted the opinion of my friend.

What happens when someone posts a horrible review?

It probably won’t surprise you to know there is a cost to the business. Like me, you probably check out reviews when you are trying a place for the first time.

The average person spends $25 on a meal at a restaurant. At a high-end restaurant that cost can be 10 or 20 times that.  A bad review will drive away 1 out of 10 people. If 200 people see the review, 20 people are eating elsewhere and it has cost the business $500, or in the case of the high-end restaurant up to or more than $10,000.

This is where to bring in my work in trust. My 5 tenets of trust are: Caring, Commitment, Consistency, Competence and Communication.

Make sure that customers are cared for. At the “Welcome Home Cafe” in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, every customer is greeted with a friendly “Welcome Home!” greeting. The owner, if she has time, comes over to talk to you and asks if your meal was to your liking.  Chef and founder Stephanie Taylor genuinely cares about people, and it shows. Her reviews reflect the care she gives others.

The commitment comes through when we see that safety protocols are met. Staff are well trained. Service is as good as it can be. You’ll see it in the way restaurants have come through the pandemic. The ones who are still around made a commitment to their employees, their customers, and to themselves.

The next tenet is a no-brainer. Why do we eat at fast food restaurants when we can pick a fancy diner with a greater selection?

The answer? Consistency. When I’m on a long road trip I usually grab a meal at Micky D’s or Starbucks because I know what I’m going to get. I trust that I’ll get the same meal if I eat it in Alabama or Alberta. If you own a small independent food establishment, you know how important it is to be consistent. Your signature dishes should be down to a science, so people know what to expect.

Competence is so important that the Department of Labor has posted a competency model for the food and beverage industry. Most people, at one point in their lives, got their first job in the restaurant industry and gained invaluable employment skills.

When I was speaking with Lisa and Nancy on Big Blend Radio, we agreed that communication is an important tenet if not the most important trust tenet to be successful and trusted in the food and beverage business.

Letting the customer know, without whining or whingeing about how tough things are, is a skill you need. Supply chain problems, staffing problems, extra costs for health protocols have all whittled down the profit margin for restaurants.  Learn to communicate on social media to your advantage. Talk with people when they come through the door. Talk to your staff and gain their insights.

If you get a bad review, don’t ignore it. Respond to the person. If it’s a legitimate complaint, apologize and tell them what steps you’re going to take to correct the problem. Offer them something if they’re willing to come in and give you a second chance.

Most importantly, seek out reviews from fans. 5 bad reviews when you only have 20 posted is a problem and can close your doors. 5 bad reviews when you have over 100 good ones isn’t. Communicate with customers who love you and make it easy for them to post a review.

Above all, learn to trust yourself!

Lea is a speaker and workshop facilitator on trust who is recognized as a Top Thought Leader on Trust for by the organization Trust Across America, and is the author of “TRUST Me – Restore Belief & Confidence in an Uncertain World” and “TRUSTED – Secret Lessons from an Inspired Leader.” More: https://leabrovedani.com/

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About the Author:

Lea is a speaker and workshop facilitator on trust who is recognized as a Top Thought Leader on Trust for by the organization Trust Across America, and is the author of “TRUST Me – Restore Belief & Confidence in an Uncertain World” and “TRUSTED – Secret Lessons from an Inspired Leader.”

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