If we had to follow the car dealers' standards, "Exceeding Expectations" would mean an OK service...

Or did they delivered the car directly to your door at work or at home? Did they give you an incredible discount or did something so out of the ordinary that you were in shock and awe (and not in a negative way!) because it greatly surprised you?

These would be cases of exceeding expectations. Giving you a free pot coffee while you wait for the salesman or just going for a test car ride with you are not. All the dealers do this, it is part of their service, so we expect this from them and we would get disappointed (or just take our business elsewhere) if we didn't get these perks.

I guess that we should rate most car dealers with 3 stars (average) although they always demand 5 (exceeded expectations) for some unfounded reason. Perhaps their expectations are lower than normal after you spend more than $25,000 on their product?

But I digress.

Going back to the restaurant business, your business, how many times do think your clients believe that you've exceeded their expectations?

Sometimes, seldom, never?

How many times did you dine in another restaurant where they've exceeded your expectations?

It didn't happen too many times to me, and I dine out a lot.

Perhaps because this industry is very predictable and it's difficult to be original (it requires thinking out of the box in an industry where most of the restaurant owners follow blindly each other's actions, not only in the way that they operate but also in their marketing and advertising), or perhaps because most restaurateurs are too conservative to try anything new, dinning at most restaurants is a totally predictable experience.

Sure your clients expect good food and good service at reasonable prices. Every restaurant should give them at least that, but what about surprising your clients with some unpredicted extras?

They don't need to be expensive, it is more a matter of thinking and coming out with fresh and original ideas than of spending money.

These are some ideas for you to make your place stand out from the ordinary:

Tell your chef to prepare some small appetizers that you could give, on the house, to your clients when they order their drinks.

Ask your waiters to replace the napkins when somebody leaves the table to go to the bathroom or to make a phone call (your clients would be greatly surprised when they come back!).

Buy flowers one night and give one rose (or some other nice flower) to each woman who is having dinner in your restaurant. I can guarantee you that they would beg their spouses or companions to take them back to your place.

Give a small complementary liquor at the end of the dinner to people who ordered any alcoholic drinks.

Give your clients a little container with some sample of a special house sauce so that they can take it home and use it in their own dishes.

Bring some special (out of the menu) wine to some regular clients who usually appreciate and order your wines. Charge them the same than you would do for their regular order, even if the wine is more expensive.

Call a taxi and pay the fare to take a client who drank too much home. Tell them that they can come the following day to pick up their car.

Etc.

These are very cheap things for you to do that will pleasantly surprise your clients. These little things will exceed their expectations because they don't get it anywhere else and therefore they are not expecting them.

But don't do always the same things or they will become routine. Come up with your own ideas, always new, always fresh and unexpected. The sky is the limit! And what about if you don't have a big imagination? What can you do then?

Easy, just tap into your staff's brains. Remember, you are not alone in your business.

Explain to your employees that you are aiming for exceeding your client's expectations and want to organize an idea context among your staff. Give them some examples (you can use my suggestions or come up with your own) about the kind of inexpensive ideas that you want to implement.

Don't be cheap and give a price to the person who gives you the best ideas. A bottle of wine from your cellar or some products from your distributors or even a gift certificate so that they can give it to their families and/or friends would make them very happy.

Not only your clients will love your place, but you will also make your restaurant unique and invite your clients to repeat their visits looking forward to be "surprised" and enjoy their dining experience.

Happy Sailing, Jose L Riesco

Copyright (c) 2008 Jose L Riesco