Conversation Marketing Hacks: 8 Ways to ‘Speak Human’ and Change the Game

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Conversation Marketing Hacks: 8 Ways to ‘Speak Human’ and Change the Game

By Merilee Kern, MBA

New book reveals how companies can ‘make and maintain more meaningful, impact
and enduring connections within the marketplace, tell an authentic story, foster
maximized customer engagement, and breed brand loyalty’

Nobody starts out automatically caring about your
products or services. They care about how you can
make a difference in their lives. No matter the
context, all relationships begin with a “handshake
moment,” whether literally or figuratively—those first
few introductory moments that reveal a great deal
about the character of the person standing before
you. Why should company interactions with current
and prospective customers or clients be any
different?

Sure, “content marketing” has been a crucial ingredient impelling the evolution of traditional marketing into today’s more personalized approach, bridging the gap between cookie-cutter TV, radio, and print mass marketing to highly customized digital and social media-driven communications. Even so, today’s more personalized digital communications have plenty of challenges, all too often falling on “deaf ears” and “blind eyes” amid a marketplace becoming highly desensitized to the glut of advertising and marketing messages its exposed to any given hour of any given day…year in and year out.

So, how can brands can make and maintain meaningful connections and create a lifetime value with customers in ways that’ll set them apart in a “noisy,” increasingly jaded and discriminating marketplace? How can businesses tell an authentic story so as to foster maximized marketplace engagement and breed brand loyalty?  According to Kevin Lund, author of the new book, “Conversation Marketing: How to be Relevant and Engage Your Customer by Speaking Human,” the proverbial key to the Kingdom is for companies, no matter their size and scope, to simply “speak human.”

In this new book  Lund, who’s CEO of T3 Custom—itself a content marketing firm helping brands learn to “speak human” and supercharge ROI reportedly by as much as16-times, provides an in-depth analysis of what’s required to succeed in today’s modern marketing era, which he’s aptly coined the “Conversation Age.” Specifically, he details key principles critical for driving the more evolved conversation marketing approach, which can help companies amplify results on multiple fronts.

According to Lund, “Those who are wildly successful at conversation marketing understand the strategy is not simply about propagating online content and sharing through social media accounts. Rather, it’s a disciplined approach to communicating with a target audience in a way that tells a simple, human story that will educate, inform, entertain and, most importantly, compel customers in a way that fully captures mind–and-market share through messaging that truly resonates. Companies must stop talking ‘at’ their customers and, instead, connect with them by simply speaking human. And, it’s far beyond that initial ‘handshake moment—it’s through a constant stream of congenial engagements with each individual consumer, or the marketplace at large, based on trust and performance.”

Think it’s complicated to be an adept conversation marketer and speak human to your constituents? Think again! Below are eight of Lund’s tactical strategies from the new book that can help companies large and small become more engaging and relevant with customers, and the marketplace at large:

1. Earn Attention

To gain attention in today’s crowded marketplace, it’s prudent to do the opposite of what most everyone else is doing. That means don’t deliver clichéd, boring content that’s written for robots—search engines or otherwise—and for generic consumption. It’s unsustainable for you and your brand as well as frustratingly futile for the audience you’re trying to reach. Instead, speak human by engaging your audience with eye-level language in order to gain their attention and set your brand apart. Learn to use language that educates and entertains the audience.

Earning attention starts with asking yourself what you and your company are passionate about and conveying that genuinely in that all-important “handshake moment” of first contact—online or otherwise. Assume you’re meeting the person on the other side of the screen for the first time. Think of what you can say that’s new, memorable, a standout, and jargon-free. Also, understand and adapt to your audience. You wouldn’t talk the same way to an aging Baby Boomer as you would to a teenager.

2. Tell a Story

How do you hold someone’s attention long enough to break down a topic and engender his or her trust, but also in a way that’s unforgettable and leaves that person feeling more knowledgeable than before? The answer lies in good storytelling.

Good conversations are filled with good stories and anecdotes. But be mindful that the hero of the story isn’t your company or its products, but rather how your product or service will have a positive impact in your customers’ lives. If you can elicit an emotional response, you’re onto something.  Some standout companies have figured this out. Apple’s story, for example, isn’t about devices. It’s about innovation and how our lives are being changed for the better with Apple technology in them. Learn how to make your story short, to the point, and easy to share online.

3. Stay Humble

Being humble begins with letting go of ego—that instinctual part of the psyche that screams for a marketer to make too much noise about products or services and brag about themselves. Sigmund Freud developed a psychoanalytic theory of personality he coined the “id,” and marketers often tap into their own ids by telling the world how great their company and its products are, and how great a potential customer will be for buying them. The id operates based on the pleasure principle, which demands immediate gratification of needs.

In conversation marketing, speaking human dictates that your customer’s needs, not your own, are top priority. Your audience wants to know what you can do for them, and that means stop talking about yourself and drop the megaphone. Instead, embrace a different approach that thoughtfully and humbly explains why you do what you do and why it can make a difference in someone’s life instead of focusing on your bottom line. Stop beating them over the heads with the fabulous features and benefits of your products. Instead, tell stories that inspire and resonate with their own life experiences.

4. Pick Your Party

Equally important to the “how” of your conversation is the “where.” It should all fit seamlessly together and feel natural and organic in that moment.  Part of learning how to talk to your audience and engage them in any form of conversation is deciding where to talk to them in the first place.

This means doing the footwork to learn where your potential customers gather, and meeting them on their own ground. Where do your potential customers hang out on social media? What are they saying, and what challenges are they discussing that you can compellingly weigh-in on? Easily available research tools can help you join the right conversation at the right time and in the right place with consistency.

5. Be Relevant (on a Molecular Level)

True listening is about far more than hearing words. It’s also about fully understanding the message and concepts being imparted—whether they’re needs, wants, desires, or even complaints. Being relevant means making sure you’re talking about topics that are of sure interest to your audience, and that’s often achieved by addressing their pain points. Before a marketer can aptly communicate and speak to such pain points, however, he or she must first hear what the prospect, customer or marketplace has to say. It can be dangerous, expensive and ultimately futile for companies to presume to inherently know what should be said in conversation marketing. 

6. Start the Conversation 

How do you gain audience attention in a way that prevents you from just being part of the noise? It’s no longer a question of whether you should insert yourself into the world of content marketing. It’s a matter of when you’re going to start talking, what you’re going to say, and how you’re going to say it. One good approach is to base that initial conversation on your unique value proposition for the given audience.

It’s important to always remember that your target audience doesn’t care about you. They care what you can do for them. If you’ve done your research, you’ll be familiar with their pain points and better prepared to offer answers that address their needs. Don’t be a “me-too” marketer who dishes out the same information as everyone else. Instead, develop a unique angle with a thought-provoking headline that sparks attention—even better if it disrupts conventional thinking. In addition, know your topic inside out before communicating, and make sure any other people handling your communications are experts in the field. You don’t want to risk sounding trite or inaccurate.

7.  Stop Talking

Unlike a monologue, a conversation is a two-way endeavor. Knowing when to stop talking is as important as knowing what to say and when to say it. It’s the only way to truly get a sense of what your audience (or your potential customer) is thinking in reaction to what you’ve offered, and whether to stay the course in your strategy or tweak it on-the-fly. Once you hear preliminary reaction, you can respond to questions and concerns before moving ahead or otherwise course-correct as needed. Also bear in mind that what your audience isn’t saying can be just as impactful as what they do convey.

Once your message is out, take a step back and “read the room.” That could mean monitoring online response to your blog post or using various tools to learn which of your resources are drawing attention. Are people engaged? Are they adding to the conversation? What should you do if the feedback is bad? Don’t consider a negative response or lack of response necessarily a failure. Instead, see it as an opportunity to adjust, make changes, and perhaps find ways to better meet your audience’s needs.

8. Ditch the Checklist

Before every takeoff, airline crews verbally work through an extensive checklist. There’s a detailed set of tasks to cover before the plane can even push back from the gate. However, in an ebb and flow conversation marketing context, this adherence to a certain protocol can pose limitations. Indeed, one problem with simply sticking to a checklist is that a content marketing strategy will never evolve with the times or differentiate itself in any way from what everyone else is doing.

Successful marketers endeavor to open new horizons. They take a step back and ask bigger questions about themselves and their companies’ ultimate goals, as well as what sort of new challenges their audience or customers might face over time–how to aptly adjust when needed.

Lund also suggests finding sources of inspiration. “Explore some of the successful content marketing plans that showed passion, ditched the tired old language, zeroed in on what customers needed, and started a real conversation with the market,” he urges. “Then scrutinize your own strategy and see where it might be lacking, so that you can continually refine your own checklist.”

Branding, business and entrepreneurship success pundit, Merilee Kern, MBA, is an influential media voice and lauded communications strategist. As the Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List International News Syndicate,” she’s a revered trends expert and travel industry voice of authority who spotlights noteworthy marketplace change makers, movers and shakers. Merilee may be reached online at www.TheLuxeList.com. Follow her on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/LuxeListEditor and Facebook here: www.Facebook.com/TheLuxeList.

Employers could see a post-Labor Day flurry of federal rule-making

Restaurant Tech Editors
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Employers could see a post-Labor Day flurry of federal rule-making

The days or weeks after Labor Day are expected to bring a torrent of long-awaited rules from the Labor Department.

In the coming weeks, a finalized update is expected on the salary threshold for determining who is eligible for overtime pay. So are changes to tip-pooling restrictions as well as proposed regulations clarifying when employers can use the tip credit for non-tipped work — known as the 80/20 rule.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the White House is pushing the Labor Department to finish regulatory overhauls following the departure of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta.

The White House has nominated attorney Eugene Scalia to replace Acosta. Acting secretary Patrick Pizzella on Thursday pledged to move quickly to accomplish “all that we can as we prepare for a new secretary.”

Roy Salins, labor attorney and partner in law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP in New York City, said it’s not unusual to see a flurry of activity during times of transition, whether it’s a shift at the head of the department or a changing of the guard in the White House.

But as new federal rules are finalized, the key for employers is staying aware of local laws, he said.

“The real issue for many operators is that it’s really going to depend on what state they’re in,” he said. In New York, for example, state and local laws will supersede federal rules on things like overtime and tip pooling. “It’s always so important for any operator to make sure they’re checking local laws.”

Here’s a look at three big rule changes coming down the pike that will impact restaurant employers:

The long-awaited overtime rule is expected to be finalized as early as next month following a review by the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB.

As proposed on March 7, the new rule would raise the salary threshold for determining eligibility for overtime to about $35,308, or $679 per week, up from the current $23,660, or $455 per week. Workers making less than that amount could be eligible for overtime if they work more than 40 hours per week, though eligibility also depends on job duties.

If adopted as proposed, the new overtime threshold would make 1.3 million workers eligible for overtime pay, the department has estimated.

The new rule is also expected to build in periodic reviews to update the threshold, but those reviews would be subject to notice-and-comment periods.

Tip pooling

In July, the Labor Department submitted a proposed rule to the OMB that would ease restrictions on tip pooling for employers that pay the full minimum wage and decline the tip credit. The goal is to allow back-of-the-house workers to participate in tip pools. Typically, sending a proposed rule to the OMB is the last step before it is finalized.

When the tip pooling revision was proposed, some argued it opened the door for employers and managers to pocket tips, prompting lawmakers to step in. Legislation adopted by Congress last year specifically prohibited employers from skimming gratuities. The Tip Income Protection Act, or TIP, amended the Fair Labor Standards Act to ensure tips stay in the hands of eligible employees.

The finalized rule is still expected to allow back-of-the-house workers like cooks and dishwashers to participate in tip pools, which currently are only available to front-of-the-house employees.

80/20 rule

Also expected as a result of the FLSA changes is a proposed regulation on the “dual jobs” interpretation on side work, known in the industry as the 80/20 rule.

In February, the Labor Department issued an updated bulletin that rescinded prior guidance that, since 2009, had prohibited employers from using the subminimum wage for side work, like rolling silverware or prepping salads, if that worker spent more than 20% of their time on non-tipped work. That update was based on an opinion letter issued in 2018.

A frequent source of litigation, the 80/20 rule is seen as a nightmare for employers, who are forced to keep track of hours spent on non-tipped tasks.

But the Labor Department has indicated the updated bulletin may not be enough. In an OMB agenda earlier this year, the Labor Department said it would propose a revision to the “dual jobs” regulation to provide greater clarity, according to Bloomberg Law.

Recent court actions offer evidence that more clarity is needed.

Earlier this month, for example, a U.S. District Court judge in Eastern Pennsylvania declined to defer to the Labor Department’s 80/20 interpretation in a lawsuit involving P.F. Chang’s China Bistro.

Is restaurants are responsible for the safety of the guests?

Restaurant Tech Editors
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Is restaurants are responsible for the safety of the guests?

Going through a restaurant implies introducing customers to one of the most fundamental tasks of human life in your living space: eating. You come with a sensible assurance of security in a local restaurant. However, watch from the point of perspective of the restaurant owner. Are hotels responsible for the health and safety of their guests?

Yeah, in one phrase. Laws in Europe, North America and most other areas of the developed world involve all kinds of company managers to bring all appropriate steps to keep their customers ‘ environment secure and sound. There is no excuse for restaurants from these legislation.

Here in the UK, safety requirements for restaurants are covered under regulations created and enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Restaurant owners can always check the HSE website for details regarding how health and safety regulations apply to their premises.

In the US, the FDA and OSHA are the two agencies most likely to have information about restaurant health and safety. Restaurant owners can also get in touch with their states and local municipalities to learn about rules and regulations at those levels.

Food Handling Rules

In terms of hygiene and security, meat processing is the first thing most individuals believe about. This is for excellent purpose. In fact, foodborne diseases arising from bad treatment are quite prevalent. This is why restaurant checks are carried out as frequently by local municipalities.

As an proprietor of your restaurant, you must ensure that every employee in your company continually observes appropriate food processing processes. You need to guarantee that the floors are kept smooth. You have to implement strategies on hand washing. You must ensure that cooling devices keep meals as hot as it should be.

First-Aid Supplies and Equipment

Some law enforcement officials force establishments to maintain a minimum amount of first aid. This includes items such as bandaged fittings and an instant AED. But it is not sensible not to have first-aid facilities, even when no such laws are in position. You never understand when there will be an accident.

The thing about first aid supplies is that they are cheap to buy and easy to maintain. You can buy a defibrillator for next to nothing these days. You can stock a first aid cabinet with bandages, burn cream, and just about everything else you need without breaking the bank.

Of course, it also helps to have certain staff members trained in basic first aid. Having someone in-house who knows how to use first aid supplies just makes addressing injuries a bit easier in the heat of the moment.

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Slip, ride and drop accidents are another major region of interest in the restaurant sector. Given this, the eating spaces in the restaurant are truly more hazardous than many individuals understand. Lighting and room between plates are the major issues.

Official restaurants are often barely decorated with closely connected tables. This introduces a certain number of risks to older individuals, individuals suffering from movement and visual impairments. What’s the answer? Turn the lamps up and give individuals more room for walking.

In a fast food restaurant, slip, walk and drop issues are more often associated with filthy surfaces. Fast food restaurants are more probable to be splashed into sticky surfaces. And there is not enough moment to mop the premises during the business day in a crowded atmosphere with a bunch of congestion.

Sound Issues

Health and safety are even widespread in the restaurant setting. The health and safety of visitors in restaurants, restaurants and pubs which choose to perform songs at the level of earpiercing. Unfortunately, in latest years this has become a phenomenon.

Health and security even apply to noise in the dining setting. The health and safety of visitors in restaurants, restaurants and pubs which choose to perform songs at the level of ear piercing .. Unfortunately, in latest years, this has become a phenomenon.

Risk Assessments for Restaurants

Restaurants in the UK must perform regular risk assessments to guarantee both customers and their staff are healthy and safe. This might not otherwise be the situation. However, it is always a good idea to conduct threat evaluations. They urge you to look at how secure and what you can do to enhance safety in your restaurant.

When guests go out for food, they have a sensible anticipation of safety. As the proprietor of a restaurant, you must follow sensible steps to ensure its security. Check with suitable government authorities if you have any concerns about a secure setting. You should be prepared to offer your necessary advice.

Potatoes receive fresh medicines from poutine to pizza

Restaurant Tech Editors
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Potatoes receive fresh medicines from poutine to pizza

Chefs use their favorite item as a staple for the trendy tastes.

The OGs on the side-dish list are potatoes and dominated. The chefs use the favorite item. The Idaho Potato Commission claims that Americans eat a heavy 111 pounds a year per annum, rendering it our favorite crop on a large scale. All of this is particularly notable for the present phase of development. Instead of creating cooks and restaurants’ self-sufficiency, familiarity is creative.

The second wind is French fries. They focus on shared hand food interests, they can work as aperitifs, sweets or tiny meals. Operators use rolls as portion of a pouting craze to produce the cultural flavors, which customers want.

Kimchi Fries, a unique winter in the casual-dining service P.F. A nice instance. Chang’s is a steak fry found in Kimchi, Cheddar, Mozzarella and Gochujang cheeses, and a dollop of mayonnaise produced in the Arizean capital of Scottsdale.

In a comparable vein, Daphne, based in Los Angeles, meals such as gyro-meat, sweet fetal sauce, onion pickled and harisa, are made from Greek ingredients. The Crack Shake provides Mexican Putin with slimming fries, pollo asado, and jalapeño, whiz cheese. San Diego-based fried chicken expert.

Down House, a Houston restaurant, produces Texas Putin which begins out by adding two cooked fried pork, feta, squash jalapeños and jalapeño aïoli.

Those who take inspiration from a different part of the world are Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails in the suburban Atlantic, Salt & Vinegar Fries sport togarashi, the Japanese Chilean spice mixture. It’s not poutine, but without the sauce it still has racial tastes.

Fast-service brands also significantly increased their fry matches. Wendy’s Bacon Jalapeño Fries with apple wood stained baked bacon and Taco Bell’s Steak Rattlesnake Fries with nacho cheese and delicious jalapeño sauces have been recently promoted.

For some moment now fries with an overflow of toppings have trendy, and Arby has been loaded with Loaded Curly Fries with garlic, Parmesan spice grill, and Cheddar sauces for cheese.

Chefs offer a touch of cooking. Fool’s Errand is an adolescent snack bar in Boston that offers the standard French pastry side, Crispy Potato Mille Feuille, accompanied by raclette and truffles, cold cream, caviar and crab gravy. Hasselback Patatas Bravas also operates in Boston, Pagu, a Japanese-Spanish tapas store. Hasselback is a method that almost, but not entirely, slices the potatoes. As potatoes are crispy on the exterior borders but smooth on the inside, they allow for an intimidating display and attractive texture. The house-made warm soup, aïol and togarashi variant of Pagu is available.

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Vada Pav Curry up now–mashed

Chicken fritters are fixtures in the chicken emporiums, in which many cooks modernize and update the fundamental recipe for meat. The eponymous Fleming’s Potatoes are offered gratin with boiled cheddar and jalapenos, leeks & leeks; and the advanced Fingering Lyonnaise Potatoes are eaten with new thyme and cheese of caramelized Onion.

On vegetable menus, potatoes are natural. Smart providers use their dietary advantages as well as their blank slate versatility as a basis for creation. The Vedge of James-Beard in Philadelphia offers a evolving seasonal package, including green-curry fried potato soup and a pleasant Potato Lo Mein, which was filled with the standard noodles with shaken potatoes and completed with the glaze of a sweet sweet.

Fast casual restaurants with plant orientation give tribute to Franco’s fame, with smart turns of their own. By Chloe, for instance, is based in New York City, with vegan treatment such as Oh So Fancy Fries, baked with a sweet seitan chorizo, onions, chipotle aïoli, and cashew mozzarel. Click for more information. In a advertising Kung Fu Frieze, the Kung Fu crumbles from meatless garden, Kung Pao sauce and chopped Fresno chilies gave Veggie Grill its standard crispy rolls last year, a blast of heat that was equipped with avocado sauces.

Ready access and recognition by consumers will proceed to encourage operators to experiment with potatoes in the future. They are found in appliances new to American diner, such as the potato salad sandwich in Peach Mart in New York City, which put a smooth, white-japanese dairy cheese in a fluffy potato salad with house-pickled jalapeños. Curry Up Now’s emerging fast-casually-developed Vada Pav menu included a buttered bun with blackberries, garlic chutney and Bombay dust.

Potatoes are amazingly little toys like pie topping in the U.S. But it’s front and center at Sauce in Phoenix, which includes spinach, feta sauce, lemon tapenade and truffle sauce for Rosemary Potato cake. Spuds also make excellent taco stuffers, such as Potato & Poblano. Taco in the Antique Taco of Chicago, which is crowned by three cheeses, squid cream and scallions. Potato slivers create an enjoyable crush.

Unveiling 8 can’t-miss moments at MUFSO 2019

Restaurant Tech Editors
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Unveiling 8 can’t-miss moments at MUFSO 2019

Inspiration, connection and good eats await in Denver this October

The countdown is on: MUFSO heads to Denver in just over a month. Now in its 60th year, the MUFSO conference is the place for restaurant executives to connect, advance partnerships and get cutting-edge business ideas.

Image result for mufso 2019

This year’s show will be held Oct. 14-16 in the heart of downtown Denver, where attendees will have the chance to explore the city’s vibrant restaurant scene, network with fellow attendees and hear expert speakers on such issues as minimum wage, the gig economy, CBD regulations and customer loyalty. They’ll also get a chance to sample dishes from emerging brands and award-winning local chefs, and hear from CEOs of some of the country’s biggest brands. Get more info and register to attend at MUFSO.com. Here are eight things you won’t want to miss.

MUFSO sponsors:
Kitchen Hero Cookoff Sponsor: Texas Pete 
Presenting Sponsors: Shift4 Payables, Shift Pixy, QU and Valyant AI
Norman Award: Pepsi
Sponsor Partners: 505 Southwestern, Appetize Technologies Inc., CardFree, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, Compaction Technologies, Daiya, Exponential Interactive, Greenberg Traurig, J.R. Simplot Company, MomentFeed, New Mexico Department of Agriculture, OpenTable, PACO Collective, Tundra Restaurant Supply, Upshow, Royal Cup Coffee, V&V Supremo and Ventura Foods

Presented by Nation’s Restaurant News, the 60th Annual MUFSO Conference brings together the restaurant industry’s top leaders to share business insights that are laser focused on moving the restaurant industry forward.  MUFSO is scheduled for October 14-16, 2019 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown. For more info visit www.mufso.com. For sponsorship/exhibit information contact monique.monaco@informa.com.

Rob Lynch is named President and CEO of Papa John’s

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Rob Lynch is named President and CEO of Papa John’s
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The election of a fresh President and CEO was announced Tuesday by Papa John’s International Inc. Rob Lynch(left), who has been President since 2017, of Arby’s pizza brand. Lynch takes over from Steve Ritchie who had been working since July 2015.

“At this crucial time in the development of the company, I am pleased to invite Rob to Papa John’s,” said Jeff Smith, president of the Board of managers of the Papa John’s.

Related: Papa John’s shows Shaquille’s approval agreement. “The firm is perfectly adapted to Papa John’s by drawing up its next section, as its proved history of transforming organisations and acknowledging its development capacity for distinct products. I also want to thank Steve Ritchie for his constant CEO management of the previous year and a quarter. The company’s job stabilizes Steve and Papa John’s is greater today. Our business is ongoing. For over 20 years, we all appreciate his devotion to the business and hope that he will succeed. “Lynch broke off his job for him in his fresh position.

John Schnatter, long the face of Louisville, Kyrgyzstan’s Papa John, with accusations of races and other inflammatory observations, a very general public departure last year. Since then, he has retired as CEO and committee of directors, but the fight has persisted.

Papa John’s recorded 5.7 times decreasing revenues in the same-store business for North America and a 3.8 percent decline in the whole of the same-store business for the second semester finished June 30.

The attempts to revise the brand included the funding of $80 million for disturbed national franchising companies and their nominations. A cooperation with Shaquille O’Neal, a former basketball star, including marketing deals and placing O’Neal in nine establishments in the Papa John region of Atlanta in a joint venture.

“I am humbled and happy to operate with this excellent squad to create Papa John the world’s greatest pizza business,” Lynch said in a declaration. When he was director of marketing before becoming President, he performed a major position in converting Arby’s. Jim Taylor was appointed to President of Arby’s substitute Lynch as Chief Marketing Officer.

“Papa John’s has the industry’s most appreciated pizza, extremely committed crew employees and franchisees that have proved to be resilient and committed, as well as the company’s lengthy record of development at the forefront of the food services world. I look forward, collaborating with Papa John’s group leaders, franchises and company associates, to constructing on these weaknesses. Papa John’s has over 5000 places around the world. Papa John’s greatest days are due.”

6 Business Lessons Learned from Working with World-Leading Restaurant & Hospitality Brands

Restaurant Tech Editors
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6 Business Lessons Learned from Working with World-Leading Restaurant & Hospitality Brands

By Merilee Kern, MBA

Expert insight on tactical, actionable ways food service, hotels and other hospitality businesses can create smarter, safer, socially responsible kitchens that increase efficiency, productivity and profits

Accidents in commercial kitchens are an all-too-common occurrence, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting nearly 200,000 food service industry injuries in a single year—accidents that often result in lost days of work, job transfer or other employee restrictions that all have a tremendously negative impact on a restaurant or hospitality business’ bottom line.  

Human resources aside, kitchen fires are another shared bane of the restaurant and hospitality trade, with the U.S. Fire Administration reporting “cooking” as the cause for the majority of fires during the 3-year reporting period. During that period, an estimated 5,600 fires each year resulted in a staggering $116 million in property damage—entirely preventable, unplanned and oft-debilitating company expenditures. Then there are costs relating to other typical safety issues like the notorious slips and falls, burns and other such calamities associated with hot oil—a key culprit that, itself, racks up an oppressive glut of Workers’ Compensation claims.


While such statistics-driven safety concerns in the food service and hospitality realms are nothing new, technological innovations and other modern and strategic means of contending with such issues is a landscape that changes monthly and weekly, if not daily. Solutions are needed, both physical and ideological, that can readily result in far smarter, safer and more efficient kitchens to enhance morale, reduce staff churn, bolster profitability and elevate industries at large.

With this in mind, I sought insight from hospitality and food service c-suite strategist Jeff Kiesel—a former GE executive and current corporate CEO of Restaurant Technologies, Inc. who’s earned a reputation as an industry innovation and safety voice of authority. Given that his firm boasts a roster of multi-billion dollar customers that includes titans of industry like McDonald’s, KFC and Marriott Hotels, I asked if he could share some of the key business lessons he’s learned from working with world-leading brands. This is what he had to say:

  • Customer Insights:  World-class food and hospitality companies make many of their business decisions based on laser sharp, analytics-driven insights that veritably impact the activities of all departments in the organization to one extent or another—at the corporate office as well as each site within their portfolio.  They’re keenly aware that offering, and ultimately selling, a product or service is the net result of having first built a strategically-crafted, risk-mitigated relationship—one that continues to be honed based on key data points well after a deal is closed.  Their own internal sales activities aside, the best companies in the world also demand tangible evidence demonstrating how their offerings are impacting their customers.  Successful companies know, in specific terms and even from various viewpoints, facts that are germane to the kind of solution they offer. Things like if their offering is saving customers money; how its impacting employee, customer and vendor retention and referrals; if it’s increasing operational efficiencies, productivity or creating a safer work space.  Such profiling of both prospects and existing customers—or perhaps even lost accounts to the extent possible—can be a determining factor that sets your operation apart from its closest competitors. In today’s market where competition is typically neck and neck, activities are best driven by data-induced insights that are optimally developed with a robust CRM software solution. The best run companies in the world vigilantly maintain a true and holistic understanding of the value they proffer within the marketplace.
  • Metrics-Minded Technology Innovation: Much of the equipment and technology found in the food service industry centers around reducing costs, improving efficiency, ensuring food quality and helping managers better handle their teams. However, this technology is viewed with eye toward what will provide the best return on investment and improve an operation’s bottom line. To achieve this, the highest caliber operations focus on technology that’s easy to implement, scalable and also provides metrics that are of primary interest to restaurant executives–things like customer visits and staff costs as well as employee retention through job satisfaction. As with the customer insights discussed above, analytics relating to equipment, hardware, software, applications or any other tech-forward procurement must be easily discernable, providing evidence-based numbers and trend patterns on things like what it costs to continue operating the old way versus what it would cost to implement the new technology. Top-tier food service operations don’t make assumptions, but rather data-driven decisions based on key learning on multiple fronts. In doing so, the most successful companies are able to demonstrate the value of a tech-driven solution within 30 days of deployment.
  • Safety: Sixty percent of Workers’ Compensation incidents in restaurants are related to the handling of cooking oil—including burns, slips and falls or back strains. Those companies utilizing a closed-loop oil management system allows food service employees to safely and easily dispose of used oil and fill a fryer with new oil with the flip of a switch. While the bottom line is always top-of-mind, world leading brands ensure employee safety is of the utmost importance and paramount among all. By eliminating one of the most dangerous restaurant kitchen tasks, these corporations take proactive, preventive and multi-faceted measures to best assure staffers are not at risk for oil-related injuries like slips, falls and burns.
  • Operational Excellence: Companies successful at a global level also ensure that their management teams at every level, from the c-suite to the front-line, understand their role in ensuring their kitchen teams are trained, enthused and working cross-functionally while adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs) around cleanliness, food safety and food preparation. They have a lot on their plate, needless to say. According to the National Restaurant Association, the hospitality turnover rate was more than 72 percent in 2015, an increase from 66.7 percent in 2014. It’s an uphill battle. However, high caliber companies utilize proven technologies and protocols, and implement methodologies allowing managers to establish an ever-safer, simpler operating environment where they can focus more on cultivating people, both employees and customers, and less time on administrative tasks.
  • Strengthening the Workforce: World-leading restaurant and hospitality brands understand that thoroughly onboarding team members into a company’s culture, with an understanding of its history, purpose, vision and strategy as well as job-specific training, is mission critical. A one-to-one relationship based on trust and candor establishes a path to on-the-job achievement and even growth as staffers evolve in the organization, taking on bigger and more complex roles. For the employee’s part, ongoing training and education as well as an investment in active listening, understanding and ideation is key for proffering loyalty and attaining career advancement. Large successful corporations purposefully and deliberately focus on strengthening employees relative to both relationships and skill level. Cultivating an employee base that’s enthusiastic, well-trained and well-equipped to do their jobs, also understanding why they are doing any given task, creates an environment of respect that will foster higher accountability and ownership by employees.

  • Corporate Citizenship: Successful food service corporations worldwide understand the extent to which their company impacts its community–whether that community is the municipality where it resides, or the industry it serves. The news cycles are faster than ever before, with social media driving demand for information at a rapid pace. This creates a heightened need for a focused work culture that, while talent-driven, carries with it a ton of heart. These companies take their hospitality mandate and corporate social responsibility program quite seriously. As an effective way to fulfill this need, they consistently participate in philanthropic projects. Whether that be establishing and continually contributing to an educational foundation offering merit-based college scholarships to employee family members as my own company does, donating goods or providing services pro-bono, or literally picking up litter in the neighborhood park, successful global companies wholeheartedly embrace corporate citizenship and make it a foundational pillar of their organizations.

Kiesel’s takeaways from working with top global restaurant and hospitality brands makes clear that a holistic approach to business—one that keeps talent cultivation, character and efficiency top-of-mind—creates team loyalty and support, and fosters increased market share. As well, Kiesel is eager to underscore that a company’s culture is nothing short of imperative for building a successful, growth-oriented operation, noting, “The investment is in the long-term success of our clients, for sure, but in gaining the loyalty of our people within the company, as well.” Indeed.

Branding, business and entrepreneurship success pundit, Merilee Kern, MBA, is an influential media voice and lauded communications strategist. As the Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List International News Syndicate,” she’s a revered brand and consumer product trends voice of authority who spotlights noteworthy marketplace change makers, movers and shakers. Merilee may be reached online at www.TheLuxeList.com. Follow her on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/LuxeListEditor and Facebook here: www.Facebook.com/TheLuxeList.

Sources:

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/osh.htm https://www.rti-inc.com/benefits/restaurant-and-employee-safety/ https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/snapshot_restaurant.html https://www.rti-inc.com/benefits/restaurant-and-employee-safety/ http://www.restaurant.org/News-Research/News/Employee-turnover-rate-tops-70-in-2015



New experience of the retail outlet

Restaurant Tech Editors
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New experience of the retail outlet

Supermarkets use robotic alternatives to satisfy customer requirements for fast purchasing and distribution in-store. The Giant Eagle grocery chain has lately announced intentions to introduce a computer vision and a machine-learning scheme to shop free. Other food businesses in the meantime, using compliance stations fitted with artificial intelligence instruments and robotics for quick order preparing, tried to satisfy requests for rapid shipment.

The August Automated Retail Tracker examines all the recent techniques used for the supply of more solid, fast service in supermarkets and distributors.

Around the Automated Retail World

Fast-food chains also seek to speed up order preparations around the automated retail world. Recently McDonald’s started researching robotics that could operate their fryers. The company’s growth remains the automation pattern, which included a experiment of an automated system that can accept speech instructions.

Kodak Moments is also working to promote retail with a photo printing kiosk that was newly launched. The systems are intended to provide distributors with a cost-effective and easy for them to scal in-store picture facilities.

The test of The Fitting Room, a retail omnichannel shop which was a self-service kiosk for putting instructions in combination with physical clothing for trials, seemed to have a beneficial effect for the company. Fashion distributors who tried omnichannel products last year revealed that this stream has led to lower returns and enhanced revenues.

For all the latest headlines, download the Tracker.

How remotely adjustable interactive power selling kiosks

Interactive power sales kiosks give distributors precious possibilities to service clients without the need for assigned employees or large ground area. However, such alternatives miss much of their effect if the retailer offers value or the wants of its clients alter. According to Bhushan Mehendale, Vice President Engineering at the kiosks device growth and leadership platform supplier Esper, the pertinent kiosks require charging technology that can manually modify machine tasks depending on weather, moment of day and more.

Mehendale describes the need to manage distant kiosks and the manner in which they can increasingly help companies in this month’s feature story.

Deep Dive: The Compete Against Living Giants Generation Z consumer pickups in store

Helps Retailers are looking for their products to be quicker than most facilities. In their quest for customers to satisfy themselves by furnishing items within hours of internet buy-in, internet pick up (BOPIS) sales models, distributors are progressively precious tools. BOPIS also helps distributors to catch businesses and active practitioners from agricultural clients. Deep Dive this month examines how automatic BOPIS alternatives like demand collecting stations enable shops to perform stronger against e-commerce retailers and markets.

About the Tracker

On Tracker, the World-net Payments electronic retail tracker acts as a bi-monthly room structure covering latest stories and developments, as well as a folder that shows important participants in the sections comprising the expansive automated retail industry.

Brex Technology Partnership Teams With Magento

Restaurant Tech Editors
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Brex Technology Partnership Teams With Magento

In a press release on Thursday 22 August, the credit card company Bresx announced that it is cooperating with Adobe’s Magento Technology Partner programme.

A free credit line, 60 days paid conditions of use and interest free finance are included in the benefits of a Brex eCommerce credit card. This collaboration forms portion of a increasing range of Magento commercial technology suppliers.

“We are convinced that eCommerce credit cards from Brex can provide true value as Magento Technology Partner,” says Brex co-funderand co-CEO, Henrique Dubugras. “Magento is powerful and diverse on the eCommerce market.

Brex can now seamlessly be applied to people who are searching for transfers and short-term funding alternatives for Magento. Magento clients can also benefit from all of Brex’s advantages, including greater loan limitations, immediate internet underwriting and tailored rewards for online retail companies.

Ryan Murden, director for business development at Magento, added, “We are happy to accept Brex as a fresh Technology Partner for Magento. Since its introduction in February 2019 Brex has expanded quickly and has introduced several delivery alliances, among others MDS, Payoneer and Plastiq, as well as a series of incentives that is particular to the retail internet sector through technology, transport and marketing.’ Their alternative provides our retailers creative finance and payment capacities.’

Brex announces in June that it has received $100 million in risk financing, which gives the enterprise an estimated $2.6 billion. The fund round has been guided by the Kleiner Perkins Digital Growth Fund and all current significant investment funds, including the Y Combinator Continuity, Ribbit Capital, DST Global, Greenoaks Capital and IVP, have participated.

Brex said the financing was used to improve its item by extending its commercial expenditure and award offering and to join fresh verticals. Some months after Brex collected 125 million dollars, offering it a prior estimate of 1,1 billion. Brex said it would use the financing to increase its brand.

On 30 August the Great Britain Bake-off Returns to Netflix

Restaurant Tech Editors
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On 30 August the Great Britain Bake-off Returns to Netflix

Next Friday will probably be the most important point for a certain subset of meat enthusiasts who also enjoy tact, courtesy and very British people. Because next Friday, August 30th, The Great British Baking Show returns to Netflix for series 10 (or collection 7 here in the U.S.).

But let’s hope you’re sitting down, because there’s been a major development: for the first time ever, episodes will run week-to-week, with new episodes coming to Netflix three days after airing in the United Kingdom. In other words, we’re going to be able to watch the Great British Baking Show in real time instead of binging over the weekend.

GBBS spoilers here in the US have been easily avoided–don’t do the display for Google until the semester ends. But now we are all in danger of a casual colleague spoiling the recent occurrence of an alarming rain bottle. We recommend that you attempt as careful and intelligent as Howard when Deborah inadvertently steeled his custard and prevent spoilers when debating fresh stories this autumn.

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