I was speaking with Jan Kirchoff, co-owner of Deli Lane and Sunset Tavern in South Miami last week and one of the things they're doing just grabbed my attention: Doggy Happy Hour!

It's a monthly event that they promote to their customers in store, on the web, in email and in their newsletter. It was an idea that came out of a brainstorming session with the staff.

It's a fun event for all (dog's get special treats) and a great way for Deli Lane to bond with their customer base and show their "local" support.

I followed up and asked "do marketing and events have to be creative these days?"

I think you can guess what the answer was.

Of course, and especially now -- so what are doing to be creative? Drop me a note: jaime@restaurantreport.com

Best,
- Jaime

P.S. Will a doggy happy hour work for you?
P.P.S. You can check out the Deli Lane folks online at: http://www.delilane.com (I like the use of video on their site)

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Here's my question...

I need ideas for shift changes and closing cash drawers. How can I keep my employees from being short or over? The system now is 1 drawer, two shifts. I don't want to close 2 drawers every day.

- Teaira

Let's hear from other readers on how they handle this in their restaurant -- please help Teaira out and post your comments to her question on this page: http://www.runningrestaurants.com/articles/20080508

Last issue's feature question about what is "standard" side-work for servers drew some great responses.

If you didn't get a chance to read them or to post your own comments, go to:
http://www.runningrestaurants.com/articles/20080424

Up Next: Father's Day
by Miriam Silverberg

So, how did you do on Mother's Day? Not so well? Well, don't panic, there's Father's Day coming up.

Fathers like to be pampered, too. Here's a few ideas...

• Think about buying up tickets for a minor league baseball game. Give two tickets to each gentleman. This would work with any sports game.

• Is your restaurant rather feminine in appearance? Try getting rid of some of the froufrou and replacing it with something more masculine.

• Stock up on beer, bourbon and scotch. When someone makes a reservation for the day, ask if they would like a special bottle of wine with dinner.

• Prepare a special Father's Day dinner with heartier foods than usual. Meat and potatoes. Many men have a sweet tooth so prepare special desserts with names like The Best Dad, King of Dads, A Sweet Dad and the like.

• You might even prepare several different menus prix fixe, of course, and give each a different name.

• If he's a brand new dad, he's probably feeling proud so why not make a big deal about his special day? Contact local hospitals for the names of women who just gave birth and contact them about celebrating Father's Day at home. Deliver a basket with a bowtie and food and drink. When you call the hospital try to find out whether a woman had a baby boy or girl. In the basket, place a tiny blue bowtie for a boy or a pink ribbon for a girl.

• Find a gift to give each man on Father's Day. It could be a small bottle of aftershave, cologne, the aforementioned bowtie or tickets to a game.

• Advertise what you're doing by placing an ad in the paper and putting a sign in your window. If there's a famous radio or television personality, anchor or weatherman, invite him to dine with his family as your guest. He might mention it on the air.

Make this Father's Day a happy one for you and your customers.

Miriam Silverberg is the founder and president of Miriam Silverberg Associates, a boutique publicity firm in Manhattan specializing in restaurants. She may be reached at silverbergm@mindspring.com.

What Matters Most
by Shep Hyken

You are taking a flight on any airline - it doesn't matter.
Couple of questions:

1. Would you rather have an extra couple of inches of leg room, or know you arrive at your destination on time?

2. Would you rather have a meal, or know your luggage will show up on the baggage carousel when you arrive undamaged)?

Most of us reading this are aware the airline industry is in tremendous turmoil. It seems every blog, consumer website and speaker (myself included) tells the woeful stories of the airlines. But put any feelings (both negative and positive) aside and consider this fact. According to research from University of Nebraska and Wichita State University in their annual Airline Quality Ratings survey, the highest rated customer service airlines are Southwest, Air Tran and JetBlue. These are the budget airlines, where amenities are literally, in some cases, peanuts, but reliability trumps the major airlines.

Many of us would sacrifice a few amenities to know our flight will arrive on time and our checked bags will show up. What that means is that we want and value reliability. It is reliability that defines customer service in the airline industry.

Here is the lesson. On the surface, most of us would think customer service for an airline comes in the form of amenities; bigger seats, meals, etc. Of course the employees have to add to the pleasant experience. However, it turns out that in this case, this is not what customers want. They want reliability. The customer defines what is important. Do you know what matters most to your customers? Don't guess. Don't make assumptions. Find out, and then don't just meet their expectations. Exceed them!

Shep Hyken, CSP is a professional speaker and author who helps companies develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep’s speaking programs, books, and other learning products, please contact (314) 692-2200. Email: shep@hyken.com Web: www.hyken.com. For information on customer service training, go to www.TheCustomerFocus.com.

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