In This Issue...

* New @ RR

     - Chefs on Stage
     - Restaurant Manager Interview Guide
     - How to Elevate the Dining Experience
     - The Royal Treatment: Alaskan King Crab
     - The Cutting Edge, German-Style

* Service Tip: Creating Memorable Service

Chefs on Stage
- by Wayne Harley Brachman

Stages are valuable experiences for all chefs who aspire to elevate their cooking. (read more...)


Restaurant Manager Interview Guide
- by Brian Bruce

Brian has assembled a guide to assist hiring managers in asking the questions that will leave them with something more than a good or bad feeling after an interview. (read more...)


How to Elevate the Dining Experience
- by John Hendrie

A restaurant is not a Broadway Review, but you do have the live stage and capacity to inspire. John has some how-to tips. (read more...)


The Royal Treatment: Alaskan King Crab
- by Suzanne Hall

Alaskan king crab rules the menu and creates loyal subjects among discerning diners. (read more...)


The Cutting Edge, German-Style
- by Lisa Shames

German knife designers use chef comments and space-age materials to pump up the comfort.(read more...)

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On a recent trip to Cancun, my wife and I had the enjoyable experience of staying at the beautiful Marriott Casa Magna. In many of the hotels I stay at there are welcome notes from the housekeeper, manager, etc. Most of them are typed messages and all of the guests receive the same ones. Once in a while they are hand signed. But seldom are the notes personalized.

I'm not talking about a Dear Mr. Hyken. I mean really personalized. Our housekeeper at the Casa Magna not only wrote out a personalized handwritten note, she also drew a beautiful colored picture to go with it. And, she did this every day. She wrote us handwritten poems, each one with a picture. On our last day she bid us farewell with another beautiful note and picture.

While this is a great example of personalized service, it does more. These notes set a tone and created a mood. They made me feel good about the hotel, and, maybe even more important, the people who worked there. The sincere notes with the beautiful pictures helped make our stay enjoyable and memorable.

Memorable is the key word here. Our vacation was nice. We had some great dinners and fun times. Yes the hotel was beautiful, and the service great. But what took it over the top were the personalized handwritten notes and hand drawn pictures from the housekeeper. The hotel went from providing excellent service to memorable service.

There is now a new level of service. It is called "memorable service." But, it is only good if it is combined with excellent service. After all, I don't think we are interested in creating memorable service that is appalling. So, what are you and your organization doing to take the excellent service you provide to the level of memorable?

Don't just think about it. Do it!

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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