Is a Waitress your Next Best Hire?
5 reasons the service industry is the best kept secret in recruiting.
After 12 years as a waitress (and a good chunk of that time spent serving too many cocktails in an Irish Pub) I’ve dodged more puke than porcelain; waiting on everyone from families with kids, to frat boys and senior citizens.
And yet a manifold of actionable language isn’t the only skill embedded in this savory demographic. Everything from customer service, to time management and marketing are hidden within your next meal. The art of persuasion, it seems, is a kitchen-tool of the trade.
After six years in retail, I’ve seen servers passed up far too many times for a job, that when compared to the stress of a Friday night dinner shift, might well put them to sleep. So in an effort to see this placid population given the respect us ex-restaurant pats crave, I’ve rounded up the five best reasons to trust your gut, convince your team, and bring that waitress from behind the bar and onto your sales floor.
1. They have an Innate Sense of Urgency
Whether it’s noon on a Wednesday or midnight on Saturday night, the only visual of your server is a soft blur as she rushes past you, managing not one, not two, not even three, but four to eight tables at once. The majority of which, either want to be in and out in under 45 minutes, or are enjoying a four course meal, multiple cocktails, and yes, they will split a dessert. So to answer your concerns, can a server multi-task while keeping clients happy? Yes. Can they work to a deadline? Yes. Can they manage multiple initiatives autonomously? Absolutely yes.
2. They’re Closers and Up-Sellers
Servers are assumptive closers, which means they’re going to naturally sell the add-ons and upgrades that come with whatever software you’ve designed that’s changing the world. “Which of our appetizer are we starting with tonight? Are we doing Grey Goose or Kettle One Vodka in your martini?” See what I mean?
3. They Know How to Manage Fussy Clients
And they’re not afraid to apologize. “I’m so sorry your soup wasn’t quite hot enough, let me get you a fresh bowl, and while I’m at it, take a look at the dessert menu, it’s on me tonight.” Translate this interaction into client management and you’ve got an employee who’s focused on her income, and yours.
Keeping clients happy translates into referrals and residual income. Bring someone on board who understands why the customer is always right, unless they order water.
4. They Thrive on Work-Life Balance
Which means we all go home on time. You know those employees who take 15 trips to the bathroom, check Instagram every half hour, play ping-pong at lunch, and wonder why they’re always having to stay late to reach quota? Ya, these aren’t them.
If there’s one thing servers love about working in restaurants, it’s maximizing their return in the shortest amount of time. These are folks who know the value of a good hustle, just as much as they know the value of personal time. Invite a server to your team and watch everyone make quota, and happy hour.
5. They’re Coin-Operated
There’s not a server in the world who does it purely for the love of bringing endless amounts of ranch dressing to families who leave behind dirty napkins, spilled drinks, and half their kids’ meal on the floor. Servers have one word on their mind — tips. Yeah, sure, they get a paycheck, but hourly rates are the chump-change of hospitality. These are cash-driven employees who are driven by words like bonus, commission, and incentive.
So I guess what I’m saying is, the next time your choice of resume’s includes a kid from Harvard looking for his first job, or that girl from Cal State who’s been waiting tables since she was 15 years old, do yourself a favor and hire someone who’s nightly duties have included bussing dirty dishes, sweating under heat lamps, and paying in cash.
