The second type of breakfast eater is the “morning grouch.” He comes storming in. He was awake all night. Or he has indigestion. Or he cut himself while shaving. The alert waiter says nothing to him, not even good morning, unless it is quite unobtrusively spoken. But he gets rolls and butter in front of the “morning grouch” in a hurry, because with a roll in his mouth “the fellow finds it had to complain.” The third type of guest is familiar to all of us. He comes flying into the restaurant. His necktie is twisted. He flings his hat to the waiter. He is the guest who is always late for an appointment – always in a hurry. He wants three minute eggs in two minutes! Waiters know better than to tell the gentleman this is an impossible feat. Instead, they hustle about with great motion. This technique satisfies the guest that he is getting quick service. Study again the three basic emotions – X, Y, and Z – then direct your statements to hit the mark, especially if you are in a business that depends on servicing the public efficiently and unobtrusively. A Baked Idaho Potato With Sweet Butter Don’t sell the steak – sell the sizzle. It is the sizzle that makes the guest’s mouth water, not the cow! Don’t sell potatoes – sell a baked Idaho potato with sweet melted butter. It’s the bubbles on the wine that make the eyes sparkle in anticipation. On three occasions lately we sold out completely the “chef’s special” in the Café Rouge of the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York within two hours’ time, by use of Tested descriptive words. For instance, the fish was not just “baked fish” to Mr. Henessey, but “fish baked in the Back Bay manner,” and the stew was not an ordinary stew, but “beef pie a la mode.” “Listening A Little Closer” I always wondered why I enjoyed the company of Grandpop Strobel so much. He would sit for hours listening to me tell him about the things I was doing, and he never seemed bored. A lot of people, especially complaint managers in organizations, have this knack o f letting you do all the talking. Once in a while we catch ourselves being “coaxed on,” and, remembering the Rule of “You - ability,” we start the other person talking.
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