Gaurang Suctancar, Gaurish and Amey Naik – Peep Kitchen, A unit of Risara Hotels LLP

Name: Gaurang Suctancar, Gaurish and Amey Naik.
Designation : (Partners)
Name of the Hotel / Restaurant: Peep Kitchen, A unit of Risara Hotels LLP.
Duration of Career: 12 years.

Questions for Restaurant Owners

Q1. What is the key/ secret to your success?

• Positive attitude, Believe in yourself, build positive habits, make wise choices, set and achieve goals. Keep working towards your goals and dreams.

Q2. As per your opinion what does a customer like the most during their visit?

• Every new customer entering the restaurant is expecting a certain kind of service, food and decor. Whether they have looked you up on the internet or have seen your restaurant while passing by, they have a certain image in their minds when it comes to the kind of experience they will have when they dine in your restaurant.
• You need to ensure that there is no disappointment here. From the time they enter the restaurant to the time they leave, it is the restaurants responsibility to look for hints and gestures from them to understand their needs, without them having to say it out loud.

Q3. How do you market your restaurant?

• Social media platforms.
• Giving menu a fresh look .
• Reaching Out To Local Food Bloggers And Influencers.
• Getting Listed On Food Apps.
• Maintaining online reputation. All the efforts online could go to waste if you don’t have a good online reputation management strategy in place. Online reputation for a restaurant would simply involve responding to customer queries in a timely manner and responding to both negative and positive reviews in a way that would portray your restaurant in good light.

Q4. As per you what impresses the customers the most?

• It’s not just food that draws customers into restaurants time and time again .It’s the ambiance, environment and the experience they have while dining. For a brand to stand out and form a lasting connection with the customer creating a bond is necessary .Here are few ways to accomplish them:

* create new menus and cocktails weekly or monthly.
* well trained staff
* allow guest to sample wine and beer
* delight the guest by exc eeding their expectations; give them moments and happy memories
* show gratitude

Q5. What would you advise the new and upcoming restaurant owners?

• It takes a lot to run a successful restaurant as it is service driven. The success of a restaurant is solely dependant on the dining experience of the patrons as well as consistency play a major role when it comes to delivering service as well as food. Competition is fierce in this business so one must be creative with the offerings at the same time willing to put hard work, dedication and passion to serve with a smile.

Q6. As per you, what inspires or motivates staffs to perform better?

As J.W. Bill Marriott says if you take care of your employees they will take care of your customers and your business will take care of itself.

• *set goals and reward systems –discuss the goals your restaurant desires to achieve and reward them timely for their contribution and upselling.
• *Offer good quality and exciting staff meals since they are working hard during busy hours and a good meal will enhance their energy and performance levels.
• *offer a chance for advancement within the organisation by helping them move up the ladder rather than hiring a new recruit.
• *Be a good leader, recognize and appreciate their achievements celebrate their birthdays.Lead them by example and always fill up the communication gap.

Q7. What is your key contribution to make your customers happy and to retain them?

We strongly believe in these words “ do what you do so well, that they will want to see it again and bring their friends”. Make your customers so happy with your food ambiance and staff that they will visit you over and over again and bring their friends over which is exactly happening at peep kitchen. Here are some tips:

Increase the friendliness of your staff with the customers, teach them to go extra mile (know the guest name, preference etc.)

Turn a bad experience around if a guest had for e.g. slow arrived food or dispute over wrong order handle the problem quickly and efficiently, always remember respect goes a long way so put in the effort offer  a complimentary round of drinks or desert or a gift certificate to come back. Thumb rule is never lose a customer it’s bad for business.

• *Make a connection- customers are happy dinning where everyone knows their name their preferred table music or food, remembering their birthdays anniversaries etc. creates a connect with the establishment for long term.

Q8. What you do differently that your restaurant is more popular amongst all others.

Q9. What are the key areas to be focused by the authorities to make Goa the preferred tourist destination?

• New strategy to attract high spending visitors.
• Focus on families entertainment & activities portfolio
• More diversified and quality leisure & entertainment offer, mainly addressed for domestic tourists.

Q10. What is the percentage of chefs contribution in any FnB Business?

A chef is 90% responsible for the accomplishments that a restaurant achieves. Besides the restaurant’s artistic beautification and other customer attractive features, the food it serves is the first element that adds to its recognition.

Q11. What is the percentage of Bartenders contribution in any FnB Business?

The bartender’s personality strongly influences the positive or indeed negative experience of the bar for the customer. Bartenders take their personalities to work with them every day. It’s their personality which comes into contact with the bars customers which will determine to a great extent the success of the bar and all its products.