Five Ways to Turn Your Staff into Your Restaurant’s Brand Advocates

Your guests and prospective employees have several restaurants to choose from. As of Spring 2018, there were 660,755 restaurants in the United States. How do you stand out in a crowded market? The easiest way is to transform your existing employees into restaurant brand advocates.

Your team brings your restaurant's mission and purpose to life, from the food your chefs create to the hospitality your servers provide. They also talk about work and your restaurant to friends and family who are potential customers – and possibly even prospective employees.

With brand advocates, you can amplify your reach by creating an effective marketing channel that increases customer visits and spend, while attracting talent.

Why Having Brand Advocates on Staff Matters

All restaurants have two customer types; internal and external.

Why divert your focus from guests (external customers) and invest time in your team (internal customers)? As with any investment, you’re looking for ROI. Gallup's meta-analysis of employee engagement shows that businesses with high employee engagement have 28% less internal theft or shrinkage and 21% higher productivity.

Staffing is a BIG concern: The United States is experiencing a chef shortage, and the “restaurant and accommodations” sector saw a 73% employee turnover rate in 2017. With the cost of turning over one hourly employee hovering near $6,000, engaging team members to become brand advocates for your restaurant is a smart decision for your business.

Having restaurant brand advocates gives you the opportunity to tap into their networks and expand your customer base.

Companies with a strong employee advocacy program increase their visibility. Messages shared by employees went 561% further than the same message shared on a brand-owned channel; brand messages are reshared an average of 24x when distributed by an employee vs. the brand.

So, how do you transform your staff into restaurant brand advocates? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Set the Tone with Onboarding

During the interview process, your new team member was likely pumped up about starting a new job and chapter in their life.

Many restaurants fail to capitalize on this excitement – and end up reducing their chances of transforming new employees into brand advocates. On the first day, your new staff member is typically told to read the 45-page employee handbook and fill out paperwork. They then get a tour, maybe some basic OSHA-mandated training, and they’re let loose.

Instead, hold a welcome party on their first day. You want to make it memorable in the best way; make the time to get them excited about joining your team.

Remember that your new team members (internal customers) must be treated just as great as (and maybe even better than) your guests (external customers). Onboarding sets the tone for how your employees will connect with you and your brand.

2. Develop Their Strengths and Careers

Your team is an asset, not a liability.

When you focus on the bad, you will often receive more negativity. People tend to rise to your level of expectation. Focus on your team members’ natural strengths; help them flourish by playing to these strengths.

Your server may not be the best at talking to customers, but they’re incredibly adept at anticipating a customer's needs before they’re apparent. Maybe they consistently run other staff members’ food and drinks while managing their own workload.

How can you learn about your restaurant staff’s strengths? What are their personal and professional goals in life? Find out what makes them tick.

In today’s competitive job market, employees want to work for companies that provide opportunities that can help advance their career. Examples are providing opportunities to develop new skills, or the chance to learn from a mentor.

Help your staff achieve their dreams, and you'll earn their loyalty.

3. Show Appreciation

Saying thank you is probably the simplest, yet most effective thing you can do to transform your restaurant staff into brand advocates. The best thing about it? It costs you nothing. Thank your team openly. Sincerity and appreciation are paramount to any experience, especially that of your internal customers.

Showcase your brand advocates on social media. Celebrate their birthdays, life events and accomplishments. Your restaurant is more than just the food and drink you serve; it’s the people who shape the memorable experiences that delight your guests. Appreciate and share the stories of your team.

For example, Mei Mei, a Boston-area restaurant and food truck, gave a shout-out to one of their employees for running the Boston Marathon and getting engaged at the finish line!

4. Improve Your Team Experience

If you want to improve your guest experience, focus on your team experience.

Some benefits you can offer that are guaranteed to boost workplace morale:

• Access to an employee area
• Staff meals and discounts on food
• Health benefits
• PTO (paid time off)
• Advanced training, coaching, and/or mentorship
• A scholarship program for students on staff
• Other unique benefits, like childcare or covering transportation costs

When your restaurant is a great place, your staff will want to share the good news with others.

5. Promote with Swag

People love free stuff. Giving your staff cool swag like water bottles, sweatshirts, baseball caps and stickers makes promoting your restaurant easy.

Don’t give them the same T-shirt you expect them to wear at work; make it special, make it unique. Better yet, ask them what they would like.

Proud Brand Advocates

When your team starts incorporating your restaurant's brand into their personal life, you know you have finally transformed them into brand advocates, who will go on to serve as a megaphone broadcasting a positive narrative about your restaurant’s brand and mission.

About Toast: Toast, a new CHECK^® Business Tools partner, powers successful restaurants of all sizes with a technology platform that combines restaurant POS, front-of-house, back-of-house and guest-facing technology with a diverse marketplace of third-party applications. By pairing technology with an unrivaled commitment to customer success, Toast helps restaurants streamline operations, increase revenue and deliver amazing guest experiences. Toast was named to the 2019 Forbes Fintech 50, 2019 SXSW Interactive Innovation Finals, 2018 Forbes Cloud 100 and recognized as the third fastest-growing technology company in North America on the 2017 Deloitte Fast 500. Learn more about Toast by visiting POS and Restaurant Management Platform.