In the book “High Output Management”, the author Andrew Grove compares being a manager to being a waiter. As a waiter, you constantly have to prioritise tasks.
Do you bring the menu to the couple that just walked in, or do you serve the boiled egg that’s been waiting in the kitchen for three minutes already?
These are the tasks you have to keep in mind as a manager 🍽️
- Sales forecasts answer the question: how many customers are you expecting to serve today? This has direct implications on how much staff and inventory you need to keep the customers satisfied.
- Inventory levels seem like an obvious parameter to watch but are so often forgotten by inexperienced managers. CEOs who fail to evaluate their inventory levels fail to fulfil orders, and that is about the worst customer experience there is.
- Condition of the equipment refers to your production instruments. As a waiter, have you checked whether the toaster is working today? The customers won’t care if “it’s not your fault.” They’ll simply choose another place next time.
- Workforce indicators are needed to keep track of your staff. Just like it’s your responsibility as a manager to make sure the toaster is working, you need to check if any of your kitchen staff called in sick today. In that case, you’ll need an urgent replacement.
- Quality indicators are often forgotten by managers. Did the customers like the breakfast? Will they come back again? Companies that fail to learn go bankrupt.
Be aware of the multiplying by zero effect: One bad variable that can ruin the whole experience 🧨
- E.g: You might own a beautiful restaurant with amazing food, but if the bathrooms are filthy and overflowing, you’ll have no customer
- E.g: You have your dream job and dream company, but if your manager is a jerk and hates you for no reason, you’ll hate working there