Trimming the fat

As 2009 draws to a close, many of you in the food and beverage industry will no doubt be far too busy with festive meals and deals to dwell too much on the year we’ve just had, or the new one approaching.

But 2009 has taught the region’s F&B professionals some valuable lessons — ones we would all do well to remember.

Firstly, that whoever your clientele is, they will appreciate value for money (and that this is by no means the same as being ‘cheap’).

Secondly, that a little innovation goes a long way. Sales and marketing departments may have been worked like never before this year, but those who attracted new customers and drove repeat business with clever promotions and offers have proven their worth ten times over.

And thirdly, that training staff to deliver top customer service is something that has to be worked at — continuously. If you want diners to keep coming back, particularly now consumer spending has dropped, your staff need more than a one-hour introductory training video: they need skills, knowledge, motivation, passion and drive.

This year has not been an easy one, for any industry. Admittedly F&B is always going to be better off than some others — as people like to point out, everyone has to eat — but the economic downturn was a harsh wake-up call; particularly for those fat cats who had strolled in looking to make a quick buck in the hungry Middle East market while the pickings were rich.

Now, the fat has been trimmed in a real-time demonstration of the ‘survival of the fittest’ theory, with various concepts closing around the region. Whether these closures were down to ill thought-out concepts, weak offerings or sheer bad luck, the thinning out of F&B offerings in this formerly overcrowded arena will allow the best outlets to really shine through.

So put your best foot forward and step into the new year with some bounce in your step: if your operation’s made it through the past 12 months, the lessons mentioned above have undoubtedly come into play — which puts you on much solider ground for 2010.

On that note, have a great festive season and see you next year!