Pizza Today - October 2018 - 32

Do you have a table numbering system?
How are they split among the servers?
Is your seating chart easy to use? Do
you keep a record of table turns and
times? If you have a reservation system
or use a third-party system, how
efficient is it?
Caio! uses a table management
program to help hosts estimate wait
times more efficiently. "It's a colorcoded system," Oechslin says. "Each
table is on a clock that will tell the host
at the host stand that the check is on
the table. It should be 10 or
15 minutes that we can get that table
turned over so they can quote times
based on that."
In addition, Oechslin says, they
keep a daily written log of when the
restaurant goes on a wait and when it
goes off a wait. It gives them a history
to see patterns.
SITUATIONAL TRAINING

Role playing is one of your best tools
to train new hosts. "There are all kinds of
scenarios that you can put in there that
requires multitasking," Paz says. "You
need to make a list of those common
scenarios that you anticipate will happen.
Now, can you anticipate every single
situation? No. But what you need to do is
give new hires basic training on the most
common host situations that they are
going to run into."
Mark Dym owns the full-service,
three-unit Marco's Coal Fired Pizzeria
in Denver. Dym and Oechslin outline
specific scenarios that they help new
hosts to overcome. They include:
* Phone manners. "Answer it with a
smile and don't talk too fast," Oechslin
says.
* Long waits. Know how to handle
the situation when walk-in customers
have to wait longer that originally
quoted, Dym says.
* Service staff pressures. Servers may
make requests, or even demands, on
seating their sections or when to cut
them. "You have to handle it from both
sides," Oechslin says.
* "Hangry" customers. Oechslin says
keeping managers in the loop when

a party has been waiting a long time
is important. "The manager can help
the host staff so they are not taking all
of the heat," he says. Food is always
an arsenal to a packed waiting area.
Sending out a tray of small bites can
calm a hangry situation.
* Specific seating requests. A table for
two requests an open booth that seats
six on a busy evening," Dym says.
Undoubtably, one of the toughest
situations a host will face involves
handling peak rushes with long waits.
"(We train them) to stay organized,
calm and maintain composure," Dym
says. "If a host becomes flustered, it will
be a downward spiral." One key in these
situations, he continues, is to know
when to get help. "One thing I train
everyone on my staff is that verbally
abusive and disrespectful guests are not
tolerated and that they should see a
manger immediately," he says.
GRADUATION

When is an employee ready to
take the host stand on their own?
The timeline for a host to go solo is
dependent on the individual, Oechslin
says. "They should exhibit a sense of
awareness of what is going on, being
efficient, a good grasp of how to run
the wait list and a good personality to
feel welcoming to guests, both in the
building and on the phone," he says.
"Complete knowledge of our
reservation system, a keen awareness
of where tables are at with their meal,
and the ability to interact with guests
comfortably and naturally," Dym says
must be demonstrated before a host is
considered fully trained. "They should
also show a competency in controlling
the door and flow of the restaurant. For
example, not triple seating a server and
spacing tables so the kitchen doesn't get
all their orders at once."
As with all positions in your
restaurant, continual training and
reinforcement will keep hosts on top of
their game. n
DENISE GREER

Today.

is associate editor at Pizza
Pizza Today - October 2018

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