The standard McDonald’s response to every order of “Would you like fries with that” might be cheesy, but it makes the brand millions of dollars every year. It’s an upselling technique and while it may be too direct for an upmarket café, the underlying objective behind it works.
The good news is, there are classier ways to package the upselling intent and when done correctly, the upsell can make your café exponentially more profitable. Here’s how…
Forget About Milking Your Customer
Consumers are getting wiser every day and rather than using transparent techniques to get them to spend more, when service staff and management can add value to their experience, they are rewarded. Customers don’t want to be seen as numbers. They want recommendations that enhance their dining experience and they expect café owners and staff to know what they enjoy. Switch your focus to adding more value to your customers and in turn, they’ll add more value to your price per head.
Invest In Staff Menu Tasting And Training
Your service staff are sales people who can influence your customers. And it’s really difficult for them to make recommendations when they have no idea what menu items taste like, or what they should be paired with. If your service staff sell from their own experiences, they can speak with sincerity and authenticity.
With greater knowledge comes confidence and confident staff sell more.
Create An Incentive Program For Staff
The most effective way to incentivise staff to upsell is to create value for them. If there is a direct benefit to your team members, they are more likely to make the effort. Reward staff members who can increase order value and train those who aren’t.
Market Signature Drinks And Dishes When Seating Guests
A lot of customers know what they want when they sit down. Sometimes they don’t even look at a menu. And if you’ve got a customer who wants a regular frappe and your specialty ice-blended flavours are unique to the area, she’s never going to know that. Encourage managers and waiters to make appropriate recommendations when seating guests and market the food and beverages you want to sell more of.
Remember that it’s important to read the customer before making recommendations. If the customer is new or you don’t know what they like, ask leading questions to make an informed recommendation.
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