Spring is quickly approaching which means it’s time to open up your doors and breathe new life into your venue. The seasonal change is the perfect reminder to roll up your sleeves and get scrubbing. However, the preparation should not be restricted the spring and only limited to the actual act of cleaning.
General maintenance of your venue is important; and includes more than just giving the floors a good scrub. Every aspect of your business should be tidied up including operational procedures, menu design, ordering, finances and even your staff in order to be successful.
Tom Mirisola, owner of Oceans 234 and 2014 Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show speaker, has set many procedures in please when it comes to spring cleaning at his ocean side restaurant and bar. “For Oceans 234 Spring cleaning is 365 day a year Job. Due to our proximity to the Beach we are constantly exposed to wind, moisture, and salt air, so of course, maintaining a [clean] dining area is a must.”
Mirisola explains that spring cleaning goes much deeper than simply maintenance and cleaning. It’ss also a way of starting with a fresh mindset, moving past hurdles and motivating staff members to excel past previous goals set.
“With each spring comes the traditional busy Season. This is our opportunity to put the holidays behind us and focus on the job at hand. There is no better time to educate and inspire our staff.”
“The idea of spring cleaning is to always strive for improvement. No matter what season, Oceans 234 is constantly evolving and moving in a positive direction. If your focus is only to up your game when the time is appropriate, you’ll never get ahead of the game. This business move quickly and you need to always be evaluating, coaching and in some cases, trimming your staff,” says Mirisola, reassures us that spring cleaning is not just for one season.
Coaching those who can be coached should always be a number one priority; however, this leaves the notion that some employees are simply uncoachable. With that being said, sometimes people cannot be motivated and should be able to move onto something better suited for them. Cleaning out your staff is something that you must continuously consider in order to achieve the maximum level of success.
Mirisola says that his venue has a specific protocol for cleaning; starting with a plan of action with set goals. “The first week of January we make an action list and delegate responsibilities throughout. These goals touch each and every aspect of our operation. This year our focus is on execution. Every table greeting, plate, phone reservation and promotion will be executed to a higher degree than any year prior. In order for these goals to assimilate into the culture of Oceans 234, there are consistent pre-shift meetings, memos and staff trainings.”
Implementing a strategic plan is essentially what spring cleaning is all about. In order for your business to be successful, having a clear set of goals, being clear and consistent and seeing through your plan of action, is a must. Happy cleaning!