Operational excellence isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the backbone of successful hospitality businesses. From managing peak-season chaos to driving sales and creating memorable guest experiences, strong operational habits make the difference. Based on insights from our recent webinar, here are 12 habits that will help you boost efficiency, improve team morale, and grow revenue.

1. Communicate Clearly and Often

Use workforce tools and daily briefs to keep your team aligned. Clear communication reduces mistakes and empowers staff to deliver great service.

2. Plan Labour Strategically

Avoid the “throw everyone on the rota” trap. Overstaffing eats into profit, while understaffing hurts service. Balance is key.

3. Make Work Enjoyable

Happy teams create happy guests. Small gestures—meals, treats, recognition—go a long way in building morale.

4. Manage Admin Proactively

Stay on top of pre-orders and upsells. Spread admin tasks throughout the week to avoid bottlenecks and missed opportunities.

5. Say “Yes” to Sales Opportunities

Every phone call or walk-in is potential revenue. Train your team to maximise covers and upsell where possible.

6. Plan Shifts in Advance

Allocate roles when writing rotas. Put your best people in the right positions to optimise service and sales.

7. Elevate Guest Experience

First impressions matter—smiles, greetings, and personal touches create loyalty and repeat business.

8. Collect Feedback and Act on It

Encourage reviews and use insights to improve. Feedback also fuels marketing and bounce-back campaigns.

9. Prepare Your Bounce-Back Strategy

Plan January offers during December. Use creative tactics like mystery discounts or loyalty envelopes to drive post-holiday traffic.

10. Incentivise Upselling

Upselling boosts revenue, tips, and guest experience. Make it fun with team challenges and rewards.

11. Control Wastage

Monitor stock levels and portion sizes. Overordering and careless habits can erode margins quickly.

12. Start Where You Plan to Finish

Plan January rotas early and communicate holiday policies upfront. This ensures smooth operations and avoids surprises.

TRANSFORM YOUR BUSINESS

Operational Excellence Programme

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Everards Operational Excellence Programme