Updated: Jun 20, 2020
One of the reasons why servers do not upsell consistently is that, they just don’t “have it” into their systems. They don’t make upselling as habit.
How about instead of taking it as an obligation or a task assigned by our managers, let’s welcome the idea of having it as a part of our daily activity?
Something that will become natural to us and that way, we would not need to force ourselves to do it.
You as the manager have so much on your plate. You have to figure out and give time to make upselling a habit.
Once it becomes a habit, it becomes so much easier, it's like a part of your routine.
Money generating activities are very important and this simple one of following a script, that is going to upsell, is definitely one of them.
The customer may say yes or no, it does not matter.
It's about following the system consistently to get consistent results.
So if you're going to make money out of doing it, then it is just so wrong not to do it. You just have to be focused and dedicated to practicing it persistently.
If you are overwhelmed, you might have someone on your team who is pretty good at this.
The one who may get better results than the others and you should know who that person is. Hold that person accountable and manage the rest of the team.
Let that person share what he or she usually says to the customers and put him or her in-charge in keeping her colleagues consistent in doing the upsell.
For example in our restaurant, one of our servers was using the phrase, "Your dessert stomach is not yet full because it's a separate stomach for dessert" for upselling.
We found out that this has been very effective in making the customers say "yes" so this was shared amongst us and indeed, it works.
In order for something to become a habit, statistics say that you have to do it in 21 to 218 days, depending on what kind of practice it is.
For upselling to become a habit, it takes an ugly amount of reminders. You have to do it over and over and you need to follow-up with your people from time to time.
Sometimes you give up and become tired and you tend to forget. This should not be the case.
Always remember that it really takes a long time for something to become a habit.
It requires loads of follow-up, accountability, tracking, encouragement, and recognition, weeks after weeks.
But again, it's all worth it. It can be exhausting but it is money generating activity.
No profit, no business.
You need to turn it into a habit, reminding your people over and over again.
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