Author: Christine Dantz

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Certified Food Managers and Customer Rewards

Certified Food Managers and Customer Rewards

Repeat customers keep restaurants and other food producers in business. During a break at one of our certified food manager exam sessions, we engaged in an interesting conversation with the supervisor at a small restaurant about the challenges of utilizing a customer reward program similar to the ones that larger companies use.  We thought that it would be interesting to explore some options that smaller companies have to give their returning guests a little something extra.

Certified Food Managers and Customer Rewards

 

Certified Food Managers and Customer Loyalty Programs

There are definitely some difficulties involved when trying to compete with major franchises customer loyalty programs. The biggest obstacle being that big corporations have the infrastructure, the manpower and the finances to hire employees dedicated to the process of keeping customers returning to their stores and restaurants. Small business owners have no need to despair, however, there are numerous things that they can do to keep guests coming back.

A small business’ biggest advantage over large corporations is a familiarity factor. Many times regular guests and business owners know each other by name, and having a smaller staff allows your customers and employees to create a relationship based on seeing a familiar face each time they visit your restaurant. Training your employees to recognize returning guests and learn their names can go a long ways towards keeping them coming back as opposed to a loyalty card and the lack of being recognized when they visit large franchises.

Just because your guests know who you are and are greeted personally by staff each time they visit does not mean that you cannot give them something extra for frequenting your establishment.  We’ve come up with a few ideas that can reward your regular customers for their business:

  • Punch cards
  • Free item on birthdays and holidays
  • Coupons only available to members of an e-mail club
  • Discounts on certain menu items for frequent guests

These are just a few suggestions, and you can get as creative as possible to make it fun for guests to return. Customers spend their money in restaurants that treat them right, but with so many great restaurants in our state it sometimes takes something a little extra to draw them back time and time again. Do you have any special programs for your regular guests?

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Food Code Questions After Online Food Safety Certification

Wizard of Oz Answers to Food Code Questions after Online Food Safety Certification

Our online food safety certification courses cover everything that students must know in order to obtain their food manager certificates, but who do they turn to when something comes up that they either do not recall or they find themselves in a situation that was not covered in the course? While we attempt to make sure that you leave our training with everything that you need to know, there can always be gaps in even the most well prepared training courses.

Wizard of Oz Answers to Food Code Questions after Online Food Safety Certification
Image credit: The Wizard of Oz (1939) | by twm1340 via Flickr

Answers to Food Code Questions after Online Food Safety Certification

Fortunately, we live in the digital age where information is readily available from our PCs, smartphones and iPads, but if we have learned anything about the World Wide Web, it is that many resources lead you in the wrong direction. A popular quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln says it all; “Not everything that you read on the internet is true.” Where do you find reliable sources when you have food safety questions that you need answered right away?
We have compiled a short list of official websites that will give you a good start into your research:

In our opinion, these three sites are invaluable resources for those looking for information not contained in online food safety certification courses. We recommend starting with The Minnesota Food Code. This is the official website for the Minnesota Department of Health and contains links to both the complete food code and food, beverage and hospitality regulations. Some cities and counties have passed rules that are stricter than the food code that governs the state, so when in doubt give your local health department a call for clarification. They will be able to give you a definitive answer on nearly any topic.

We also feel like taking an instructor led food safety certification course grants the opportunity for students to ask more questions and engage in topics that are not covered in online resources. If you and your staff are inquisitive by nature, we recommend you consider taking one of our food safety classes where you have the opportunity to learn from an educated instructor.

We like to do whatever we can to make food safety certification obtainable. If you have any special requirements, just contact us and we will be happy to help.

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New Year’s Online Food Manager Certification Renewal

New Year’s Online Food Manager Certification Renewal

This month, we celebrated a huge milestone and released our 100th food safety blog. While we could rest on our laurels, we are going to renew our dedication to helping keep the food produced in our state as safe as possible. With the ringing in of the New Year, we resolve to continue providing convenient HACCP online training and certification, informative instructor led classes and pertinent information and food safety tips in our blog. This is also a time for food service workers to reflect on the past year, and prepare to continue in their efforts to keep their guests safe. One way to do that is to make sure that all of your certifications are in order.

 

Online Food Manager Certification Renewal

For ease of record keeping and in order to stay compliant with the Minnesota food code, a copy of all employees’ food safety certifications should be readily accessible. We also recommend sorting your employee food handler’s licenses by date of expiration, so that you know which employees are due to take a renewal course.

The New Year is the perfect time to remind your staff to take care of their food safety training. January tends to be a slower month for the food industry, so finding the time to schedule classes and examinations is easier when business is slow.

We understand that employees are also brought on at many times of the year, so diligence is necessary year round, but we have heard from food industry managers that training employees in groups rather that one at a time over the course of the year makes for a smoother process. If you have several employees that are due for renewal within a reasonable time frame, it is not uncommon to renew a few employees’ certifications well before the expiration date.

Finally, this is also a good time to make sure that your designated food safety manager has their certifications up to date. There are multiple certifications that the state of Minnesota accepts, and depending on which one your company requires, January is a good time to take an online food manager certification course for:

  • • Certified Food Safety Manager (NRFSP)
  • ServSafe
  • Prometric certified Food Manager
  • Learn2Serve Protection Manager

NRFSP and ServSafe are the two most commonly taken training courses, and we can help tailor a course that specifically addresses your needs whether you require full staff training or simply need a refresher course before taking any renewal exam.

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Extreme Weather Closure Tips for Certified Food Managers

Extreme Weather Closure Tips for Certified Food Managers

The winter months bring colder temperatures and the potential for incredible amounts of snow. Sometimes the winter conditions in our state create a scenario where roads are treacherous until they can be cleared and hazardous travel conditions dissipate. While every business strives to stay open and be available to provide services to a loyal customer base, circumstances inevitably arise where a certified food manager has to make the call to close up shop for the day.

Certified Food Managers and Snow Closures

If serious weather occurs, having a plan helps keep your staff and customers informed. If there is an active warning or alert, the certified food manager should monitor it closely. Employees on shift during a predicted storm should be notified ahead of time, and if you plan on opening but wish to adjust for lower business volume due to weather, cutting a staff member or two’s shift may help save on labor cost if guests stay home.

You need to communicate with potential guests if you plan on closing for the day or shutting down a few hours earlier than normal. In the past this used to be a major challenge, but we live in the age of the internet. Many consumers turn to social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook during winter storms to verify if a restaurant is open, so keeping your guests updated via these outlets will pass the message along to a majority of your potential customers.

Once you reopen, check to see if entryways are safe for guests to enter and leave. Clearing icy surfaces such as sidewalks and stairs can prevent slips and falls and create an inviting appeal to your restaurant. Oftentimes employee entrances can be overlooked in bad weather scenarios, so make sure that your staff has a clear and safe way to access your facility.

Finally, enjoy the weather. Food management is a stressful and time-consuming profession. Build a snowman or drink your favorite warm beverage and relax in front of the fire.

We want to know your extreme weather strategies. Do you feel obliged to open your doors no matter what conditions may be, do you play it safe or is your winter weather plan somewhere in the middle? Leave your thoughts for us in the comment section below.