Half your subscription fee, meager as it is, goes to charity!
If you are in the restaurant business and do not know about ACF, you have probably been living under a rock ... but there is no quiz, at least not today. Some of you -- because you have a high volume restaurant or because you have multiple units or because you see the value in this idea or just because you want to support a good cause -- will feel embarrassed about receiving this valuable information for only forty-eight dollars. We certainly would be. For you, we have the option of donating more if you like ... but it is not required. However, larger donations will come with some additional perks like healthy discounts on our semi-annual sales-building workshops and other benefits to be revealed later. So why not give it away for free, then? First, the material can easily put thousands of dollars in your pocket and to give it away would be unthinkable. It would also be impractical. If you paid nothing for it, you would have no commitment and you probably wouldn't do anything with the information. No action = no results. No results and we both look foolish. It's not that forty-eight bucks is a big hurdle to leap, but frankly, if you can't make a fast decision on a deal this good, the odds of your doing anything to improve your position are slim. We don't want the program (or our names) associated with the status quo. On the other hand, the program has a lot to offer people who are willing to take action. If the tab was $100 or more it would have tested your resolve a bit more, but we kept the leap to a minimum so we could include as many people as possible in the program without money being a consideration. Secondly, if we gave it away we wouldn't be able to help charitable works to this extent. We think that the Year of the Guest program can generate a significant financial contribution to the work of several fine organizations and we are not going to let it slip by. Besides, it will be fun to test out the idea that what goes around, comes around. Finally -- at the risk of being socially incorrect -- if you cannot make a fast decision to donate less than fifty bucks under these circumstances, you would be out of place in this program. This is not to malign you as a person, but in our experience the world is made up of three kinds of people: those who take action, those who think about taking action (but never do) and those without a clue. This is a program for people who take action ... because if you don't do anything with the information, you are wasting your time and money. Do you remember the old saying that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions? The sad truth is that most people end up talking a better game than they play. They have good intentions, of course, but something else always seems to be more important and all their good ideas remain only that -- good intentions. Sometimes it takes a little boost to get you over the hump and actually putting new ideas to work. Some people are willing to do the work and some are not. Which are you? This is a program for people who take action. The program itself is self-cleaning. Serious operators will see the value in a flow of new ideas. They know that if they get only one idea that makes them money, they will still be way ahead, particularly at this price. In fact, they would easily pay more for a resource this good. These people will just go straight to the bottom of the letter, subscribe and get back to work. These are the people we want to play with. Timid operators will think about it ... and swear they will look at it again in a day or so "when they have more time." The letter will get buried. Of course, they will think of it again every now and then, but by then it will be too much trouble to find it again, so it will be put off again. A year from now they will still be meaning to get to it. Timid operators make timid competitors and will have little to contribute to the group. We think that everyone will benefit from being part of a group of experienced operators who want to be pro-active, take responsibility for their own success and who can entertain (and implement) a good idea when they see it. Don't be worried about what you are going to do if your competitors pick up on these ideas, be worried about what will happen if they DO and you DON'T! What's the catch? You might be thinking that nobody does something for nothing ... and we suspect that is true ... so let us be clear about our motives. |
We will donate half of the proceeds from this program to your state restaurant association's education foundation or to the American Culinary Federation's Chef and Child Foundation, a national charity that taps the resources of the hospitality industry to end childhood hunger -- surely a worthwhile mission. | Home |
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"I recommend The Year of the Guest program for two reasons: First, I have subscribed for a year and find it very interesting and informative. With this weekly program you get a different good idea each week for an entire year. Second, in my case the proceeds benefit the KRA Educational Foundation, a cause that is very important to me and our industry."
-- Mike Kull, Dairy Queen Corporate, Louisville, KY
"My staff looks forward to the YOGA Exercise every week and have implemented several WOW ideas that had an immediate positive impact on our guests. Bill and Joel bring the details home in a way that makes you want to implement every idea they present."
-- Tom Boucher, Cactus Jack's, Bedford, NH
"The Year of the Guest e-mails are concise and right on target. I actually look forward to receiving them and promptly forward the insights along to my fellow managers. They always spark interesting and productive conversations on how we can better serve our guests."
-- Paul Cunningham, Schreiner's Restaurant, Fond du Lac, WI
"The Year of the Guest provides owners, managers and other key staff with a fresh perspective on their daily routine and a re-energized dedication to the art of hospitality. The stories, ideas, and tips help you to sharpen your focus [on] the little things that make up the dining experience."
-- Siobhan Reidy, The Irish Rover, Louisville, KY
"We received some great ideas and motivators for a small cost that helped benefit a good cause at the same time. What more could you ask for?"
-- Charlie Mallar, The 1785 Inn, North Conway, NH
"Year of the Guest is a great deal. Not every idea applies to my business but the number and quality of ideas is spectacular. From simple things that can be implemented immediately to long term projects for the entire staff, just one of the ideas can easily pay for the whole program."
-- David Bookstaff, J.T. Whitney's Pub, Madison, WI
"The Year of the Guest program ... helped us put together pre-shift meetings and discuss topics that really make a difference. You will never have to worry about what you are going to talk about with your staff every week. It is well worth the money."
-- Wasfi Samaan, J.D. Legends, Nicholasville, KY