For three years leading up to the Great Recession I had the privilege of working alongside a master of business. His name is Gary Wollerman, known as the architect behind Ruth's Chris' explosive international growth throughout the 1990s.
In 2001 Gary had ventured out on his own and opened New Orleans' best restaurant, GW Fins with fellow Ruth's Chris alum Chef Tenney Flynn. Over the next few years the seafood house racked up nearly every exclusive award imaginable, including Esquire's highly coveted top ranking.
From day one on the job Gary communicated his single key to success: create raving fans. For him, every person who walked through the doors -- from the dish porter to the postal carrier to the guests -- was to be welcomed, treated, and accommodated with preemptive service at every turn. This lesson stuck with me because the end results were always undeniable. It's become the very fabric of my work ethic and how I manage my professional life.
"So how do the lessons from a restaurant operator apply to the event production world?" That's the question I've been asking myself for months throughout the pandemic as I've witnessed countless event producers and meeting planners put on client events that leave audiences and sponsors feeling unfulfilled.
The answer is surprisingly obvious. Here it is in three tidy points.
Everyone who walked through Gary Wollerman's doors felt as if they were in full control of their experience without ever having to give a single direction. Staff were trained to observe and listen to every person as they entered, take note of special requests and habits noted from any previous visit in the reservations computer, then to guide the current visit based upon these observations.
When producing live in-person events, online events, or hybrid events this should be the same aim using a different set of tools. Sure, many meeting planners will reference the post-event survey from the past year but does that even apply to an online experience? (Spoiler alert: nope.)
At GW Fins it was a cardinal sin to rush a guest through their meal. The rule was that if people could enjoy themselves at their own pace, getting lost in great conversation, they'd be more likely to pay for that second bottle of wine or another plate of smoked sizzling oysters.
The pandemic has left people feeling crushed and overwhelmed by a bombardment of digital content as marketers everywhere scramble to get in front of audiences that now aren't leaving their own neighborhoods. As event planners and marketers our focus should be on understanding this new limitation and creating pressure-free online experiences that foster attendee interaction. After all, the entire point of conferences and events is for people to network and meet.
Of course Gary was focused on making money, and by any measure I'm sure he's done very well for himself. His formula for achieving financial success, though, was atypical of most. Guests were allowed to experience the restaurant as they wanted, to not be rushed, to linger and watch the stars rise over Bienville Street. He told me that if every guest had this experience that converted them into a raving fan, if they were truly delighted, they'd be back. And so would a dozen of their friends.
This may have been an ill concept to some of Gary's investors. I don't know. But it definitely isn't a typical approach to running a profitable restaurant. In the events world Gary's take on making money also seems a bit off. However that accepted wisdom only goes surface deep.
When I started working with Gary I felt that his philosophy was a little cheesy, too simplistic, and a poor way to make a dime. In the end I've come to cherish every moment of his mentorship and lessons for business and life. I like to think that today I'm a better person and a more dedicated professional thanks to his guidance and now I've passed our shared wisdom on to you. Please do the same.
Create raving fans.