Service staff's enthusiam

Zhang's eatery not only provides comprehensive services, but also impresses diners with the warmth of its service staff.

Diners found it interesting that all restaurant employees are highly enthusiastic. They always arrive quickly if they hear a diner is not happy. Many waiters run to assist diners and waste little time in fixing the problem. There's also even a special noodle show with an energetic waiter to pull noodles at your table.

Are employees stimulated to work hard through better income than their peers in other restaurants? The answer is no.

Meeting employees' demands

Zhang Yong used his good business sense to motivate his employees. He claims he is meeting his employees' demands. It's a widely recognized theory in the catering industry that the better the service, the more loyal the customer. But in Zhang Yong's view, service is merely a superficial approach, and management should be addressed as a core issue in the operation of a restaurant.

Meeting employees' demands and creating a fair working environment is a prerequisite that considerate service managers are expected to offer. In fact, more than 90 percent of Hai Di Lao hot pot restaurant employees are from poor village families and most haven't been to college.

Shaking off poverty and improving one's destiny is undoubtedly an encouraging slogan for migrant workers. How did Zhang Yong sell this concept to his staff?

Zhang Yong began by ensuring his employees were settled. He pays their rent for living in an apartment located in the neighbourhood of a Hai Di Lao hot pot restaurant. 24-hour heated water supply is ensured. All tenants have access to a computer and air conditioning. His employees don't have to worry about cleaning the place since the management hires cleaners to do the job.

Zhang Yong also arranged financial support for his employees. For instance, employees who have more than three years' work experience can get a yearly subsidy for their children's education. The annual subsidy is graded according to the worker's position, ranging from two to three thousand yuan to more than 10-thousand yuan. Employees judged to have performed exceptionally well can claim an allowance for their parents ranging from several hundred to more than one-thousand yuan per month. In addition, Zhang Yong also contributes towards medical care and housing subsidies.