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H2NO is a crew education kit containing information about
beverage suggestive selling techniques (a technique used when
a server suggests a profitable beverage in place of water to
the customer during the ordering process). It matched
perfectly with what Olive Garden had envisioned. Restaurant
managers and servers use the kit to emphasize the wide range
of beverage selections available, including soft drinks,
non-carbonated beverages and alcohol. As a side effect,
overall check averages should increase, and remember,
increased check averages mean higher profits for the
restaurant and more cash in servers' pockets.
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restaurants embraced the program and even took it to a higher
level. H2NO was incorporated into the restaurant chain's
schedule of monthly skill sessions where sales managers (store
managers) led the crew through training exercises. In
addition, The Olive Garden developed an employee incentive
contest linked to H2NO with CCUSA-Fountain called "Just Say No
to H2O."
Olive Garden sales managers set beverage sale store goals
and server goals in connection with the contest. All
restaurants that reached the combined goal had a chance to win
an all-expense paid trip for servers and the management team
to Atlanta, Georgia. Other prize packages containing Coca-Cola
merchandise were awarded.
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When the contest was completed, almost all participating
restaurants realized significant increases in beverage sales
and reduced levels of tap water incidence - a strong
indication that Olive Garden restaurants succeeded in
enhancing the customer's dining experience. And perhaps most
importantly, Olive Garden expects to see this trend continue
as the skills learned become part of the crew's everyday
interaction with restaurant customers.
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