Ruth Bolton helping deliver great quality and great taste to hospitality and tourism businesses
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Give a little at Christmas

1/12/2019

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Christmas poses a chance to give something back. Why not sponsor a local charitable cause or event?
Not only is this a genuinely enjoyable and satisfying thing to do, but it will also show your customers that you're a business that has positive values.




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The English Wine Revolution

27/10/2019

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There has never been a better time for English wine. 2018 proved to be one of the best vintages on record with much of it already released for drinking. Wineries continue to open up around the UK, many of which are moving away from sparkling wine production and into the creation of high quality and innovative still wines from varieties not generally seen before planted in UK soils. Many offer tours and tastings and include a food offering as part of a visit. If you run a food business with a wine offering then don't overlook the opportunity to showcase an English wine.
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ICYMI

8/1/2018

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In Case You Missed It - social media is not just a way to communicate with your friends but necessary to target and market directly to those you want to reach. Top platforms are Facebook (the place to go to chat and be friendly, keep the tone light and informal), Twitter (interactive dialogue and communication, nurture, engage and build your following, retweet and answer questions when possible), Instagram (creative and collaborative with the chance to create stories and expand your reach using hashtags), Pinterest (female centric and image based, develop your own personality with eye catching, unique pinboards, great for recipe boards) and YouTube (create useful and instructive 'how to' videos as well as capturing attention), Google owns YouTube so is routinely ranked highly on Google search page. So what are you waiting for?
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Great Customer Service

9/8/2017

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Cafes and Restaurants don't just sell food and drink they provide a sense of belonging and recognition. Customer service is as equally important as the food. Friendly staff make happy staff. Well trained staff make customers happy. My top tips for excellent customer service are.
  • Train staff to speak with respect and courtesy, using appropriate titles. (Madam, Sir, Mr...)
  • Ensure staff see, smile and say hello at the first opportunity. Three smiles before the customer arrives at the service counter.
  • Listen! Be aware at all times and ready for the unexpected.
  • Be positive and patient, act gracefully.
  • Serve with heart and hospitality.
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Recommendations

12/7/2017

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It's always good to get published in a cookbook! I have lots of local food knowledge and contacts in the food world if you need recommendations
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Managing online reviews

15/1/2017

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Online reputation matters so try to stay at the top of the rankings. Don't ignore TripAdvisor it has over 50 million monthly visitors worldwide!
  • Ask your guests to review your business and maintain a high presence on social media and booking sites.
  • Make it easy for customers to write a review by either providing a clickable link in a thank you email or displaying a TripAdvisor badge.
  • Respond to reviews - it shows that you are listening and sets expectations for future guests.
  • Don't go overboard with your responses, it can be off putting.
  • Always respond to negative, damaging or confusing reviews.
  • Occasionally respond to positive reviews. Don't be repetitive.
  • Reassure - thank, apologise if necessary and let the reviewer know how you are following up.
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G.O.T.B.O

20/6/2016

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A glimpse of the blinding obvious 
Understanding services from a customers point of view is so important. What is blindingly obvious to a customer isn't always so obvious to a business owner. So you need to step back and take a good look at yourself sometimes and listen to your customers! Or consider a mystery guest visit to get some really valuable feedback about your business.

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Networking

18/3/2016

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I always try and keep up to date with what's going on in the food and drink world, especially what is happening in East Anglia. So today I'm off to Menta's Food and Drink Seminar at The Cookhouse. Suffolk Food Hall.
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  • About Ruth
  • Projects and Inspiration
  • My Blog - suffolkfoodie
  • Get in touch