AVERAGE SALES

to increase pricing,” he says. “Customers are understanding, especially during a time when many places are increasing their prices. I recommend not to do a dramatic increase, but a gradual one. That way, customers are not feeling it all at once.”

• Meet your workers’ needs. Tom Feltenstein, the late marketing guru, termed employees as “internal customers.” Doug Ramsthel of Burnham Benefits believes you need to figure out what your prospective internal customers need from their job and do your best to offer it. “Is it funding for college tuition, work flexibility, a career path, a fun place to work and a place where they can truly contribute?” he says. “This could be a company cultural change that could help dramatically [with employee retention] before jumping to an increase in pay.”

• Focus on service. Once you hire new employees, train them well. Andrew Hossom, director of data analytics for Merchant Centric, keeps tabs on customers’ complaints and praise about restaurant staffers’ dedication, on-the-job demeanor and timeliness (i.e., speedy service). The latest data on pizzeria employees could be better, he says. “Overall, guests’ opinions of dedication and demeanor continue to be an issue at pizza restaurants,” he warns. “Both wield a strong influence on perceptions of other themes, and continued underperformance will likely constrain improvement in other areas of the dining experience, such as Loyalty & Referral, Food, and Order Accuracy.” So drill your new employees not just on the basics of service, but on the social skills that customers expect.

• Up your digital and data game. Yes, we keep telling you that, but if you don’t believe us, listen to Drew Kellogg and Stacie Colburn Hayes, respectively the CEO and CMO of Massachusetts-based Oath Pizza. “Invest in sustainable digital solutions that optimize your business as it exists today,” they say. “The most important would be an easy-touse direct ordering system (on your company website or app, not a third-party platform) backed by a robust database growth strategy. If you’ve checked those boxes, make them better and continue to optimize every year. This won’t drive immediate results but is imperative to survive and thrive in the future.”