What is a question never asked worth?

A glass of wine that would have complemented the meal. A starter the guest never noticed. A room that would have made the weekend a little better. What potential lies in the recommendations we never make?

It’s Friday evening. A guest orders their main course. The team member takes the order, says thank you and moves on.

Everything works.

But the guest was actually considering a starter. And would have welcomed some help choosing a wine.

Of course, we won’t know until we ask.

Many opportunities in guest interactions pass by like this. It’s busy. Someone is new. Someone else feels unsure about the menu. Another wants to make a recommendation but worries about seeming pushy.

How do we help the team feel confident enough to take the initiative?

A small change. Many opportunities.

Imagine ten team members, working across 25 days a month, each helping one guest a day discover something extra that suits them.

If each additional purchase is worth SEK 100 excluding VAT, that adds up to SEK 25,000 in additional monthly revenue once the approach is fully established.

This is an illustrative example. To understand what actually remains, we also need to account for variable costs, the investment required and the time it takes to change how people work.

But it makes a fairly abstract ambition tangible.

What could one additional, relevant purchase per team member per day mean for your business?

From “sell more” to something people can do

A sales target gives direction. The team also needs to know how to get there.

Which situation should we get better at? What question helps us understand the guest? What can we recommend – and why?

Then we need to practise. Try out the wording before the shift. Support each other during service. Follow up on what worked.

This is where service design becomes practical: when an ambition takes a clear place in guest interactions and in the leader’s daily work.

What would be realistic for your business?

We’ve created a calculator to help you explore the potential in your own operation.

Adjust the number of team members, additional purchases, purchase value and contribution margin. Allow for the impact to build gradually. See what it would take for an investment to pay for itself.

The calculation provides a scenario to discuss and test in practice, rather than a forecast or guarantee.

Which opportunity would you start with?

Calculate the potential in your business →

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