Umbrella Design and Customer Happiness
I think one of the biggest mistakes that owners of restaurants and bars with outdoor patios make is to overlook the wide variety of accessories that are available, and to seriously think about how subtle variations in those accessories can make a big difference in customer satisfaction. Probably the best example that I can offer is the selection of the umbrellas to be used on a patio. Because it’s the most commonly seen, many owners seem to only consider the conventional design of a table with the umbrella mounted directly in the center of the table. There are other designs that often make more sense, particuarly patio offset umbrellas where the mounting post is on one side of the table. There are two distinct advantages that are gained by using patio offset umbrellas. First, in my observation, customers seem to be able to communicate more comfortably when they can see everyone at their table face-to-face without peering around the pole supporting the umbrella. Happy, relaxed customers but that last round! Second, your staff will find it easier to wait on a table when they don’t have to work around a center post when working a packed table.
