Restaurant Placement Diary: Assistant Manager Role and Key Learnings

This report details a 4-week placement experience in an Indian restaurant, James Dahl Indian, where the author served as an assistant manager. The report covers the initial induction and adjustment to the work environment in the first week, followed by the application of digital marketing skills to enhance the restaurant's online presence in the second week. The third week focuses on customer interaction, emphasizing effective communication and problem-solving. The final week involves managing staff, assigning roles based on strengths, and providing training and support. The placement enhanced the author's confidence, communication, listening, and management skills, providing valuable practical experience in the hospitality industry. The report concludes that the experience was beneficial, and the skills learned will be valuable for future endeavors.

Placement Diary

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Week 1.............................................................................................................................................3
Week 2.............................................................................................................................................3
Week 3.............................................................................................................................................4
Week 4.............................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES:...............................................................................................................................7
Books and Journals.....................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
This report is based on placement experience of working in a restaurant. The overall
experience of the 4 weeks is mentioned and the important points learned during placement are
also discussed. This report is based on James Dahl Indian. It is an Indian based restaurant
providing services in Birmingham London. The restaurant is famous for offering traditional food
of India. I was placed as assistant manager in the restaurant. There is discussion related to the
work done in the restaurant and my learning experience.
Week 1
I was appointed as assistant manager in the James Dahl Indian restaurant. In the first
week induction took place. I met all the key people of the organisation. The roles and
responsibilities were given to me at that time. In the starting it was difficult for me to adjust as
the environment and people were new to me. Afterwards, I understood the policies of the
company and I liked the work culture of the place. At the time of induction, I was able to get
friendly with the place and working staff of restaurant. There were effective motivational
policies in the restaurant that enhanced by dedication towards work. There was provision of
giving bonus and reward to best employees who performed effectively during the month
(Christou and Chatzigeorgiou, 2019). It was a motivating factor for me that helped me to work
with more dedication and hard work. I understood that, by doing the work that is being assigned
me with my skills I will be able to achieve the reward. It is necessary to maintain relations with
employees as it helps to manage the work effectively. I worked on enhancing my skills so that I
could get reward this month. In the first week, I analysed the working structure of the company
so that I will be able to attain goals and objectives. The first week went in understanding the
procedures in the restaurant and my work as assistant manager.
Week 2
There is key role of digitalisation in hospitality industry. I understood that by learning
digital marketing, I will be able to help the restaurant to be more successful. At that time the
followers of James Dahl Indian were getting reduced. There was need of managing the digital
marketing of the restaurant in order to retain the customers. Being an assistant manager, it was
my duty to manage the marketing of the restaurant. I have already done an online course of
digital marketing in college. I took training related to digital marketing and its application in

restaurant. I am a good learner and this helped me to learn digital marketing in less time frame. I
was able to apply the concepts of digital marketing practically on the restaurant. It helped to
enhance the brand image of the restaurant and getting the followers back. I assured that the
restaurant is able to use right platforms that will help them to reach more customers and grow
their clients. I was able to understand that social media marketing is one of the best platform to
enhance the reach of the business. It is cost effective method and helps to build direct
connections with audience. I am able to learn digital marketing and was able to apply the
practically for benefit of the restaurant.
Week 3
In the third week, I was given task to manage and deal with customers. There is need of
effective communication skills as it helps to interact with customers and build relationship.
Customers play a key role in hospitality industry. James Dahl Indian restaurant is a customers
focused restaurant and take actions to retain the customers. I was able to know about different
customers and understand their behaviour. All the people are different from one another; it is
necessary to listen to them in effective manner to solve their problem. There is need of effective
listening and understanding skills in order to deal with the customers (Ambarwati and
Mustikasari, 2021). I first of all observed my seniors when they were handling customers and
learnt from them. I also analysed that all the employees in James Dahl Indian r restaurant interact
effectively with the customers. When I was given opportunity to solve the query of the customers
I was actively listening. The customer was facing issue of packaging in a takeaway order. I
apologised about the mistake and assured that the same will not happen again. At the same time,
I went to the packaging team and told them about the incident. The also assured that the mistake
will not take place again. Dealing with customer’s helped me to enhance my confidence and it
was a good learning experience for me.
Week 4
In this week, the task was to manage the staff members in the restaurant. A meeting was
conducted where the employees told about their strengths and weakness. Afterwards, I assigned
them the job roles according to their capability and strengths. I provided training to the
employees so that they are able to carry on their work effectively. The performance of the
employees was evaluated on daily basis and the areas of weakness were analysed. I also helped

them with the actions that will help them to improvise the performance. One of the employee
faced issues related to completing the work within time. I called the employee and heard the
problem. I asked him to formulate a schedule and then follow the same as it helps to manage
time and complete work within deadline. All the staff members who were able to complete the
work properly were appreciated as it helps to motivate them to do the work effectively next day.
I asked the employees to work on communication skills, team working skills, decision making
skills on regular basis as these skills help them to carry on day to day activities effectively. All
the employees were able to work effectively and build good relation with me.

CONCLUSION
From the above report, it is concluded that learning is one of the integral activity in the
life of an individual. Learning by taking practical experience enhance the knowledge as well as
skills that are helpful in future. Working at restaurant was a good experience for me as it
enhanced by confidence level, communication skills, listening skills and management skills in
the time frame of 4 weeks. I will definitely use all my skills and knowledge and will work
effectively in the restaurant. I was able to learn to deal with customers and solve their queries
which is important for me as an assistant manager. Along with this, I was able to enhance my
digital marketing skills that helped me to enhance the followers of restaurant.

REFERENCES:
Books and Journals
Ambarwati, P. and Mustikasari, M., 2021. Usability Evaluation of the Restaurant Finder
Application Using Inspection and Inquiry Methods. Jurnal Sistem Informasi, 17(2),
pp.1-17.
Christou, E. and Chatzigeorgiou, C., 2019. Experiential learning through industrial placement in
hospitality education: The meat in the sandwich. Journal of Contemporary Education
Theory & Research (JCETR), 3(2), pp.31-35.