Volume: 8, Issue: 2
ABSTRACT
About two·years ago, we went to a famous restaurant to have lunch. This restaurant was not new, neither was it unknown to us, butwe had never been there fearing it might not be hygienic and there maybe a mixing of the food which would have hurt our religious sentiments. After a little b.it of prodding from my husband and a lot of persuasion from my nephew, we landed at the restaurant. I was totally surprised and dmired the separate kitchens for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, the place was clean, bustling with life and more than anything service was with a smile. When we placed our order, and I voiced my apprehension to the steward that I was very particular that my food should not be "adulterated" by beef in any form, he very patiently told me that their kitchens were open always and one could see it anytime. I jumped at the opportunity an.d I was impressed with several things, the quality standards followed, the clean and hygienic cooking and preparation area, the protective aprons, gloves and caps the cooks and their assistants wore, and above all the pride with which they showed me around the kitchen, What wadt that made them smile as they ·worked? What made the steward keep saying MY restaurant instead of OUR restaurant or their restaurant, even though h did not own it? As I savoured the food- I knew I would come back not just for the tasty food, but also because of the great service they had. This paper attempts to explain the empowering strategies in the service sector, as a tool for gaining competitive advantage
