I hear a lot of talk about the slow down of the economy--several national companies reducing production, laying off employees, or closing altogether.  Makes me nervous when I hear my associates wonder out loud, "What are we going to do?" or "We're so good we can weather anything!".  Sometimes we get so consumed with ourselves as an industry that we forget what got us to our current level of success and prosperity.  It started with and continues to be the BASICS.

Such as being on time for our shift and being tastefully groomed including bathing regularly.  Wearing a clean pressed uniform that presents our customers with a professional image that makes them feel confident about our dining suggestions.  Bringing sufficient pens for the number of tables we'll be serving and having a wine key so that we can open wine that our guests have ordered.  Taking a moment to review the soup du jour or dinner specials so when the guest inevitably asks we don't appear terminally incompetent for not knowing.  Bringing an adequate personal bank so we can make the correct change quickly for our guests that are on a restricted meal period.

And during the shift if we take the last one restock it, don't leave it for the next person.  If the guest ask us for more coffee just refill it even though it's "not my table".  Getting our end of shift sidework done…completely! And when our kitchen is getting swamped in the rush don't give them that look of, "Hey!  Watcha doin' back there…goofin' off!?!"  Remember how many times they have saved us because we got the order wrong in the first place.  How about a "please", "thank you", and "nice job" for all those in our restaurants we waiters rely upon to be successful.

And most BASIC of all, sustain a good attitude for our peers, superiors, industry, and our profession.  But most importantly for our customers for without them is no salary, bonus, wages, tips, homes, cars, savings, vacations…a great standard of living we enjoy.

I remember someone telling me about the "four wall" theory.  It's not what happens outside the four walls of your restaurant/station that you should worry about.  One needs to focus on what happens inside the four walls of your restaurant/station because that's what you control. Think about it…back to basics.

(Paul Paz is a Dinersoft advisor and writes a monthly column for Servers here.  He also runs Waiters World, a website devoted to waiters.)