A generation raised on tech and team building can be a source of new ideas for a noncommercial foodservice facility. Case in point: Christina Deocampo, the millennial-aged manager who oversees the Dorothy and Hugh Edmondson Faculty Center and six retail locations for USC Hospitality at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif.
Deocampo was an integral part of revamping the campus’ faculty center from a membership club to a restaurant targeted at younger faculty members. “Being part of a younger generation, I was able to go in and add my eye to it,” she says. Below she shares ways a millennial’s perspective can positively impact a foodservice facility.
1. Easing the transitions to mobile ordering
Operators who want to embrace mobile ordering should tap into millennial staffers’ understanding of popular mobile dining applications, according to Deocampo. She was a user of Tapingo, a mobile-ordering service popular among her campus’ students and staff. She is using it now to streamline takeout prep at her retail locations. “It creates a better organizational structure for my team to execute and create that seamless service that the clientele would like,” she says.
2. Providing insights on modernizing dining spaces
Deocampo is an example of how millennial staff members can be an invaluable resource when revamping a dining space to attract a younger crowd. When USC Hospitality renovated its faculty center, she provided ideas to transform the space from an outdated members-only club into a farm-to-fork restaurant. Deocampo selected linens, dishware, and cutlery for the space, which reopened in October 2014.
To appeal to a younger faculty demographic, Deocampo also spearheaded a mixology series that teaches faculty and graduate students the history behind their favorite libations. “They are able to go ahead and engage with us and think of the Edmondson Faculty Center as something fun,” she says. “[We’re] definitely reinventing it.”
3. Creating a working environment that engages the entire team
A common tip in training millennials, encouraging hands-on learning and open communication, can actually bring out the best in all staff members. In her role, Deocampo oversees both her age cohort and staffers of an older vintage. She strives to maintain open communications, clearly explain expectations and foster ideas for improving operations. “Being hands on with them allows them to respect me and understand that this is just part of bringing out the best of the business,” she says. “I’ve managed people who are thirty years my senior and I think having that mutual respect is very important.”