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Frontsummit.com -> FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q. What are critical advantages of FrontSUMMIT® online programs?
- A. FrontSUMMIT® is the educational arm of the FDRP, and, as such, is the only organization to offer online courses that assist in the study for certification. In addition, FrontSUMMIT® offers a wide variety of non-certification topics and can even create personalized or customized courses that fit your specific training needs. Other benefits include:
- Reduce training costs by eliminating instructor travel and student logistic costs
- Online training and certification is available 24x7, at any location with an Internet connection
- Group any number of desired courses together, and provide your restaurant or multi-unit concept with proprietary entry
- Add on the capability to download manuals and other materials, which simplifies the distribution of the information relating to the training programs
- Student/staff auto-registration into the appropriate site area freeing the trainer from the cumbersome task of uploading rosters or employee lists
- StaffNET™ gives you an up to the minute staff/student reporting and an instant messaging communication tool to save you time
- Q. Can I use the FrontSUMMIT® testing as a hiring tool?
- A. Yes! It is definitely to your advantage to do so. You may either: 1) Require an applicant to take the test prior to the interview so they can present their certificate at the interview (or even have them enter your e-mail address when they take the test so you get the results directly); or 2) Sit them at a computer with an Internet connection to take the test as part of the interview.
- Q. Can I use the course separately from the Certification Exam?
- A. Yes. Courses and Exams are separated by price and access. This is to allow the selection of one or more courses without regard to a certification exam, or enable the user to attempt an exam and only select courses if they need additional study.
- Q. I have a very casual restaurant without tablecloths. Does the certification course apply to me?
- A. There is a misconception that good service is only for establishments of higher standing. But untrained servers can damage the reputation of any restaurant; thereby reduce the people traffic and your profits.
The more modest the establishment, the greater is the opportunity to impress the clientele with good service. For example, clearing a table without stacking the plates in the face of your guests or taking away dirty glasses by not sticking your fingers inside them have nothing to do with the establishment's standing. Instead, proper service that is unobtrusive and well-trained is for every establishment.
- Q. What if my staff fluctuates based on our occupancy or seasonal business?
- A. Many businesses hire “For the Season” and/or use additional staff for occasional special functions. As we price on a per-position, not on per-employee – these programs mean you need never worry about turnover! We monitor our customer’s certification with a sensible flexibility. As a Single-Unit operation, it is unlikely that your staff will double or triple in the busy season; and even if it does, it is very unlikely that you will reach FrontSUMMIT® tolerance. As a Multi-Unit operation, we also are sensible to your realistic needs. So whether you are a Country Club that hires a few waiters for a few months or you manage multiple properties that increase in staff count by 30% to accommodate the ski or baseball season, FDRP/FrontSummit® will keep your personnel trained and credentialed without worry.
- Q. Can I customize the tests?
- A. Yes! And it is simple and inexpensive. Simply tell us what question(s) you would like to have added to your particular test and we will integrate it for a one-time fee of $50 per question. FrontSUMMIT® might adjust wording to ensure that the question meet proper academic standards.
- Q. How can using FDRP certification benefit my establishment?
- A. Dining room staff certification is the best tool for building a dedicated clientele base by strengthening your Dining Room Structure. It accomplishes that by:
- Increasing staff retention through:
- Presenting employees with National Certification / career path without forcing them to change employer or function
- Giving Professionals credit for their experience
- Offering training / study credits to newcomers
- Attracting better Front-of-the-House personnel through:
- Attracting culinary graduates to your F.O.H. (by June 2005 FDRP will certify an average of 3000 culinary students per year at the Certified Dining Room Associate level). Graduates are more likely to work for an establishment using the same standard as the one they have learned.
- Attracting employees who perceive your establishment as offering them a valued career path.
- Standardizing dining room performances and reducing training cost through:
- New, already certified, employees reinforce in-house standards instead of necessitate retraining.
- Simplify the execution and control of overall service performance by utilizing an outside, impartial organization to monitor training and evaluation of standards that do not interfere with the company's philosophy of hospitality or floor performance.
- An employee who switches concepts in a multi-unit organization needs to learn only the delta on information between each concept, not 'relearn' all new standards
- Q. Who already uses FrontSUMMIT® programs?
- A. FrontSUMMIT® programs are used by restaurants, high schools, culinary trade schools and prominent hospitality corporations. Here is what two of our customers say about our program:
Johnson and Wales University, which was one of the first universities to include FDRP certification into its curriculum, has made FDRP certification a requirement of the freshman class. By 2005, Johnson & Wales alone will be graduating an average of 2000 Certified Dining Room Associates annually into the industry. Edward Korry, Department Chairman for Johnson & Wales, states, "The Certified Dining Room Associate program supports our mission to provide students with a well-rounded overview of professional dining room service. By offering a certification regulated by a recognized and independent organization that validates what it is we teach, restaurants that hire our graduates can feel comfortable with their level of training."
Mr. Jeff Bell, Vice President of Human Resources and Training Development for Hillstone's Restaurant Group. "Currently, Houston's restaurants are in the process of certifying all of their Service Managers as Dining Room Professionals. Once all of the Service Managers are certified, we plan on expanding the education to include General Managers. Our long term goal is for General Managers to be certified as Dining Room Masters and servers to be certified as Dining Room Associates."
- Q. Are certification programs available in Spanish?
- A. Yes. Both Associate certifications are available in Spanish. We have been asked if the FrontSUMMIT® online training is available in Spanish as well the available printed manuals, and that answer is no. Here is why: Most immigrants who own and/or can handle a computer speak English well enough to take the test and training in English online. Either way, yes we have the training and testing in Spanish.
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