“Clarity Established” is a series of interviews with The Pert Group leadership team, industry experts, researchers and scholars.
The current issue of The Pert Group’s Point of View (P.O.V.) newsletter features Kim Royster, director, client strategy. Kim joined The Pert Group earlier this year and brings over 20 years of consulting experience in the restaurant, hospitality and real estate industries. I took some time to interview Kim and learn more about her background, how the restaurant industry is changing and how businesses can adapt to it.
Q: Kim, how do you incorporate your extensive consulting background into your everyday work here at The Pert Group?
A: I learned early on, while studying for my masters in international management at the Thunderbird School of Global Management, that all life and business experiences are cumulative and that perspective brings a holistic framework to working as a partner with your clients.
Q: How does your background help you to work with different kinds of clients?
A: As a result of my consulting background I have had the opportunity to work across a broad array of industries and interact with clients ranging across the organizational chart: upper management, board members, marketing, finance and operations. This array of experiences allows you to understand the variety of stakeholder perspectives to provide holistic business advice.
Q: You have extensive restaurant and hospitality experience, what are your thoughts on the restaurant industry right now?
A: Restaurants around the world are taking a new look at everything from their recipes to sustainability to HR practices. The game is changing and clients need to answer an important question: “How do we stay profitably relevant?” The restaurant industry is challenging, fast-paced and operates in a highly dynamic market with customers constantly being exposed to new options. Restaurants that succeed are doing so by innovating the way they do business.
Q: What is the most important market research advice you can give to a business?
A: Always talk and interact with your customers regardless of what level in the organization you are at – when you stop interacting, you will start declining. Customers want and appreciate genuine interest in how they experience your product, service or brand ― are you listening?
Q: Most importantly, what do you do when you’re not hard at work?
A: The most important thing is spending time with my family, it balances me. When I’m not working, you will most likely find me doing some type of outside activity. I like hiking, exploring and being adventurous. I like to think of myself as a “Global Citizen” because I have traveled and lived in many places in my life (including the Middle East, Europe, Asia and South America as well as many parts of the country). I find that I am a naturally curious person and it is rewarding to have the opportunity to see how various parts of the world and the country do things similarly and different.
Contact me if you would like to receive the current issue of P.O.V. to learn more about what Kim and The Pert Group can do to innovate the way you do business.
