ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - May 14, 1999

GIFT CERTIFICATES -- THE OTHER SIDE
Awhile ago we had a discussion going on how to make gift certicates that were not readily counterfeit-able (is that a word?) Anyway, I got this note from Howard Black that puts an interesting spin on the issue:

Back about a year ago we sent out a mailer which doubled as a gift certificate to people who had written checks in our establishment. We had one lady that we knew had made photo copy of the originial that she was sent. Instead of making this into a negative siutation with the customer we turned it into a positive!

We knew that it was a copy because it did not contain an original signature -- each one had been hand signed in blue ink. When I was alerted to this I approached the customer and engaged her in conversation. During the conversation I pointed out that we had a problem with someone passing out fake certificates and that hers could possibly be one.

However, we were glad that she chose to dine with us and we would honor the certificate if she promised to keep giving us her business. I had the waitresses make sure they were promptly waited on, the kids entertained and the meal outstanding.

We won a customer over. She probably took advantage of us...but in the long run, who took advantage of who?

WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM YOUR STAFF TODAY?
In response to my continual question about learning from your staff, I received this note from Bill Moore who works for a Burger King franchisee in Florida:

I've been in the industry 22 years all in various fast food. Rax Restaurants, Wendy's, Shoneys and Hardees. You pose an interesting question about what I learned from my staff. Today, thankfully I was off. However, I closed Saturday night with a management trainee and was there until 3am answering incessant questions. The lesson I learned and perhaps also shared was how much of our business at my level of experience I do from habit. My trainee often remarked how do we keep everything going at once and still get it all done. I have been reminded about carefully explaining and not assuming a knowledge base with may or may not exist.

A note from the Doc:
What are you assuming that your staff knows?

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