ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - September 5, 2003

Get the kids in school, sort out your seasonal workers and get ready to get busy. There are a lot of great programs coming your way this fall -- opportunities to gain an edge in the market and kick your operation to a new level of performance. In the weeks ahead, you will be getting the details and you can decide for yourself. But one way or another, now is the time to take charge of your own future. If you are waiting for an economic turnaround to bail you out, you'll be waiting a long time.

What did you learn from your staff today?
I ask the question every week and many of you may just look past it ... but there is some real power in the concept. Here is a note I got from Brian Mulder of Pizza Ranch in response to that query:

I was in one of our restaurants and asked a female worker how long she had been employed at the restaurant. She said, "about a year ... don't you remember?" I did remember, although a beat or two late! She joined the staff within the first three weeks of opening.

When asked if she is still having fun, she responded, "I don't know." To make a long story short, I learned that her boss is very wishy washy and changes the store's standards daily. What else did I learn? I learned that Standards Rock, especially for employee satisfaction!

A Note from the Doc:

If you have standards, but let them slip from time to time, you don't have standards. People want to know what to expect and there is great value to be gained from the rigor of holding yourself to your standards, even when that is inconvenient. If you don't do it you cannot expect your staff to do it.

September 11 Remembered
At this time last year, we looked at the question of how to acknowledge the anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001. It is still difficult to know how the date is going to affect our staff and customers ... and there are no rules or guidelines on this. Each individual will treat the day in his or her own way -- and each way must be respected. Most restaurants seem to be expecting "business as usual."

My guess is that September 11 will never be business as usual. Last year, a number of restaurants donated a percentage of that day's sales to the local fire station. This is a classy idea. Another operator invited the local firemen and policemen to have a complimentary lunch as a way to thank them for their service to the community.

I think there is an opportunity here to help people through a difficult day and gain some positive exposure in your community if you find a tasteful way to acknowledge the anniversary.

Keep it Clean
A few issues ago I passed along a note from a subscriber about the trials and tribulations of getting a staff member to properly mop the floor. That prompted this message from Jim Cahoon of Gramma's Pizza:

I know it is not the point you were making in the article, but you may want to pass along the ONLY way to really CLEAN a floor. Wet the floor with a cleaner/degreaser solution. Scrub with a brush on a pole and suck it all up with a wet/dry vacuum. Using this method floors will never look dirty or suffer any grease build-up. An added benefit is reduced slips and falls – we have never had one in thirteen years in business.

The Perpetual Question
What did you learn from YOUR staff today?

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