After spending 3 months with Doug Bizerra at Gardens on Havana in Aurora, Colorado...I am back on the IM circuit! This assignment is at West Oaks Mall in sunny (and HOT) Orlando, Florida. West Oaks is a low volume unit and also is my first experience working in a mall. It has been quite an experience making the adjustment to such a low volume (our monthly sales are less than my previous stores' weekly sales)!
Since I am headed for Chicago next month, my primary objective is to maintain a sense of stability in the restaurant. Most of the team has worked with the previous operator for 4 or 5 years and they are going to have to go through ANOTHER transition in one more month. I really want to set up the next IM for success and inheriting a well functioning team seems like the best way to do that.
My other objective this month is to take care of the basics. Right now the store could use a good cleaning and there are a number of areas where the team members need recalibration – most notably in the areas of food safety.
I am confident that this month will be a success simply by focusing on maintaining a sense of stability and focusing on the very basics of the business – cleanliness and food safety.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Emotional Connections
This month, we decided to do an event with 3 of our local elementary schools. We held an essay contest where students had to tell us why their parents deserve a night out. Each student who submitted an entry received a free Kid’s Meal and the winning entry from each school received a full service dinner at Chick-fil-A and 2 movie tickets for his/her parents. The response was INCREDIBLE.We had nearly 500 entries between the 3 schools! The essays were amazing – some were funny, some were sad, some were passionate, but they were all incredibly authentic. When we announced the winners, the responses were just as heartwarming (if not more so) as the letters themselves! One school administrator started crying when she discovered who had won. Apparently, the winner's parents had been going through some difficult times and the administrator told us that "this is exactly what they need”. There has been such a buzz among all the schools this past week regarding who the big winner would be. Each winner was announced over the school's intercom and got to call their parents immediately from the school office to share the good news.
This event was such a success. We have heard so many heart warming stories through this contest and I am confident that we have created new raving fans as a result. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Speed of Service
The Goal
When I first arrived to Federal Heights, the speed of service was very slow. We were averaging just less than 3 minutes a transaction. At the time there were other issues that I deemed more
serious than our speed (i.e. Repairs and Maintenance, Food Quality, etc), so I did not place a significant focus on our times.
At the beginning of January, I decided that it was time to really focus on lowering our average transaction times. Success does not happen overnight, so I split the big goal into two parts -by the end of January I wanted to be averaging less than 2:30 per transaction, and by the end of February I want to be averaging less than 2 minutes. While I recognize that 2 minutes per transaction is far from stellar, I feel that lowering our speed of service by an average of 1 minute per transaction in 2 months is a significant achievement.
The Plan
From the very beginning, it was important to me that the team accomplish this goal without my help. I only wanted to encourage and strategize and process with them. It would not benefit the next operator of Federal Heights one bit if I were to single handedly achieve this goal.
I started with leadership. I cast the vision of what I wanted to see happen, and then we had about an hour discussion on what needed to be done to achieve this goal. We determined that this was not a result of one or two people underperforming. Rather, it was a matter of changing the culture of the restaurant. Our strategy involved 5 steps:
1. Training to encourage fast service and to share best practices
2. Signage to track progress
3. Placing the right people in the right places
4. Team huddles before all rushes to set goals and create focus
5. Rewards for accomplished goals along the way
We also came to the conclusion that our customer service and order accuracy could not suffer as a result of being faster. We would just need to find ways to be more efficient and resourceful with our team members.
The Results
The team has responded well to our 5 step strategy. At the end of
January, our average speed of service was 2:25, which puts us right on pace with our goal. The team is definitely getting stronger, and I am excited to see our February progress!
UPDATE: As of February 13th, our average speed of service has dropped to 2 minutes, 8 seconds. Also, our Speed of Service CEM score has risen 7 points this month and our Order Accuracy has improved by 2 points.
When I first arrived to Federal Heights, the speed of service was very slow. We were averaging just less than 3 minutes a transaction. At the time there were other issues that I deemed more
serious than our speed (i.e. Repairs and Maintenance, Food Quality, etc), so I did not place a significant focus on our times.At the beginning of January, I decided that it was time to really focus on lowering our average transaction times. Success does not happen overnight, so I split the big goal into two parts -by the end of January I wanted to be averaging less than 2:30 per transaction, and by the end of February I want to be averaging less than 2 minutes. While I recognize that 2 minutes per transaction is far from stellar, I feel that lowering our speed of service by an average of 1 minute per transaction in 2 months is a significant achievement.
The Plan
From the very beginning, it was important to me that the team accomplish this goal without my help. I only wanted to encourage and strategize and process with them. It would not benefit the next operator of Federal Heights one bit if I were to single handedly achieve this goal.
I started with leadership. I cast the vision of what I wanted to see happen, and then we had about an hour discussion on what needed to be done to achieve this goal. We determined that this was not a result of one or two people underperforming. Rather, it was a matter of changing the culture of the restaurant. Our strategy involved 5 steps:
1. Training to encourage fast service and to share best practices
2. Signage to track progress
3. Placing the right people in the right places
4. Team huddles before all rushes to set goals and create focus
5. Rewards for accomplished goals along the way
We also came to the conclusion that our customer service and order accuracy could not suffer as a result of being faster. We would just need to find ways to be more efficient and resourceful with our team members.
The Results
The team has responded well to our 5 step strategy. At the end of
January, our average speed of service was 2:25, which puts us right on pace with our goal. The team is definitely getting stronger, and I am excited to see our February progress!UPDATE: As of February 13th, our average speed of service has dropped to 2 minutes, 8 seconds. Also, our Speed of Service CEM score has risen 7 points this month and our Order Accuracy has improved by 2 points.
Monday, January 18, 2010
S.E.R.V.E.
Current State
When I arrived at Federal Heights there were two managers and a few “leaders in training”. Most of the “leaders in training” have fallen short and lost that title, and only one ended up making the cut to become an assistant manager. The leaders here are great, but the depth is a serious issue. They are stretched too thin when they are here and all of the restaurant’s responsibilities fall on their shoulders. At the beginning of this year, it was my goal to add to the leadership depth at Federal Heights by developing prospective leaders through the use of the SERVE model.
Progress
We are just getting started with the SERVE model training and already I have been very pleased with the results. We are using the Great Leaders SERVE curriculum (Volume 1), spending one to two weeks focusing on each principle. The prospective leaders are learning so much about Chick-fil-A – specifically our culture, our values, and our leadership principles. We have wrestled through concepts such as leadership, strength building, vision, goal setting, and time management.
In addition to being beneficial for my prospective leaders, this has been valuable for my current leaders as well. I am having them lead the sessions which has resulted in their growth through teaching these concepts. It has also built trust among the current leadership and the prospective leaders in the restaurant.
The Great Leaders SERVE model has been an amazing tool and has cultivated growth among my prospective and current leaders.
When I arrived at Federal Heights there were two managers and a few “leaders in training”. Most of the “leaders in training” have fallen short and lost that title, and only one ended up making the cut to become an assistant manager. The leaders here are great, but the depth is a serious issue. They are stretched too thin when they are here and all of the restaurant’s responsibilities fall on their shoulders. At the beginning of this year, it was my goal to add to the leadership depth at Federal Heights by developing prospective leaders through the use of the SERVE model.
Progress
We are just getting started with the SERVE model training and already I have been very pleased with the results. We are using the Great Leaders SERVE curriculum (Volume 1), spending one to two weeks focusing on each principle. The prospective leaders are learning so much about Chick-fil-A – specifically our culture, our values, and our leadership principles. We have wrestled through concepts such as leadership, strength building, vision, goal setting, and time management.
In addition to being beneficial for my prospective leaders, this has been valuable for my current leaders as well. I am having them lead the sessions which has resulted in their growth through teaching these concepts. It has also built trust among the current leadership and the prospective leaders in the restaurant.
The Great Leaders SERVE model has been an amazing tool and has cultivated growth among my prospective and current leaders.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Top Ten Learnings
10. Low-Awareness Market Challenges
While working in a low-awareness market is very exciting (hardly a day goes by where I do not have the opportunity to introduce someone to Chick-fil-A) it can also be very challenging.
9. Hiring and Terminating Employees
This is an area where I have had to learn from my mistakes. Employee turnover is necessary in order to remain remarkable and continuously improve.
8. Increasing Sales
Although I majored in Marketing and have been involved with a number of marketing events (Project IF), I have learned a lot about the ins and outs of increasing sales in the past few months.
7. Bartering
Recently, I have discovered the value of bartering with other businesses to save money. By bartering, I have been able to obtain other businesses’ products and services for my team by using the retail value of our food, while only spending the actual cost. This has been great for team member incentives and contest prizes.
6. “Lonely on Top”
As an IM/Operator it is my job to be a leader, not a friend. I have learned that it is SO important to have a social network outside of the restaurant in order to keep the priorities of the business in focus.
5. R&M
As an IM, this area is so important because I am responsible for equipping the next operator with a fully functional restaurant. This situation has forced me, out of necessity, to learn the ins and outs of preventative maintenance and the best practices of repairing equipment.
4. Signage
Signage is an effective way to communicate my vision to the team. Signs ensure that there will be nothing lost in translation – my message will reach the team just as I want them to hear it.
3. Goal Setting
It is so important to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Specific) goals for the team in order to create focus. By taking time to observe and assess at the beginning of my assignment, I was able to create SMART goals that were tailored for the team at Federal Heights.
2. Vision
Vision is such a key part of leading a team. The past few months I have been given the opportunity to develop a vision for the restaurant, communicate that vision to the team, and make adjustments based on the team’s implementation of the vision.
1. Prioritizing and Organizing Time
My number one learning as an Interim Manager has been on the practice of prioritizing and organizing my time. A few weeks after I started my assignment, I was able to attend a Building Champions workshop where I learned all about prioritizing time, setting a vision, and focusing on the areas that are most important to me.
While working in a low-awareness market is very exciting (hardly a day goes by where I do not have the opportunity to introduce someone to Chick-fil-A) it can also be very challenging.
9. Hiring and Terminating Employees
This is an area where I have had to learn from my mistakes. Employee turnover is necessary in order to remain remarkable and continuously improve.
8. Increasing Sales
Although I majored in Marketing and have been involved with a number of marketing events (Project IF), I have learned a lot about the ins and outs of increasing sales in the past few months.
7. Bartering
Recently, I have discovered the value of bartering with other businesses to save money. By bartering, I have been able to obtain other businesses’ products and services for my team by using the retail value of our food, while only spending the actual cost. This has been great for team member incentives and contest prizes.
6. “Lonely on Top”
As an IM/Operator it is my job to be a leader, not a friend. I have learned that it is SO important to have a social network outside of the restaurant in order to keep the priorities of the business in focus.
5. R&M
As an IM, this area is so important because I am responsible for equipping the next operator with a fully functional restaurant. This situation has forced me, out of necessity, to learn the ins and outs of preventative maintenance and the best practices of repairing equipment.
4. Signage
Signage is an effective way to communicate my vision to the team. Signs ensure that there will be nothing lost in translation – my message will reach the team just as I want them to hear it.
3. Goal Setting
It is so important to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Specific) goals for the team in order to create focus. By taking time to observe and assess at the beginning of my assignment, I was able to create SMART goals that were tailored for the team at Federal Heights.
2. Vision
Vision is such a key part of leading a team. The past few months I have been given the opportunity to develop a vision for the restaurant, communicate that vision to the team, and make adjustments based on the team’s implementation of the vision.
1. Prioritizing and Organizing Time
My number one learning as an Interim Manager has been on the practice of prioritizing and organizing my time. A few weeks after I started my assignment, I was able to attend a Building Champions workshop where I learned all about prioritizing time, setting a vision, and focusing on the areas that are most important to me.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Holiday Gift Sets
This winter, our region was chosen to be a test market for Holiday Gift Sets. These gift sets include a calendar, gift card, holiday plush cow, cow ornament/gift card holder, and are held in a limited edition cow nutcracker box. They cost $10 + the value of a gift card and are targeted towards customers who are searching for a gift for someone that they are not necessarily close to (i.e. a teacher, mailman, tennis partner, etc).Each unit was shipped and charged for 450 sets in October. Being a bit of a pessimist, I thought that we would have trouble selling more than 50 of these Gift Sets. After paying the bill, however, I decided that selling this few would simply not be an option.
After meeting with my UMD and my leadership, we devised a month-long strategy to aggressively market the Holiday Gift Set during the Christmas season.
Product DisplayFirst, we placed numerous displays around our restaurant to increase customer awareness. We had a basket display in our Dining Room, a hanging display with fishing line above our registers (I was initially against this because it wasn’t very attractive but was a big fan after witnessing its effectiveness), and a display in our Drive Thru window as well as signage around our Drive Thru queue.
The ContestWe divided the entire team into 3 groups, with each leader in our store leading each group. We put a huge sign in our break room with a Christmas tree and a ladder. Each team had a colored snowman that would climb the ladder as the teams sold gift sets. We set a grand prize for the team that sold the most gift sets and smaller prizes for each team that crossed various milestones. For instance, when a team sold 25 gift sets, each member of the team received a free milkshake. The higher the milestone, the better the prize.
Implementation
It was leadership’s responsibility to stir up the competitive juices in the store and pump up their respective teams to sell the gift sets. They did not disappoint. After about 2 weeks of the competition, it was all any of the team members were talking about. Leadership was constantly jawing at one another. Team members were taking gift sets to their churches and schools to sell. People were asking their parents and husbands to sell them at work. It was really incredible how excited the team was over this competition!
The ResultsWhen the dust finally settled, our restaurant had sold 420 gift sets, FAR more than I ever would have guessed at the beginning. To put it in perspective, other local Chick-fil-A’s totals were 100, 150, and 250. This has been such a positive experience – the restaurant was more profitable in December and the leaders and team members are energized and motivated heading into January.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Signage
Signage is an important (and often overlooked) means of communication with the team. It is a very effective way to communicate vision and measure development.
This past month, I took down all of the old signs and replaced them with my own new signs. This had an immediate effect on the team and has continued to improve performance. The entire first week after hanging the new signs, there was a general buzz around the store – with team members were discussing what they were reading and asking questions about what certain things meant.
The new signs have also provided me with a way to create competition and accountability. For example, recently our closes have not been up to par in terms of cleanliness and setting the morning shift up for success. I decided to create a closing grade sheet and post each night’s sheet
on the wall, along with the names of the closers and the date, and those grades stay up for an entire week. Initially, this improved performance because people did not want their names associated with terrible scores. Now, however, performance is continuing to improve as the closing teams are trying to top one another. I often hear people claiming that their close is going to be “the new record” or “the first perfect score."
on the wall, along with the names of the closers and the date, and those grades stay up for an entire week. Initially, this improved performance because people did not want their names associated with terrible scores. Now, however, performance is continuing to improve as the closing teams are trying to top one another. I often hear people claiming that their close is going to be “the new record” or “the first perfect score."
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