Steps of Service, Checklists and the like
We had a work meeting today and one of the things we reviewed are the steps of serving a client. There are, or should be, steps for serving clients in every business out there. They may or may not need to be formalized into a checklist, but they need to exist. McDonald's, where some statistics indicate one in every eight members of the U.S. labor force started, teaches their employees a specific way to help each customer at each step in the service process. They also have an acronym that doesn't get talked about much in public. QSCV stands for Quality Service Cleanliness and Value. When the founder of McDonald's, the late Ray Kroc, was out touring locations of his chain; he always checked one thing very closely. The restrooms. If they weren't spic and span clean, the manager's ass would be in a sling instantly.
Hooters takes it a step (no pun intended) further. They train the Hooters Girls to follow a 16 step process:
Greet incoming Guests from wherever you are
Seat Guests (at the best table in the house, yours of course)
Greet table (within 30 seconds or less), suggest a specific drink
Inform Guests of a specific special or promotion
Bring drinks (in 3 minutes or less)
Suggest a specific appetizer
Sit down to take food order, suggest fried with every order
Ring, Sling, Bring Setups!
Entertain, Entertain, Entertain! (visit each other’s tables)
Secret service – anticipate the Guest’s needs
Deliver food to the table
Check back in 2 bites or 2 minutes and refill drinks
TEAMWORK – acknowledge every guest (5 ft. rule)(Greet anyone who is within 5 feet of you)
Offer dessert and merchandise!
Present check in a timely manner
They also have an acronym. E3 means Every Hooters Girl, Every Guest, Every Day. Their goal is to deliver this level of service to every single guest. Their growth indicates they are doing just that.
Checklists are great things, particularly where precision is required. How many plane crashes are averted every day because the pilots and the maintenance crews that maintain the aircraft work from checklists before they start the first engine? It may seem silly but if a surgeon is going to operate on a body part where there is more than one (finger, hand, arm, foot, leg and so on), the pre-operative process involves clearly labeling the one that is to be worked on. It would be really bad for an orthopedic surgeon to go in to perform an arthroscopy on an ACL and discover he'd begun work on the wrong knee.
But there comes a time when you become familiar enough with the checklists in your life that you no longer need to pull out a printed copy every time you're going through that process. When you're flying an aircraft, you need and should use the printed checklist. When you're going to shave your face, you don't need to refer to the steps of doing this. You aren't going to begin shaving with the razor before you apply the shaving cream. When you get into the car, you don't need to consult a written list to know that you need to check the mirror placements, ensure everyone in the vehicle has a seatbelt on, check to see that your seat is properly adjusted, and check that all indicators and devices you will need during the drive are working. You do those things automatically (except checking the turn-signals of course).
So while some of my colleagues were rolling their eyes at our review of those steps of service this morning, I didn't mind the review at all. I hit those steps with every client, every day. That doesn't mean I don't need to be reminded that doing things in a certain order, with a certain method is important.
* * *
How we view and interact with media changes at an astonishing rate. Last night was the final episode for one of the summer TV series produced by the ABC Family network. "Pretty Little Liars" drew an audience that averaged 3.3 million viewers according to the overnight Neilsen ratings.
But what's astonishing is that roughly 1 in 5 of those viewing the episode tweeted at least once about the show while it was on the air. It generated nearly 1.9 million tweets, more than ten times the amount that the next closest show generated. To make the achievement even more impressive, the WWE's Monday Night Raw program is a three hour show, compared to the one hour run time for Pretty Little Liars. More than three times the tweets in one-third the time.
Clearly the fact that the audience for Pretty Little Liars is younger has something to do with this. One has to wonder if there were 1.9 million tweets, how many texts were exchanged by teen and pre-teen girls who are fascinated with the show and able to share this fascination with their friends with their smartphones. I suspect it was a lot more than 1.9 million.
* * *
Many of the members of a church in North Carolina were very upset by an email that their pastor sent out. In the email, the African-American pastor said she wanted only "white greeters" at the doors of the church. "We are continuing to bring our racial demographic pendulum back to mid-line" is a quote from the letter.
Is this racist on her part? The church issued a statement claiming that the request was an attempt to reflect the "racial diversity" of the church's entire congregation. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Does it make sense to you?
* * *
Random Ponderings:
I mentioned I was going to the market to my mother and asked if she needed anything. She asked for a five pound bag of potatoes. How long would a bag that size last for two or three people?
Why is it people who constantly complain refuse to hear complaints about their complaining being a real pain? I don't claim they don't have the right to complain, but what about our right to not have to listen to it over and over when we have no power to do anything about it?
They have a "Model of the Year" award now? Do they hold a secret runway "walk-off" like we saw in the really funny movie "Zoolander" or is it just some group's opinion?
The Secretary-General of the UN saying that only the UN can order a military "strike" that isn't in response to a direct attack is just ignoring the reality of the impotence and irrelevance of that organization. Their goals are lofty but their structure leaves them paralyzed by the rules of the Security Council.
Why don't bank robbers demand their notes be returned to them so they can't be used as evidence against them?
A deep-fried Cuban sandwich I can see, but deep-fried Nutella? Both were entries in the deep-fried competition at the Texas State Fair.
As badly as our government needs money why don't they fix the red tape snafu that keeps unused buildings from being sold when there are buyers ready to pay and take over?
I can see making a guy at Universal Studios take off a t-shirt that says "Police - Street Crime Unit" so he won't be mistaken for a cop, but throwing him out rather than letting him buy an overpriced shirt at one of their gift shops?
* * *
This Date In History:
On this date in 301, San Marino was founded. It remains the oldest remaining republic.
On this date in 1189, Richard the Lionheart is crowned at Westminster.
On this date in 1658, Richard Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of England.
On this date in 1777, the U.S. flag flies for the first time, in the Battle of Cooch's Bridge.
On this date in 1783, the Treaty of Paris ends the American Revolutionary War.
On this date in 1838, Frederick Douglass escapes from slavery.
On this date in 1875, the first official game of Polo in Argentina is played.
On this date in 1935, Sir Malcolm Campbell becomes the first person to drive a car faster than 300 miles per hour.
On this date in 1944, Anne Frank and her family are placed on the last train from the Westerbork camp to Auschwitz.
On this date in 1951, Search for Tomorrow airs its first episode on CBS.
On this date in 1971, Qatar becomes an independent state.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
Ferdinand Porsche
Sally Benson
Kitty Carlisle
Alan Ladd
Eddie Stanky
Mort Walker
Whitey Bulger (the rest of his birthdays will be celebrated behind bars)
Albert DeSalvo
Eileen Brennan
Al Jardine
Valerie Perrine
George Biondo
Eric Bell
Steve Jones
Merritt Butrick
Amber Lynn
Charlie Sheen
Noah Baumbach
Ashley Jones
Jevon Kearse
Garrett Hedlund
Shaun White
We note the passing of a man who was an outstanding moviemaker. Frank Capra died on this date in 1991.
Movie quotes today come from the raunchy and hysterically funny 1982 film "Porky's":
Balbricker: Now, Mr. Carter. I know this is completely unorthodox. But I think this is the only way to find that boy. Now that penis had a mole on it - I'd recognize that penis anywhere. In spite of the juvenile snickers of some, this is a serious matter. That seducer and despoiler must be stopped; he's extremely dangerous. And, Mr. Carter, I'm certain that everyone in this room knows who that is. He's a contemptible little pervert who...
Mr. Carter: Miss Balbricker!
Balbricker: Well, I'm sorry, but I've got him now, and I'm not going to let him slip through my fingers again. Now, all I'm asking is that you give me five boys for a few minutes. The coaches can be present - Tommy Turner and any four boys you see fit to choose and we... and we... can put a stop to this menace. And it is a menace.
[pause]
Balbricker: Well, what are you gonna do about it?
Mr. Carter: Five young boys in the nude, a police line-up so that you can identify his tallywhacker. Please, please can we call it a "tallywhacker"? Penis is so ppp... penis is so personal.
Balbricker: We can put hoods over their heads to avoid embarrassment. Now listen: we have got to do it, as distasteful as it is. I know it's him. That
[pause]
Balbricker: tallywhacker had a mole on it. And that mole is the key to it.
Mr. Carter: Miss Balbricker, do you realize the difficulty of your request? Now, I would be very happy to, uh, to apprehend the young man myself. But can you imagine what the board of education would say if you were granted a line-up in order to examine their private pa... their private parts for an incriminating mole?
Balbricker: But Mr. Carter.
Coach Brakett: Mr. Carter, I think I have a way out of this. We, uh, call the police, and we have 'em send over one of their sketch artists. And Miss Balbricker can give a description. We can put up "Wanted" posters all over school... "Have you seen this prick? Report immediately to Beulah Balbricker. Do not attempt to apprehend this prick, as it is armed and dangerous. It was last seen hanging out in the girls' locker room at Angel Beach High School."
#2
Tim: Anybody wanna go fly a kite with me tonight? I hear it's great weather for flying KITES! I wonder if there's any KITES around here we can fly!
Brian Schwartz: Hey listen, Cavanaugh. It's not kite, it's KIKE! K-I-K-E, "kike." You know, you're too stupid to even be a good bigot!
#3
Balbricker: [Balbricker has a strong grip on Tommy Turner's penis through the shower room wall]
Balbricker: I've got you *NOW*, TOMMY TURNER! And I'm taking you to the principal! Somebody get me the principal! Mr. Carter! Somebody get me the principal!
Balbricker: [Tommy is struggling to get free] You disgusting, little, filthy, *pervert*!
[Tommy finally gets free and gets out of there]
Balbricker: [through the wall] You *freak*! You filthy little pervert. I know you're in there. You dirty little *dickhead*!
#4
Wendy: [answering the phone behind the counter at the roadside diner] Deadbeats.
Pee Wee Morris: [into pay phone, disguising his voice] Hello. Hi. I'm lookin' for a friend of mine. He's s'posed to be there.
Wendy: Uh, what's his name?
Pee Wee Morris: His name's Michael Hunt... uh Mike, Mike. Yes, Mike.
Wendy: Mike Hunt? Okay, just hang on a minute.
[raising her voice to address the patrons]
Wendy: Is Mike Hunt here?
[Pee Wee laughs]
Wendy: Is Mike Hunt here?
[several patrons begin to snicker]
Wendy: Has anybody seen Mike Hunt?
[patrons begin to cackle uncontrollably]
Meat: Practically everybody in town, from what I hear.
Hooters takes it a step (no pun intended) further. They train the Hooters Girls to follow a 16 step process:
They also have an acronym. E3 means Every Hooters Girl, Every Guest, Every Day. Their goal is to deliver this level of service to every single guest. Their growth indicates they are doing just that.
Checklists are great things, particularly where precision is required. How many plane crashes are averted every day because the pilots and the maintenance crews that maintain the aircraft work from checklists before they start the first engine? It may seem silly but if a surgeon is going to operate on a body part where there is more than one (finger, hand, arm, foot, leg and so on), the pre-operative process involves clearly labeling the one that is to be worked on. It would be really bad for an orthopedic surgeon to go in to perform an arthroscopy on an ACL and discover he'd begun work on the wrong knee.
But there comes a time when you become familiar enough with the checklists in your life that you no longer need to pull out a printed copy every time you're going through that process. When you're flying an aircraft, you need and should use the printed checklist. When you're going to shave your face, you don't need to refer to the steps of doing this. You aren't going to begin shaving with the razor before you apply the shaving cream. When you get into the car, you don't need to consult a written list to know that you need to check the mirror placements, ensure everyone in the vehicle has a seatbelt on, check to see that your seat is properly adjusted, and check that all indicators and devices you will need during the drive are working. You do those things automatically (except checking the turn-signals of course).
So while some of my colleagues were rolling their eyes at our review of those steps of service this morning, I didn't mind the review at all. I hit those steps with every client, every day. That doesn't mean I don't need to be reminded that doing things in a certain order, with a certain method is important.
* * *
How we view and interact with media changes at an astonishing rate. Last night was the final episode for one of the summer TV series produced by the ABC Family network. "Pretty Little Liars" drew an audience that averaged 3.3 million viewers according to the overnight Neilsen ratings.
But what's astonishing is that roughly 1 in 5 of those viewing the episode tweeted at least once about the show while it was on the air. It generated nearly 1.9 million tweets, more than ten times the amount that the next closest show generated. To make the achievement even more impressive, the WWE's Monday Night Raw program is a three hour show, compared to the one hour run time for Pretty Little Liars. More than three times the tweets in one-third the time.
Clearly the fact that the audience for Pretty Little Liars is younger has something to do with this. One has to wonder if there were 1.9 million tweets, how many texts were exchanged by teen and pre-teen girls who are fascinated with the show and able to share this fascination with their friends with their smartphones. I suspect it was a lot more than 1.9 million.
* * *
Many of the members of a church in North Carolina were very upset by an email that their pastor sent out. In the email, the African-American pastor said she wanted only "white greeters" at the doors of the church. "We are continuing to bring our racial demographic pendulum back to mid-line" is a quote from the letter.
Is this racist on her part? The church issued a statement claiming that the request was an attempt to reflect the "racial diversity" of the church's entire congregation. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Does it make sense to you?
* * *
Random Ponderings:
I mentioned I was going to the market to my mother and asked if she needed anything. She asked for a five pound bag of potatoes. How long would a bag that size last for two or three people?
Why is it people who constantly complain refuse to hear complaints about their complaining being a real pain? I don't claim they don't have the right to complain, but what about our right to not have to listen to it over and over when we have no power to do anything about it?
They have a "Model of the Year" award now? Do they hold a secret runway "walk-off" like we saw in the really funny movie "Zoolander" or is it just some group's opinion?
The Secretary-General of the UN saying that only the UN can order a military "strike" that isn't in response to a direct attack is just ignoring the reality of the impotence and irrelevance of that organization. Their goals are lofty but their structure leaves them paralyzed by the rules of the Security Council.
Why don't bank robbers demand their notes be returned to them so they can't be used as evidence against them?
A deep-fried Cuban sandwich I can see, but deep-fried Nutella? Both were entries in the deep-fried competition at the Texas State Fair.
As badly as our government needs money why don't they fix the red tape snafu that keeps unused buildings from being sold when there are buyers ready to pay and take over?
I can see making a guy at Universal Studios take off a t-shirt that says "Police - Street Crime Unit" so he won't be mistaken for a cop, but throwing him out rather than letting him buy an overpriced shirt at one of their gift shops?
* * *
This Date In History:
On this date in 301, San Marino was founded. It remains the oldest remaining republic.
On this date in 1189, Richard the Lionheart is crowned at Westminster.
On this date in 1658, Richard Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of England.
On this date in 1777, the U.S. flag flies for the first time, in the Battle of Cooch's Bridge.
On this date in 1783, the Treaty of Paris ends the American Revolutionary War.
On this date in 1838, Frederick Douglass escapes from slavery.
On this date in 1875, the first official game of Polo in Argentina is played.
On this date in 1935, Sir Malcolm Campbell becomes the first person to drive a car faster than 300 miles per hour.
On this date in 1944, Anne Frank and her family are placed on the last train from the Westerbork camp to Auschwitz.
On this date in 1951, Search for Tomorrow airs its first episode on CBS.
On this date in 1971, Qatar becomes an independent state.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
Ferdinand Porsche
Sally Benson
Kitty Carlisle
Alan Ladd
Eddie Stanky
Mort Walker
Whitey Bulger (the rest of his birthdays will be celebrated behind bars)
Albert DeSalvo
Eileen Brennan
Al Jardine
Valerie Perrine
George Biondo
Eric Bell
Steve Jones
Merritt Butrick
Amber Lynn
Charlie Sheen
Noah Baumbach
Ashley Jones
Jevon Kearse
Garrett Hedlund
Shaun White
We note the passing of a man who was an outstanding moviemaker. Frank Capra died on this date in 1991.
Movie quotes today come from the raunchy and hysterically funny 1982 film "Porky's":
Balbricker: Now, Mr. Carter. I know this is completely unorthodox. But I think this is the only way to find that boy. Now that penis had a mole on it - I'd recognize that penis anywhere. In spite of the juvenile snickers of some, this is a serious matter. That seducer and despoiler must be stopped; he's extremely dangerous. And, Mr. Carter, I'm certain that everyone in this room knows who that is. He's a contemptible little pervert who...
Mr. Carter: Miss Balbricker!
Balbricker: Well, I'm sorry, but I've got him now, and I'm not going to let him slip through my fingers again. Now, all I'm asking is that you give me five boys for a few minutes. The coaches can be present - Tommy Turner and any four boys you see fit to choose and we... and we... can put a stop to this menace. And it is a menace.
[pause]
Balbricker: Well, what are you gonna do about it?
Mr. Carter: Five young boys in the nude, a police line-up so that you can identify his tallywhacker. Please, please can we call it a "tallywhacker"? Penis is so ppp... penis is so personal.
Balbricker: We can put hoods over their heads to avoid embarrassment. Now listen: we have got to do it, as distasteful as it is. I know it's him. That
[pause]
Balbricker: tallywhacker had a mole on it. And that mole is the key to it.
Mr. Carter: Miss Balbricker, do you realize the difficulty of your request? Now, I would be very happy to, uh, to apprehend the young man myself. But can you imagine what the board of education would say if you were granted a line-up in order to examine their private pa... their private parts for an incriminating mole?
Balbricker: But Mr. Carter.
Coach Brakett: Mr. Carter, I think I have a way out of this. We, uh, call the police, and we have 'em send over one of their sketch artists. And Miss Balbricker can give a description. We can put up "Wanted" posters all over school... "Have you seen this prick? Report immediately to Beulah Balbricker. Do not attempt to apprehend this prick, as it is armed and dangerous. It was last seen hanging out in the girls' locker room at Angel Beach High School."
#2
Tim: Anybody wanna go fly a kite with me tonight? I hear it's great weather for flying KITES! I wonder if there's any KITES around here we can fly!
Brian Schwartz: Hey listen, Cavanaugh. It's not kite, it's KIKE! K-I-K-E, "kike." You know, you're too stupid to even be a good bigot!
#3
Balbricker: [Balbricker has a strong grip on Tommy Turner's penis through the shower room wall]
Balbricker: I've got you *NOW*, TOMMY TURNER! And I'm taking you to the principal! Somebody get me the principal! Mr. Carter! Somebody get me the principal!
Balbricker: [Tommy is struggling to get free] You disgusting, little, filthy, *pervert*!
[Tommy finally gets free and gets out of there]
Balbricker: [through the wall] You *freak*! You filthy little pervert. I know you're in there. You dirty little *dickhead*!
#4
Wendy: [answering the phone behind the counter at the roadside diner] Deadbeats.
Pee Wee Morris: [into pay phone, disguising his voice] Hello. Hi. I'm lookin' for a friend of mine. He's s'posed to be there.
Wendy: Uh, what's his name?
Pee Wee Morris: His name's Michael Hunt... uh Mike, Mike. Yes, Mike.
Wendy: Mike Hunt? Okay, just hang on a minute.
[raising her voice to address the patrons]
Wendy: Is Mike Hunt here?
[Pee Wee laughs]
Wendy: Is Mike Hunt here?
[several patrons begin to snicker]
Wendy: Has anybody seen Mike Hunt?
[patrons begin to cackle uncontrollably]
Meat: Practically everybody in town, from what I hear.
posted by me at 6:01 PM
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