Our coffee house manager, Steve
I know what you’re thinking, FISH? In a coffeehouse? I don’t think that would pair very well with a latte. Cod and a cappuccino anyone? What I’m referring to is a video and teaching program called FISH!: Catch the Energy, Release the Potential. One of my first training experiences with Crimson Cup was to sit down and watch this video. It’s based on the work experiences of fishmongers in a fish market called Pike’s Place Fish Market in Seattle. The fishmongers in this market live by four main tenants: Be there, Play, Make their day, and Choose your attitude. I’ve learned to embrace these tenants as well. Lets take a look at each of these tenants individually.
Be there. This is referring to mentally being at work. It means setting aside your personal life when you walk through the door, and focusing solely on what needs done at work. This can be pretty hard sometimes. Life has a way of intruding on work. I have had some challenges with this lately. I recently became a first time homeowner and the stresses of everything involved have been pretty intense! The dishwasher is broken, the porch needs rebuilt, our old rental house still needs cleaned up. These are all the things lurking in the back of my head on a daily basis. The important thing is I realize this, and I’ve learned to set these things aside when I walk through the door of the coffee house each morning. It’s hard, but it is a skill I’ve had to learn in order to do the best possible job I can while at work.
Play. This is so simple, but so many of us forget how to have fun at work! Joke around with each other and your customers, sing along to a song on the radio, or do a silly dance. Anything that brings a smile to your face can be considered play. It leaves you feeling better, and it shows your customers you’re providing them a fun place to come for their daily dose of caffeine. Given the choice of a place with a bunch of drab employees or a place where everyone is having a good time, which would you choose?
Make their day. This is going the extra mile, or as we call it at The Cup, “the plus 1.” Just a couple of days ago, during a heavy rain fall, one of my employees noticed a woman pull into our parking lot. She appeared to be waiting in her car for the rain to stop. Rather than let her sit out there for ten minutes, a half hour, or maybe even more, this employee grabbed his own umbrella and ran out to her car to escort her in through the rain. A customer service experience like that is not one she’ll soon forget. Have you ever had a customer pull up to your drive-thru who forgot their wallet? Let them drive off with a drink in hand anyway. They’ll be back, and they’ll remember your kindness in the future.
Choose your attitude. This concept relates to the previous three. It involves making a conscious choice to Be There, Play, and Make Their Day. It means you walk through the door and are determined to have a good day, no matter what. If you head to work thinking its going to be a bad day, it quite often becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. You have to make yourself have a good day. Smile, leave your personal problems at the door when you walk through it. Don’t worry, they’ll still be there when you get back. If you Choose your Attitude, it will rub off on your customers. Greg Ubert, our Founder and President, was working the drive thru during our recent 18th Anniversary Celebration. He was able to speak with many of our customers, and heard a great story from one of them. She related to him that she is one of our regulars who comes through early each morning on her way to work. She noticed how each of our employees seemed so upbeat and positive every single morning, despite the early hour. She made a conscious decision be more positive each morning, because if we can do it, she can too.
This video program had a tremendous impact on how I conduct myself each day at The Cup, and I would recommend it to anyone looking to make a positive culture change at their place of business.
Thanks,
Steve
