Tuesday, May 5th, 2009...5:39 am
Sloppy Seconds Won’t Bring Customers Back
Why it so hard to receive consistently exceptional service? Because many retailers and restaurant owners use the “buddy system” for training.
You know the drill, “I’m going to assign you a buddy who will show you all you need to know.” The problem is you end up with only what the “buddy” thinks is important. 
Case in point, I visited a DQ for one of my favorite decadent treats, the peanut buster parfait. It should look like this one.
But when it was served to me at the location in Albany, it was a train wreck with ice cream and chocolate not dripping but spilled over the edges and not cleaned up; see at right. 
The server casually wiped off the side with a used rag missing most of the mess and instead wiping it around the sides of the plastic cup. It looked like sloppy seconds or an example of what NOT to do. The server set it down on the counter and walked away with ice cream on his hand from the pass-off.
Would you pay nearly $4 to have something as unappetizing as this?I know I won’t go back.
Contrast that experience to the one I had yesterday at California Tortilla
at Dulles airport. The server Editha got my drink and then carefully, with a clean paper napkin, wiped off the edge where a bit of soda had spilled. 
She delivered it with a smile as if that was standard procedure. Which I bet for this franchisee it is.
An easy way to train this type of care? Tell the employee, “Before you pass any of our drinks or desserts off, double-check and ask yourself, ‘Would I serve this to my mom?’ If the answer is ‘No,’ fix it.
Training is the biggest opportunity we have to ensure an exceptional experience for our customers. It requires thought, systems that are easy, trainers who enjoy training and standards of presentation.
No “buddy” will ever do the job of a comprehensive training program. For more tips on how to train your employees, consider my book, You Can Compete: Double Sales Without Discounting.
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