Undercover Boss
Due to technical difficulties on my home internet this week, I have been parking myself in the corner of my cafe, kinda incognito, as I use the wi-fi. I have gained new perspectives as I sit back and listen to the conversations going on at the counter and the groups speaking around me.
A group of 4 women, in for the first time, talk amongst themselves about how much they love their crepes and how long it has been since they have had one. One lady shares her recipe and explains that our hungarian crepes are like hers, because she adds cinnamon to her recipe. Cinnamon in a crepe? The other ladies try it and decide it DOES work. They also look at my hours and decide they can stop in for breakfast more often!
The group of nursing students are parked on the couch, as they are every week, and they quiz each other on medical conditions. Some conditions involve profuse bleeding, some on how to cope with death. At first these conversations make me a little uneasy while others eat, but I realize you can't or shouldn't control all conversations in a cafe. It is part of what brings it to life.
The students discuss not meeting at the cafe on Fridays because the "church ladies" take over the shop so they'll have to find another spot. I intercede, (cuz they know me anyway) and explain the church ladies have changed their schedule and please plan on keeping us in mind for Fridays. Customer base rescued!
A gentleman comes in and tells my barister (my new name for my male barista son) that its his first time in, he loves the coffee and the place. He'll be back. Whew! My son's customer service was excellent as the gentleman continued talking for another 5 minutes. Yes, he will be back because he felt at home.
Another regular came in, and though I was sitting in the back I could hear him loudly and his inappropriate choice of slang words that are part of his daily conversation. When I am at the counter I don't realize that the customers in the back corner are hearing such things. Note to self.
I have heard many talk about the new show, Undercover Boss. I watched the first episode about the big corporation of Waste Management. Although I can't be entirely incognito in a small little personal coffee shop, I can tell you that the hour of sitting back in the corner and watching the operations will help me implement valuable changes. I learned why I was no longer seeing the normal Friday crowd, and understood the remedy. That hour affirmed my belief in the quality of the food, the customer service and the friendly atmosphere at Park Place Coffee.
A group of 4 women, in for the first time, talk amongst themselves about how much they love their crepes and how long it has been since they have had one. One lady shares her recipe and explains that our hungarian crepes are like hers, because she adds cinnamon to her recipe. Cinnamon in a crepe? The other ladies try it and decide it DOES work. They also look at my hours and decide they can stop in for breakfast more often!
The group of nursing students are parked on the couch, as they are every week, and they quiz each other on medical conditions. Some conditions involve profuse bleeding, some on how to cope with death. At first these conversations make me a little uneasy while others eat, but I realize you can't or shouldn't control all conversations in a cafe. It is part of what brings it to life.
The students discuss not meeting at the cafe on Fridays because the "church ladies" take over the shop so they'll have to find another spot. I intercede, (cuz they know me anyway) and explain the church ladies have changed their schedule and please plan on keeping us in mind for Fridays. Customer base rescued!
A gentleman comes in and tells my barister (my new name for my male barista son) that its his first time in, he loves the coffee and the place. He'll be back. Whew! My son's customer service was excellent as the gentleman continued talking for another 5 minutes. Yes, he will be back because he felt at home.
Another regular came in, and though I was sitting in the back I could hear him loudly and his inappropriate choice of slang words that are part of his daily conversation. When I am at the counter I don't realize that the customers in the back corner are hearing such things. Note to self.
I have heard many talk about the new show, Undercover Boss. I watched the first episode about the big corporation of Waste Management. Although I can't be entirely incognito in a small little personal coffee shop, I can tell you that the hour of sitting back in the corner and watching the operations will help me implement valuable changes. I learned why I was no longer seeing the normal Friday crowd, and understood the remedy. That hour affirmed my belief in the quality of the food, the customer service and the friendly atmosphere at Park Place Coffee.
posted by Dina DiNucci at
12:25 PM
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