When hiring employees, the best employees to hire are the ones that will take ownership of a bad situation and make it better. This problem came up in conversation twice over the last two days.
Peg and I went to the Original Pancake House at Sixth and Pine this morning, which opened at 6:00 A.M. We arrived at 8:25 A.M. Scattered in front of the entrance was shredded lettuce. It didn’t look fresh. I’m guessing it may have come from a “to go” order at Spanky Burgers (one door down on the corner) the night before. I told the receptionist at OPH that there was shredded lettuce on the step outside the door. She looked at me in confusion. I repeated the statement. She didn’t seem to understand. I repeated the information a third time and pointed towards the door.
We were there to meet two other couples for breakfast. They arrived a few minutes after we did. After we were all settled in, I mentioned the lettuce. My buddy Mike, said that he had also mentioned it to the receptionist and she acted like she knew what he was talking about. Mike used to own The Cottage Café in Cle Elum, so he knows about restaurants . . . and business.
I grew up in a family business. My parents owned two motels (Ponders Corner and Tacoma). I learned to pick up or fix up as much as I could . . . it was just good for business . . . It doesn’t take much time or effort to just do the little things. Dave Sipila, owner of Maple Valley Plumbing, must have grown up in similar circumstances. He says, “When I was a kid if I ever walked by a situation like that at the house . . . like not take down the garbage cans. It meant for a rough day under a lot of scrutiny.” – maplevalleyplumbing.com
When our friends finished laughing and dining an hour later at the Original Pancake House I asked for the opinions about whether or not the lettuce would be gone when we left. There were three votes for gone. Two votes that it would still be there and my vote that I hoped it would be gone, but that it would probably still be there waiting for people to step over it.
Of course the lettuce was still there. Six of us stood there laughing and making rude remarks when we stepped outside. Several people walked around and over it and perhaps mentioned it once more at the check-in desk for table service. The problem must have finally sunk it. The receptionist soon came out to sweep it up.
When I told my cousin Lavinia in Detroit, she responded, “Let me guess. The person you talked to was under the age of forty.” It looks to me like perhaps, companies aren’t giving their employees proper training. There are all kinds of training products these days to improve work related problems. And they are not that expensive. – ideasandtraining.com/Business-Training-Programs.html
Friend and reader David Breneman, shares this tidbit about business, “Walt Disney used to prowl Disneyland in the mornings before it opened. If there was something that needed to be swept up, and everyone was busy, he’d grab a broom and take care of it. Leadership by example.” If you see a problem you should fix it if you can. It doesn’t matter if you are an executive or an hourly employee. Location doesn’t matter, either. Local restaurant owner (Shake, Shake, Shake) Steve Naccarato says, “Like Frosty Westering said, “Make the big time where you are.” Frosty Westering was a fantastic football coach and mentor at Pacific Lutheran University. Anyone and everyone can make a difference.
The first employee to walk through the front door or un-lock the front door should have taken care of the spilled lettuce by the entrance to the Original Pancake House. What restaurant would want garbage on their front step? Any employee could have improved the dining experience . . . so why did it take half a dozen or so comments about the lettuce for someone at the Original Pancake House to take ownership of the problem and correct it? Ownership should ask management; management should ask the employees; and employees should ask themselves why they didn’t feel compelled to act.
When folks noticed it on their way in and it was still there on their way out:
I wonder if any customer thought about asking the receptionist for a broom and dust pan, then just walking back out , sweeping up the lettuce, handing the items back to the receptionist with an “I guess you were really busy this morning! Have a blessed day.”
A couple minutes of one’s time to make the situation better for all who follow and just perhaps, be the example for that younger generation. It might have not accomplished learning to be a problem solver for that employee in the future, but then again…..(it may have said something about our generation)
Just a thought…
Jerri,
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Besides being an imposition, the logistics of the restaurant don’t lend themselves to customer participation in DIY.
We frequent OPH often. Usually two or three couples. Two of the men are over six foot and the booths are a squeeze. There is only one table for six people. Quite often people sit on the one bench or on the window sill waiting to be seated . . . while we can all see empty tables. While the receptionist has been there for some time, there is quite a turn-over in friendly faces serving the tables.
I met a friend there for breakfast a few months ago and he refuses to return because of the prices. The food is good, but it is not cheap. Ham and eggs is $14.95 plus coffee and tip.
I want them to succeed, but there other places that are less expensive and more efficient . . . and never have garbage by the front door. They offer gluten-free choices for one of our friends
Sorry, for my own little personal rant . . .
Actually, it did occur to me to offer, but that seemed like it could be taken as really rude. As an Anthony Bourdain follower I am very careful to not upset the restaurant, the wait staff, or the cook before being served.
Thanks, again for reading and sharing . . . and please, excuse my little rant.
Don
No excuse needed…lol.
That’s why I suggested “on the way out”. Not familiar with that particular restaurant…too bad its condition. IHOP used to be THE place for breakfast.
I apologize if I made it seem like a comment on your handling of the situation. I was just indulging in my own rant with a comment on the sign of the times.
Keep on keepin’ on…I enjoy your submissions. (At least most of the time…lol) BTW…if you’d ever like to be in my neck of the woods…maybe with time for lunch, it’s a standing invite.
Jerri,
IHOP is the International House of Pancakes . . . this was the Original Pancake House. IHOP serves icky sweet fruit atop pancakes. OPH is season gives you excellent fresh fruit. Other than their strange service and prices, I really like them . . . but wanting them to be perfect just doesn’t work.
We possibly differ in attitudes concerning religion and politics . . . but what is your neck of the woods?
Don
Wow…I didn’t even notice the difference in names. I blame it on the “shutdown” lol!
I’m in Lakewood…near Lake Steilacoom on West Shore.
Jerri,
Although I used to live about four or five blocks from the lake and used to fish off the bridge a time or two . . . and held onto a canoe after friends tipped it over and dog-paddled it back to shore I don’t get to Lakewood that often any more . . . but there are some restaurants I might review in a month or two . . . let’s stay connected . . .
Don
Maybe you could find one with great enchiladas! I lived in Texas for 20 years. Seems taste buds here are different.
Anyway…thanks for your contributions. Always up for a trip down memory land…especially if it comes with a chuckle or two.