Flavor, Summer 2019 by qdobafranchiseeassociation

flavor

THE MAGAZINE OF THE QDOBA FRANCHISEE ASSOCIATION | SUMMER 2019

Wade Gosnell

dishes dishes out out his his goals goals for for Jed Jed Fresh, Fresh, LLC LLC and and why why he he loves loves the the brand. brand. page page 77

Serving Up the Guest Experience: Franchisees share their best practices in raising the guest experience to the next level.

page 14

advertisers guide 2020 QFA Franchisee Convention

Ascentium Capital 281-902-1931

3 Ascentium.Info/Qdoba

Avanti Restaurant Solutions 916-378-0099

16 ssnyder@avanticorporate.com

Barco Uniforms 888-624-2090

TO HELP YOUR GROWING BUSINESS FLOURISH

19 www.barcouniforms.com

Bluetree Casework 816-396-8344

16 www.gobluetree.com

Cargill Foodservice 949-412-1094

8 cargill.com

The Cholula Food Co. 424-275-5728

12 Cholulafoodservice.com

Dart Container 480-338-1937

21 www.dartcontainer.com

Elevanta Health 678-540-6204

IF elevantahealth.com/census

Hughes 858-452-4650

5 www.hughes.com/enterprise

McGriff Insurance Services 888-399-2040 McIlhenny Co., TABASCO Brand 337-256-3366

TH E G RASS IS GR E E N ER WHERE Y O U WATER IT.

BC servicenow@mcgriffinsurance.com 9 www.tabascofoodservice.com

ELEVANTA HEALT H PROVIDES:

Selecto Inc. 800-635-4017

21 www.selectoinc.com

► Proactive approach to attract and retain

SSDC/Ecolab 214-533-9793

13 jack@ssdcsoap.com

talent with a comprehensive benefits package ► Financial stability for you and affordable

coverage for your employees ► Annual participation refunds to add to your savings

for choosing the Elevanta Health program

Trimark/Hockenbergs 512-983-8980

23 michael.gentry@trimarkusa.com

Zenput 678-528-2984

23 www.zenput.com

*IF=Inside Front, BC=Back Cover, CS=Cover Sheet

2019 editorial calendar Issue

Ad Reservation Deadline

Publication Date

Fall

Aug. 3

October

Call for Franchisee News Fill out our simple census quote form today to get started! elevantahealth.com/census Todd Blevins I 678.540.6204 I toddb@elevanta.com I elevanta.com I elevantahealth.com/qfa

We want to highlight any news or events associated with QDOBA® franchisees. If you have ideas for potential stories, please email communications@qdobafa.org or call 678-797-5160. Our editorial staff can assist in writing the story for you.

table of contents QFA Board of Directors Ron Stokes Chairman Michael Scott Vice Chairman Randy Key Secretary/Treasurer John Ghirardelli Director Tom Lewison Director Leo Stathakis Director Elizabeth Lowman Association Manager

Columns 2

Chairman’s Column by Ron Stokes, QFA chairman

Departments 3

QFA Member News

Franchisee Spotlight

Look, Listen, Read

One Topic: 10 Facts

Directories 6

Associate Member Listing

Christy Williams Elevanta CEO

Advertisers Guide and Editorial Calendar

QFA Editorial Board

Features

Jessica Loeding Editor-in-Chief jessical@qdobafa.org

On the Cover Franchisee with Jed Fresh, LLC Wade Gosnell makes his way into the spotlight to talk about his business goals with the QDOBA® brand and how important flavor and food quality are to him and his stores. For more, see the Franchisee Spotlight on page 7.

The Proper Course of Action for Social Security Administration No-Match Letters by Douglas H. Duerr and Molly Martin, Elarbee Thompson Sapp and Wilson, LLP

Third-Party Delivery: Elevating the Driver’s Experience by Rachel Jackson, QFA communications coordinator

1701 Barrett Lakes Blvd. NW, Suite 180 Kennesaw, GA 30144 Phone: 678-797-5160 Fax: 678-797-5170

Serving Up the Guest Experience by Rachel Jackson

www.qdobafa.org

Hire Power: The New Basics of Building High-Performing Teams by Jim Sullivan, Sullivision.com

Having a Value Focus by Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro®

Design and Layout

Kristen Thomas KT Graphic Design ktgraphicdesign@gmail.com

When You Think No One Is Watching by Dennis Snow, Snow & Associates Inc.

Business Strategy and Lego Pieces by Dan Coughlin, The Coughlin Co.

Christina Cannon Managing Editor christinac@qdobafa.org Rachel Jackson Communications Coordinator rachelj@qdobafa.org

Advertising Sales Jeff Reynolds Director of Business Partner Relations jeffr@qdobafa.org 678-797-5163

Headquarters

Qdoba Franchisee Association publishes Flavor. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, of the contents of this publication is prohibited without prior written consent of Qdoba Franchisee Association. All Rights Reserved.

chairman’s column

Many of you probably think of yourself as an entrepreneur. A business owner. A leader. While you are all those things, you are undoubtedly much more. You are an explorer. A navigator. A pioneer – and with that comes potential. The restaurant industry, and especially the fast-casual segment, has an everchanging landscape. We are at the forefront of a new frontier when it comes to serving our guests, and it is up to us to make the most of it.

We are at the forefront of a new frontier when it comes to serving our guests, and it is up to us to make the most of it. This issue of Flavor focuses on our guests’ experience and what we can do to keep them coming back – whether it’s how to motivate our teams to be service-minded or how we can leverage our relationships with delivery drivers to make sure those customers that never step foot into our restaurant are still getting all they deserve. While this emerging trend of how to reach guests outside of the store and meet their expectations offers plenty of unique challenges, it also offers opportunities to grow our businesses while building sales and profits. 2

Order accuracy, food temperatures and the lack of control with third-party companies and their employees are just a few reasons this new territory can be a frightening one, but by staying nimble, creative and watchful, we can climb to new heights. Franchisees across the country are beginning to explore the operational challenges related to guest experience and third-party delivery. They are creating additional make lines and investing in back-of-house solutions, and we need to learn from those individuals and organizations. They continue to innovate in ways that make sense for our business, and we need to take a page from their book. We are all faced with the colliding goals of maintaining control and providing

There is no better avenue to do this than the QFA. Learning is happening daily, and we all need to be a part of the conversation in order to grow and adapt. flavor SUMMER 2019

phenomenal guest service while simultaneously catering to the convenience that our customers demand. It is expected that we are present on a variety of platforms, and we need to rise to the occasion. While these changing times bring with them their fair share of difficulties, this is a trend that we need to be a part of. As a franchisee community, it is our duty to carry forward the brand and explore different ways to elevate the guest experience. There is no better avenue to do this than the QFA. Learning is happening daily, and we all need to be a part of the conversation in order to grow and adapt. Whether it is through email communications, webinars, our annual convention or publications like Flavor, we need to open up to each other and share our best practices. Although these emerging digital trends may be uncharted territory for many operators, together we can pave the way for QDOBA® to become not just a leader but a pioneer. l

Ron Stokes Chairman

member news

Food for Funds Program Helps Give Back to Wyoming Community O

ver the past two years, Akers Investments, LLC has been giving back to its community in Sheridan, Wyoming, through its Foods for Funds program. The program is a way for local nonprofit organizations to receive a portion of the revenue from a particular Monday night throughout the month. Members of the community can come show their support for the organization on the designated Monday night, and a portion of those purchases will be donated back to the nonprofit. The organizations are encouraged to set up a table in the restaurant to promote themselves and show appreciation for the customers who come out and support them. Customers can show a digital or print voucher, or simply mention the nonprofit’s name to have 25 percent of their purchase donated to the cause. After its creation two years ago, Food for Funds has hosted two nonprofit nights

Akers Investments gives back to the community through its Food for Funds program.

each month from November through February. This year, $4,000 was raised for various nonprofit organizations, including Sheridan County YMCA, Sheridan Community Land Trust and several local elementary schools. JennaRae Akers, director of marketing with Akers Investments, owned by Patrick Akers, selects organizations for Food for Funds that are special to her family and the entire community. The Sheridan Community Land Trust was selected by Akers because the family uses the trails on a weekly basis, with one of them being

just a two-minute drive from their home and another just a few miles from their QDOBA®. “The trails also help to make Sheridan a unique and desirable place to live and visit,” said Akers. While Monday nights during the winter months were previously quiet, Food for Funds has successfully increased traffic while simultaneously benefitting the community. “The program came about as a way to give back to the community while also driving business and boosting sales during our slow months on our slowest night of the week,” said Akers. l

Convenient Financing for Qdoba Franchisees As a preferred lender, Ascentium offers flexible financing for remodel mandates and more! • Financing up to $1.5 million1 • Terms up to 72 months • Simple application- up to $250,000 • Deferred payment options • Potential tax savings

Visit: Ascentium.Info/Qdoba

Request a no obligation quote today Len Baccaro, SVP - Sales Call: 281.902.1931 LenBaccaro@AscentiumCapital.com *Financing and instant decisions subject to credit parameters. Please contact your tax advisor regarding tax incentives. Loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Financing Law license.

flavor SUMMER 2019

member news

QMG Venture Honors Soldiers with Fallen Heroes Tables T

hroughout Memorial Day weekend, QMG Venture set aside a reserved table in remembrance of fallen heroes in each of its QDOBA® locations. Fallen Heroes tables can be found across the United States around Memorial Day weekend and provide an opportunity for guests to stop their busy lives for a moment and remember the brave men and women that gave up their lives in service of our country. On top of each of the Fallen Heroes tables, various memorabilia can be found with special meanings attached to each of the strategically placed items. Some of the items include a red rose, a Bible, a stemmed glass placed upside down and a place card with the number 22. An explanation is placed on each table in the restaurants and reads as follows: This table is RESERVED to honor our Fallen Heroes! A small table, set for one, is in a place of honor. The table and empty chair is our way of acknowledging that members of our military are missing from our midst. The tablecloth is white, symbolic of the purity of their intentions to respond to their country’s call to arms. A single red rose in a vase signifies the blood that many have shed in sacrifice to ensure the freedom of our beloved United States of America.

Celebrating Years aVANTI IS YOUR ALL THINGS QDOBA expert FOR: nro REMODEL

Shawna Snyder

REIMAGE REPLACEMENT

BECCA WESTLAKE

ssnyder@avanticorporate.com

bWESTLAKE@avanticorporate.com

916-378-0099

916-378-0339

QMG Venture, LLC reserved tables in its QDOBA locations on Memorial Day weekend in remembrance of the men and women who lost their lives serving our country.

A red ribbon around the vase represents the hopes and prayers of thousands of military families and friends who waited for the safe return of their loved ones. A wedge of lemon on the bread plate is to remind us of the bitter fate of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. A pinch of salt sprinkled on the bread plate is symbolic of the countless fallen tears of families and friends as they mourn their loss. The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from a country founded as one nation under God. The stemmed glass placed upside down represents their inability to share our toast and all of life’s hopes and dreams never realized by those who were lost. The lighting of the candle serves to remind us of the ultimate sacrifice our fallen heroes and their families have made to preserve the precious freedom we all cherish today. The number 22 represents the number of veterans that take their own lives each day. For some, the battle still rages long after they return home. “We have been setting a Fallen Heroes table for years in our BURGER KING® restaurants and wanted to share the experience with our QDOBA guests as well,” said Matt Herridge, franchisee with QMG Venture. “There are always a variety of reactions – thankfulness, sharing of stories and even tears. We are proud to bring attention to our fallen heroes each Memorial Day and will continue to do so at all of our QDOBA locations.” l

flavor SUMMER 2019

member news

Canticle Inc. Holds Grand Opening in Clarksburg, West Virginia

Canticle Inc. held a successful grandopening celebration for its Clarksburg, West Virginia, location.

n April 29, after months of construction and a complete free burritos for a year, dinner and movie for two, and lots rebuild of the previously existing structure, Canticle Inc. of swag items from vendors Dr Pepper, Coca-Cola, Tabasco, opened the doors of its newest QDOBA® to the community of Cholula, Avanti and Tundra. l Clarksburg, West Virginia. Over 600 guests bringing in 460 transactions attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which was complete with special guests from the Harrison County Chamber of Commerce, city officials and several news stations including WDTV, 12 WBOY and NCWV Media. Team members with QDOBA stood outside on opening day to show customers how to sign up for QDOBA’s mobile club and rewards program. Customers who signed up for the program were rewarded with a spin of the prize wheel, allowing team members to spend time with the guests. “The city welcomes QDOBA to Clarksburg," said City Manager Martin Howe in a press release. “This eatery is one that has been requested by many, and we look forward to its opening and continued success.” Even though the ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on April 29, the grand-opening celebration wasn’t held until May 11. “We did a delayed grand-opening celebration because we wanted to give back to the community,” said Tessa Norris, senior regional marketing specialist with Canticle Inc., owned by Daniel Passafiume. “From April 29-May 9, guests could vote for their favorite charity, school or church, and the organization with the most votes won 20 percent of our sales on May 11.” On May 11, over 450 guests totaling around 300 transactions gathered at the Clarksburg QDOBA to celebrate its grand opening. During the grand-opening celebration, Canticle Inc. donated 20 percent of its sales to the Humane Society of Harrison County, which received the most votes equating to around $1,000. Canticle Inc. also gave away prizes during the grand-opening celebration such as a Yeti cooler, 20-person catering certificate, flavor SUMMER 2019

Support the Vendors

THAT SUPPORT YOUR ASSOCIATION

COMPANY NAME

LEVEL

CONTACT NAME

PHONE

Hughes Barco Uniforms McIlhenny Co. – Tabasco Brands SSDC/Ecolab The Cholula Food Co. Avanti Restaurant Solutions Cargill Foodservice Dart Container Selecto Inc. The Coca-Cola Co. TriMark Hockenbergs Zenput AAP Ascentium Capital Bluetree Casework CTI Foods Daisy Brand Direct Advantage Magazine Global Media Group GP Pro | Georgia-Pacific, LLC Heritage Parts Keurig Dr Pepper Kidzpace Interactive Inc. Lingle Design Group Live Oak Bank Mood Media Morton Salt Inc. Pacific Cheese Co. rapid! PayCard – SimplyPaid Smithfield SignResource The Middleby Corp. The Payroll Co. TraitSet HIRE Tundra Restaurant Supply Tyson Foods Inc. Valley Proteins Villa Lighting

Emerald Sapphire Sapphire Sapphire Sapphire Pearl Pearl Pearl Pearl Pearl Pearl Pearl Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr. Assoc. Mbr.

Neda Noorani Kimberly Scott John Occhipinti Jack Helton Doug West Bolt Bolton Irena Hall Amanda Hamann Jessica Bridgeman Kyle McCarthy Michael Gentry Nikki Perry Roger Martinez Len Baccaro Kraig Arthur Keith Dunning Jeff Stevens Andrew Ettinger Mary Rosenberg Mike Carroll Chuck Maddox Chad Dohlman Nancy Stockdale Carl Lingle Sarah Carroll Lisa Pendleton Kristen Schultz Courtney Sloan Steve McDonald Jeff Ames Ramon Ortiz Sandy Tyler Carrie Falk Lenny Crouse Joel White Ryan Hollman Ron Rogers Steve Barker

neda.noorani@hughes.com kimberly.scott@barcouniforms.com john.occhipinti@tabasco.com jack@ssdcsoap.com dwest@cholula.com bolt@avanticorporate.com maria_rieger@cargill.com amanda.hamann@dart.biz jessica@selectoinc.com kmccarthy@coca-cola.com michael.gentry@trimarkusa.com nikki@zenput.com rmartinez@aaphcm.com lenbaccaro@ascentiumcapital.com karthur@gobluetree.com kdunning@ctifoods.com jstevens@daisybrand.com andrew.ettinger@gmail.com mary@globalmediagroup.com michael.carroll2@gapac.com chuck.maddox@heritageparts.com chad.dohlman@dpsg.com nancy@kidzpace.com carllingle@lingledesign.com sarah.carroll@liveoak.bank lisa.pendleton@moodmedia.com kschultz8828@gmail.com csloan@pacificcheese.com smcdonald@rapidpaycard.com james@smithfield.com rortiz@signresource.com styler@middleby.com carrief@payrollcompany.biz lenny@hrgems.com jwhite@etundra.com ryan.hollman@tyson.com rrogers@valleyproteins.com steve.barker@villalighting.com

858-452-4650 310-719-2171 337-256-3366 214-533-9793 424-275-5728 916-378-0337 949-412-1094 480-338-1937 678-475-0799 949-241-9086 512-983-8980 678-528-2984 843-514-3298 281-902-1931 816-369-8344 208-482-4233 512-658-7784 203-243-5671 619-540-4869 949-981-1930 800-458-5593 480-279-4396 800-668-0206 815-369-9155 910-550-2308 214-709-2693 312-415-8790 510-780-8235 503-720-1187 480-460-5481 328-326-6463 318-458-6630 608-440-2942 563-580-2649 303-545-1328 925-330-5080 540-877-3220 800-325-0963

calendar of events QFA Franchisee Convention Feb. 27-29, 2020 Orlando, Florida 6

flavor SUMMER 2019

franchisee spotlight

Wade Gosnell Company name: Jed Fresh, LLC Number of restaurants: 7 States your restaurants operate in: Florida

How did you become a QDOBA® franchisee?

I have been working with our current partnership group for over 20 years. In 2004, our group, led by Wade Oney, began looking into QDOBA as an opportunity for growth. The food was fresh, and we felt the brand was positioned well from a quality aspect. I was asked to run the QDOBA franchise. How did you meet your business partners?

I had met Wade Oney in the mid- to late ’80s a few times but didn’t really know him until I joined the Papa John’s team in 1995. I joined the Papa John’s team as I was looking for other opportunities during the day and noticed that I was really working with some solid individuals. I was promoted through our system until becoming a partner in 2005. In your opinion, what stands out about the QDOBA brand?

The flavors and food quality. That is what started our interest and continues to be the front and center focus. “It’s all about the food.” Our open kitchen allows our guests to feel confident in what they are purchasing, and that’s a point of differentiation from other brands. What is the best piece of business advice you have ever received?

“Train hard to fight easy.” When sales are busy or we enter challenging environments, those are the times that always expose how we did in this area. On the personal side, it’s always been Matthew 6:33; that keeps things in context to what is priority. Looking ahead, what are your top three business goals for the company?

1. Retention. Keeping people and providing opportunity really go hand in hand. 2. Getting more of our team involved in ownership. Opportunity for our folks is really important and allows us to change lives. 3. Clarity in communication with our team. We still need to get better at this. As we improve, sales and profits will follow.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge currently facing franchisees?

1. Focus. Many distractions pull us away from the main thing: great food and well-trained people. Delivery, technology, social media, even regulations – they are all priorities that pull on us. 2. For our people on both sides of the counter, removing obstacles that get in the way of a great experience is important. If we deliver on these two items consistently, the challenges won’t seem so big. What is the biggest industry change that you have seen since you started?

The speed of change, I think that’s probably the biggest thing that’s changed. Technology and automation. Back about 1979, I was working at a steakhouse and we cooked meat on grills, so that’s something that hasn’t changed for us. Tell us a little bit about your family.

I’ve been married for 30 years; my wife works in assisted living and loves it. I have three sons; two daughters, including in-laws; two fun granddaughters; and a Schnauzer. My parents celebrated their 60-year anniversary in March, so we’ve been blessed with a good example to follow. If I weren’t a franchisee, I would be …

At the beach. l

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LOOK LISTEN READ L

ook, Listen, Read is a quarterly compilation of some of the most highly rated and reviewed apps, podcasts, books, websites and other resources. QFA does not support or endorse the use of these tools, which merely serve as a guide to exploring a new level of knowledge and productivity for your business.

Proud supplier of Qdoba flour tortillas Cargill provides the highest quality products and innovative solutions to our foodservice customers.

COOKED MEATS | OILS | EGGS | SALT

cargill.com 8

flavor SUMMER 2019

Business Insanity Talk Radio is hosted by

business expert Barry Moltz. Moltz has founded and run various small businesses for the past 20 years. On this podcast, Moltz interviews numerous entrepreneurs about the craziness of running a small business. Moltz typically interviews five guests per episode and releases one episode once a week.

Freshteam is the smart HR software for growing your business. Manage your hiring, on-boarding, time-off, employee data and HR workflows all in one place by using this easy-to-use app.

Do you want to learn the tips and tricks successful people used to get to where they are? Productivity guru Tim Ferriss’ “Tools of Titans” may be just the book you’re looking for. The 673-page tome is mostly a collection of interviews with more than 100 successful folks from all walks of life, all of whom offer up personal productivity advice and other insights about their careers. “Tools of Titans” is broken into three sections: Healthy, Wealthy and Wise. In each section, Ferriss’ own tips, routines and habits are spliced in between interviews.

Would you use the word “effective” to describe your managerial style? If not, or if you’re not sure, you need to read Peter Drucker’s 1967 classic “The Effective Executive.” To thrive as a leader, executives need to figure out how to get the right things done. For Drucker, effective executives have great time management skills. They’re also able to work productively while delegating tasks to the best people. Effective executives prioritize and make the right decisions at the right times.

Absorb LMS gives you the flexibility to assemble and deliver courses that learners will love all while streamlining and automating your administrative workflows. Your best learning and development program begins with Absorb LMS.

Each week, Duct Tape Marketing publishes a podcast with a well-known industry expert to discuss a small-business topic. John Jantsch has been a small-business marketing expert for a long time, so he often shares trends and advice for enterprise and small-business audiences alike.

Are you the kind of person who’s content with your skills or resistant to change? Do you think your business does what it does and there’s no possibility you’d succeed if you tried something entirely different? If so, you might find it liberating to learn that you do have the power to change these perceptions. Dr. Carol Dweck, Ph.D., is a professor at Stanford who’s the pioneer of mindset research; she’s been studying the power of mindset for decades. In her book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” Dweck argues that our mindset dictates our behavior. It’s our way of thinking about ourselves and the world that governs the way we act.

Written around 500 B.C., Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” is a timeless book on military strategy that remains surprisingly relevant today – not just on the battlefield, but also in the business world. The book is divided into 13 short chapters, each which explores a different facet of warfare. There are several lessons in the book that you’ll definitely want to read – and it won’t take that long, either. l

CUSTOMIZATION IS KEY Allow customers to personalize their favorite Qdoba eats with the #1 hot sauce asked for by name.1

Klaviyo makes it super simple to pull in data from your ecommerce platform, point-of-sale software and other marketing tools. So, the only limit to how you segment your audience is your own imagination. Say goodbye to spreadsheets, and say hello to highly relevant, personalized marketing made easy.

Learn more at

flavor SUMMER 2019

The Proper Course of Action for

Social Security Administration No-Match Letters by Douglas H. Duerr and Molly Martin

he Social Security Administration (SSA) is once again issuing Employer Correction Request Notices, commonly known as “no-match letters.” While these letters may appear ominous, the stated purpose of the letters is to enlist an employer’s help in ensuring that the Social Security accounts of employees are properly credited for the wages they earned from the work they performed. While it might be tempting to toss the letter aside, we would instead recommend taking the following steps:

• Identify theft. • Errors in reporting multiple surnames or hyphenated last names. Remember that the SSA is not designed to be an enforcement agency and cannot issue fines or otherwise prosecute you. Still, you should take time to review the letter and take steps to resolve any discrepancies.

Review the Letter. While the letter can appear threatening,

Conduct Your Own Investigation. Visit the Business Services Online program referenced in the letter to determine which employees have incorrect information. Before engaging your employees in the investigation process, match the information the SSA has on file for those employees against what you have recorded. Pay attention to the spelling of the names and any accent marks or hyphenations that may have been accidently added or omitted.

it is neither an allegation that you have knowingly employed undocumented employees nor that any of your employees are working illegally. There are various reasons why an employee is the subject of a no-match letter even though s/he has done nothing wrong: • A clerical error by the employee, employer or SSA. • Unreported name changes.

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Privately Meet with Employees. Next, schedule private meetings with employees. If you anticipate any language barrier, have an interpreter present. Explain that the SSA has incorrect information on file for them and you need their help to ensure that their Social Security earnings are going to the correct account. Ask employees to confirm their full legal name (including spelling, accent marks and hyphenations); date of birth; and Social Security number. If you determine the error was a clerical mistake that can easily be corrected (e.g. name change, misspelling, etc.), have the employee complete a W2-C form correcting the information. If there is no clerical error, direct the employee to contact the nearest SSA office in order to fix the issue and provide the employee with the contact information of the nearest office. Do not give any advice on how to handle the issue. If the employee has been terminated or resigned, still try to contact that individual. You can do so by mailing the Sample Notice the SSA has prepared (located at https://www.ssa.gov/employer/notices/SSNVSsampleLetter.pdf ) to the employee’s last known address.

Schedule Check-Ins With Employees. It is best to give an employee approximately 60-90 days to address the error. However, if you do not act when an employee fails to correct the issue, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could determine that you have “knowledge” that an employee does not have work authorization. Therefore, for any employee you directed to contact the SSA, you should schedule periodic check-ins (such as at the 15-day mark, 30-day mark, etc.) with that employee to see if s/he needs help contacting the SSA to get the information corrected. The check-ins can take the form of another meeting with the employee, an email reminder or letter home. These meetings and communications will help resolve the issue and show you actively worked with the employee to remain in compliance with the law.

Do Not Discriminate. The investigation of no-match

letters provides many pitfalls for employers trying to remain in compliance with the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The INA prohibits discrimination based on national origin, citizenship status, immigration status, requiring specific documents or more than the minimum documents to verify employment eligibility and retaliation. Be careful to avoid these common pitfalls: • Terminating or taking any other adverse action against an employee solely because of the no-match notice; • Conducting a no-match investigation differently for some employees (e.g. only scheduling meetings with Hispanic employees); • Requiring an employee to produce documents to address the no-match; • Asking an employee to complete a new I-9 due solely to the receipt of a no-match letter; • Requiring an employee to produce specific evidence from the SSA or any other government entity that a no-match has been resolved.

Document Everything. It is important to document all your efforts to remain in compliance with the law. Develop a policy for employer representatives who will take part in responding to the no-match letter. This policy should include information related to when and how in-person meetings should be conducted, a script to follow when discussing no-match letters with employees, and an emphasis that no adverse actions should be taken against employees who are the subject of the letter. During any in-person meetings with employees, make sure two employer representatives are present – one to conduct the meeting and another to take notes. Keep any written communications to or from the employee in the employee’s personnel file, along with a copy of notes taken during the meeting.

Respond to the No-Match Letter. You should report back

Avoid Future No-Match Letters. The SSA provides a

to the SSA by either submitting a W2-C form correcting the misinformation or letting the SSA know the results of the investigation (e.g. whether an employee is still in the process of correcting the information) within the 60-day window after receiving the letter. Ignoring a no-match letter will not be helpful in disproving that you did not have knowledge of unauthorized workers on your payroll. Further, should you subsequently be subject to an I-9 audit, it is possible ICE will request that you produce any no-match letters you have received. In fact, general counsel for United States Citizenship and Immigration Service previously reported that I-9 violations were more likely to be found if an employer did not take any action after receiving a no-match letter. Therefore, it is important to show you have taken steps in correcting any employment verification issues. Social Security Number Verification Service (SSNVS) for registered users, which includes employers. Using this service, you can determine whether there are any discrepancies in an employee’s information that you can address prior to the filing of W-2 forms. Be aware that you cannot use this information for any reason other than wage verification. In addition, you can set up a process by which you regularly check employee information to ensure it is up to date. Again, you can use the SSNVS to do this. Be careful to ensure you are checking the information for all employees, otherwise your practice could be considered discriminatory. Conclusion

A no-match letter can arrive for a myriad of reasons and does not mean that you have unauthorized workers. Nonetheless, these letters create potential liabilities and pitfalls if not handled correctly. That said, ignoring the letter and/or terminating the relevant employees based solely on the letter, would be the worst mistake of all. Following the steps outlined above will go a long way to reducing your risk. l DOUGLAS H. DUERR is a partner and MOLLY MARTIN is an attorney at Elarbee Thompson, a national labor and employment law firm with an industry practice area focused on franchises. Learn more at www.elarbeethompson.com.

flavor SUMMER 2019

THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY: ELEVATING THE DRIVER’S EXPERIENCE

by Rachel Jackson

t’s no question that partnering with third-party delivery apps generally lifts revenue and gets a brand’s name out in front of customers it normally would not reach. But with every partnership comes ups and downs. DoorDash, Zifty.com, Postmates, Grubhub and Uber Eats are a few of the

third-party delivery apps out there. A Zion & Zion report conducted earlier this year, citing investment bank UBS’ forecast, projected online food ordering may rise to more than 20 percent in 2019, reaching $365 billion by 2030. The Zion & Zion report found that Grubhub is the most used third-party delivery app

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while Uber Eats sits closely in second place covering 70 percent of the U.S. population. While both companies grapple for the most customers, the Zion & Zion report also found that people are increasingly staying home and ordering in food. Currently, 7 percent of consumers said they ordered delivery 11 or more times in the past 90 days, while 12 percent of consumers ordered five or six times in the same period. Although Grubhub and Uber Eats are the two most popular apps, it’s important to find a partnership with a third-party delivery app that works best for your restaurant. For Randy Key with Delicio, LLC, DoorDash was the way to go. “DoorDash has been more responsive and helpful in correcting problems and structural deficiencies in their system than both of the other third-party partners we have,” said Key. “This has aided in a faster turnaround in solving issues and their sales getting to more than double the other two third-party partners sales added together.” While using third-party delivery apps allows customers who are farther away and

would not normally drive to your store a new outlet to order food from QDOBA®, you run the risk of something happening to the food from the time the driver picks up the food to the time the food is delivered to the customer, in turn representing your restaurant poorly. Emerging issues such as foodborne illness, car accidents and intentional criminal acts committed by delivery drivers are potential liabilities for restaurants. According to the Nation’s Restaurant News study “The Cost of Convenience: Understanding the Third-Party Dilemma,” “A recent interview with a Grubhub corporate employee confirmed that Grubhub, as is the case with most of these providers, maintains written partnership agreements with all of the restaurants for which it provides services. Regardless, and given the nature of litigants who look for the classic ‘deep pocket,’ it makes sense that customers will hold restaurants at least partially responsible for errors, even if restaurants have formal agreements with third-party delivery companies and even though the consumer never interfaces with the restaurant itself during these transactions.”

“While third-party delivery drivers work for another company, they are still an extension of our brand when

Having easy to locate cubbies helps maintain speed and efficiency when third-party delivery drivers arrive to pick up orders.

accommodate the drivers when they pick up orders from your restaurant can go a long way. We all know the driver engages with the customer when delivering the order, the question is: Should the store engage with the delivery driver when picking up the order? For Roaring Fork, engaging with delivery drivers is top of mind. “While third-party delivery drivers work for another company, they are still an extension of our brand when delivering our food. We always coach on treating them just like any other guest coming in the door – we want the drivers leaving QDOBA with a positive experience, so in return, it becomes passed along to the receiving guest,” said Abby Hansen, vice president of marketing for Roaring Fork. “In addition, those drivers are potential new guests themselves, so we never want to miss an opportunity to bring them back in.” There are many ways restaurants can make picking up orders easier for delivery drivers. Cubby sizes, how you store the food, pick-up signs, bag covers, and

including utensils, drinks and chips inside the delivery bag make picking up orders easier for the driver. Roaring Fork goes the extra mile and gives chips and salsa to the delivery driver if they would like some. “Before we remodeled our locations, we considered the potential growth of the third-party delivery space. In most of our locations, we have extra-large cubby areas to organize the orders. We also write the order numbers on the outside of the bag, so the driver is able to identify their order quickly,” said Wade Gosnell, franchisee with Jed Fresh, LLC. “Delivery drivers have commented they are pleased with how we set this up, making it easier for them to identify their orders.” Having easy-to-locate cubbies with appropriate sizing and the orders clearly labeled on the bag makes picking up orders hassle-free for the drivers. Ensuring that picking up orders is as simple as can be helps strengthen the partnership and satisfaction between the restaurant and third-party delivery app. As technology evolves and grows today, third-party delivery apps will become more and more prevalent. Staying up to date and knowing how to make the process of placing orders, picking up orders and delivering orders for the driver, the customer and the restaurant easier is crucial to keeping happy customers and sales up. l

RACHEL JACKSON is the QFA communications coordinator. You can reach Jackson at 678-540-6209 or rachelj@qdobafa.org.

delivering our food.” Quality Foodservice Products

– Abby Hansen, vice president of marketing for Roaring Fork

Once the food leaves the restaurant, the third-party delivery driver is now a representation of your brand. Does the driver have a good attitude? Is the driver friendly, clean cut and dressed appropriately? If a disheveled driver delivers food to your customer and is rude to your customer, you risk the customer leaving a bad review of your restaurant and potentially never ordering from your brand again. There’s not much you can do in terms of managing these third-party delivery drivers, but going the extra mile to

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Serving Up the Guest Experience T

he foodservice industry is a staple in society. Family reunions, graduation parties, engagement parties, the celebration of life – no matter what it is, the dinner table is where families and friends bond and build connections. But whether people are gathering around the table to celebrate or mourn, there’s a certain expectation that should be met to ensure guests have a great experience at your restaurant. In the foodservice industry, many things can go wrong. Employees make mistakes, orders are incorrect, or you’ve run out of an item on the menu. Whatever the case may be, you strive to fix the issue and please the guest. But what happens when there’s an issue that is of no fault of the restaurant or employees? What if the guest is adamant that an employee is doing something wrong when, the fact of the matter is, they really weren’t? “At North-By-Northwest our policy is always ‘just say yes’ when a situation comes up where the guest is wrong. We never tell them they are wrong,” said Bill

by Rachel Jackson

Nelsen, COO and director of operations with North-By-Northwest, which is owned by Stan Kramer. “We train our employees to turn a negative situation into a positive situation without becoming defensive. In most cases, we explain to the guest that our policy is this, but we would be more than happy to honor their request this time and apologize for any confusion or misunderstanding.” QMG Ventures, LLC, owned by Matt Herridge, handles finicky guests by training its team members to go above and beyond to remedy a guest issue or concern. “We encourage and empower them to always express a sincere attempt to understand and ‘fix’ the issue,” said Herridge. One of Roaring Fork Restaurant Group, LLC’s 15 philosophies is, “Don’t be right; make it right.” Roaring Fork teaches its employees to lean into the guest, even when the customer is wrong. “There isn’t a guest incident or an occasion that will ever bankrupt the company,” said Ron Stokes, president of Roaring Fork, which is owned by Michael Pranke. “We always

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are pre-lenient to the customer, even when the technicalities of the situation suggest that that isn’t the right thing to do. What that does is ensure our philosophy of guest service. We aren’t dissecting guest incidents from a right or wrong standpoint; we’re erring on the side of them being right even when they’re wrong.” Although some guests may be difficult to accommodate, sometimes the guests’ complaints are valid, and you have to figure out what the restaurant and/or employee did and how to fix the issue. “From every employee’s first day, they are empowered to take care of any complaint immediately with any guest. If the employee isn’t sure how to take care of the guest complaint, they will get the manager in charge of the shift to make sure that the guest’s issue is corrected immediately,” said Nelsen. “If we should receive a guest complaint through guest services, we will contact the guest personally within 48

hours, and we will make things right for the guest and apologize to them.” For most guest complaints, the faster you react and resolve the issue, the happier the customer will be. With both Roaring Fork and QMG Venture, complaints are addressed within 24 hours if they are received in person. Complaints made online or by phone calls are often dealt with by the manager reaching out directly to the customer and resolving the issue, usually with a free entrée offer. To ensure that your restaurant minimizes the chances of guest complaints, having a well-rounded company culture and team that puts the customer first should be top of mind. “We have a philosophy that if the employees take care of our guests, the guests will in turn take care of our employees by returning,” said Nelsen. And the duty of taking care of guests starts the second the guests walk through the door. “We talk a lot about guest services as more than just efficient service but sharing positive energy. We talk about how we do that at our first point of contact,” said Stokes. “Really engaging service is inviting and warm. In all our stores we have signs that say, ‘Smiles up front,’ which tells our team that guest service happens up front, and we need to have that level of service up front.” Even though it’s possible to teach your team members how to put the guest first, the best step in making sure you have a wellrounded team starts with the hiring process. “With today’s employee pool, it is very difficult to hire outstanding, hard-working employees, let alone employees who have great communication skills and are guest-minded,” said Nelsen. “When we do hire someone who has the hospitality skills we are looking for, we will always ask them if they have a friend or family member that is looking for employment because good employees usually surround themselves with people like them.” No one can pinpoint someone’s personality down in just one interview, however, so you have to ensure you do all you can to get a feel for what’s important to the potential new hire. “It’s really about your selection process and making sure you’re asking open-ended questions regarding customer service. When we’re wrong in the selection process and people are demonstrating behaviors and traits that don’t put the guest first, internally we talk about promoting them to guest. That means separation for

termination,” said Stokes. “We want to be clear in our expectations, and hopefully, we are clear in our training process, orientation and hiring process about certain behaviors and traits that we are looking for.” For QMG Venture, guest interaction and friendliness are an important part of the performance review and gauging whether new hires are a good fit. Once you have hired and trained new employees and shown them how important the guest’s

“We make sure to publicly recognize team members whenever they receive a special ‘call-out’ by name from a guest.” – Matt Herridge QMG Ventures, LLC owner

experience is, it’s important to continue to incentivize them to work hard to put the guest first. “We make sure to publicly recognize team members whenever they receive a special ‘call-out’ by name from a guest,” said Herridge. “Each of our managers has a different way of reinforcing them directly such as free meals, message board recognition, gift cards, etc.” It’s crucial to hire and retain someone who naturally puts the guest first, especially if they’re forward-facing and in a guest service role. “I think when we’ve determined that we haven’t hired the right person, coaching needs to and does take place. We don’t back off our culture because somebody’s missing it,” said Stokes. “They need to lean into what our expectations are, and if they don’t, we determine it’s not a good fit. That doesn’t mean they’re a bad person, just not a good fit. I think we just have to be realistic with that decision.” Sometimes it’s determined after the fact that the new hire isn’t a good fit. It’s never personal, it’s just what the role requires, and it’s important to recognize that some people have it and some people don’t. “It’s just about being real with people. flavor SUMMER 2019

We want to pull triggers slowly, and we want to give everyone the opportunity to be successful,” said Stokes. “That’s a part of our culture, too – coach people to succeed, but at the end of the day, you can’t want something for somebody that they don’t want for themselves. You can’t create a skill or orientate somebody that they can’t watch and create on their own. So, all we can do as a good employer is provide the resources and the training and the expectation, and people will do the rest. Or not. Then it’s up to us to interpret what to do.” With North-By-Northwest, leading by example at every level from the owner to the newest employee is crucial to its company culture. “We will always greet the guest as they enter the restaurant, interact with the guest as they move through the line, follow up with table touches during their meal, pre-bus their table after it is obvious that they have completed their meal, and finally, we thank them for coming in on their departure,” said Nelsen. And, for QMG Venture, modeling is the best strategy. “Training new hires with the best guest service team members definitely rubs off,” said Herridge. One of the first things new hires at Roaring Fork go through is a training video. “One of the very first things they hear is the president of the company talking about guest service and our expectations. And hopefully they’re hearing and seeing it from their store manager and employees on their first day, too,” said Stokes. Roaring Fork always ensures new hires get proper training on their first few shifts by starting them off during a slow period. “We’ve determined that you can’t throw someone into the lion’s den and expect them to find their way out. So, we want that employee to start during a non-peak revenue period in which they can get the right coaching, teaching and follow-up,” said Stokes. “We want to give that person every opportunity to succeed by starting them when they can grasp what we’re looking for.” One of the quickest ways for new hires to learn what’s important to the company culture and how to put the guest first is by following the lead. Learning from what managers and top employees do in their shifts and ensuring your employees go the extra mile really raises the bar for guest experience. Whenever parents come into NorthBy-Northwest’s stores with their younger Continued on page 16 15

Guest Experience Continued from page 15

children, staff pay attention to the children. “Parents love it when people include their children. During the table touches, we will often ask the parent if their son or daughter can have a treat. If so, we will cut a cookie in half if there are two young children, and if just one child, we will give them a whole cookie,” said Nelsen. One of the ways QMG Venture instills guest experience into the heart and mind of its staff is through charity. “It is very important to have positive guest experience being modeled throughout the organization,” said Herridge. “One way is for these leaders to be involved in charitable activities within the community.” Using In-moment and Voice of Guest (VOG) is another way to ensure that your staff stays on top of customers’ demands. “On the guest receipt, there is an email address where the guest can complete a survey and tell us how we performed. It covers food quality, restaurant cleanliness, but more importantly, it covers guest service. The surveys narrow the questions

down to the time of day that they visited the restaurant so we can follow up on any shortfalls that may have occurred,” said Nelsen. “All questions are scored from 1-5 with 5 being the best. We also have a timer that is set for 15 minutes where when the timer goes off it’s a reminder that the table touches need to be completed by the general manager or shift manager on duty.” QMG Venture stresses eye contact and smiles to ensure its stores receive high VOG scores. “Those two non-verbals go a long way to ‘faking it ’til you make it’ for people who have challenges naturally being guest-centric,” said Herridge. “The VOG program QDOBA® has is something we really reward and penalize at our stores,” said Stokes. “There’s certain scores that our managers need to get in order to receive bonuses, and they get bonuses taken away if they don’t achieve certain levels of guest service. Ultimately, we know the stores that are growing year over year and have healthy topline sales are providing the type of service and food we are looking for. The concept is strong enough where, if the store is doing something right, that store is going to grow, so that’s the best indicator of a healthy store.”

No matter your hiring, onboarding, training and coaching process, customers are always watching what your employees are doing on their shifts “One other thing we teach and discuss with our employees is that it is very important to understand that there are only two eyes looking outward, but there are many eyes looking back at them on how well they react to our guests. This is not just how they do their job by speaking politely to the guest but also by their body language such as not smiling, speaking very short or rolling their eyes,” said Nelsen. “We also have a ‘please and thank you’ policy, which means every time an employee asks another employee for something they always say please, and when the employee has completed the task, they are to say thank you to the employee. This helps to reduce the stress during the very busy times, and the guests also see how polite our employees are to each other.” l

RACHEL JACKSON is the QFA communications coordinator. You can reach Jackson at 678-540-6209 or rachelj@qdobafa.org.

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Next Generation Network 4/18/2019 1:20:30 PM

Hire Power:

The New Basics of Building High-Performing Teams by Jim Sullivan

he marketplace for foodservice labor is both highly competitive and very crowded. Statistics offer hope: The current millennial generation is some 80 million strong, surpassing even the vaunted 72 million Baby Boomers of 1946-1962, and colleges expect their enrollment to swell to historic levels as the largest number of Americans who are aged 18 will hit university age simultaneously. But even though the numbers offer hope, remember that “hope” is not a strategy. All those millennials may be of job age, but that doesn’t mean they’ll choose foodservice over retail, Home Depot or even choosing to stay unemployed. We need to make a strong case for our industry in terms of what we teach and develop if we are to stock our talent pipeline and bench strength with future leaders. Otherwise we’re endless victims of economic cycles predicated on variable birth rates and driven by jobseeking supply and demand. Here are a few ideas on finding keepers and turning them into long-term assets: Grow your own. Reassess and re-evaluate everything – all of your crew and manager development tools, from your onboarding process to the training materials to your pre-shift meetings, which should be mandatory, not optional, every single shift. Find a way to make your development resources richer, better and more effective. Benchmark the best demonstrated practices of your best team members and incorporate that insight into your training materials. Teach everyone something new every shift. Recruit strategically not generically. Seek talent where it gathers, and aim

for people who are already motivated and wired to succeed. Instead of just participating in local high school job fairs, sponsor or recruit from the school’s National Honor Society or Link Crew. Align your company with a local Boy Scout troop, and recruit

“At the end of the day, you bet on people, not on strategies.” – Larry Bossidy, CEO AlliedSignal

from the Order of the Arrow honorees (Scouting’s National Honor Society.) Look for affable, eager and self-directed people from these groups that you can develop into tomorrow’s superstars.

Don’t recruit or train to yesterday’s competencies. Identify and

detail the top five performance-based criteria necessary to be successful in every position in your restaurant. Determine what average performance and what stellar performance looks like for each role. Develop your current teams to be proficient in those key performance-based criteria. Now look two years down the road. What skills may be critical then that are only peripheral now? For instance, if you have two general manager candidates with similar expertise, I’d promote the one with proven social media savvy and technology-enabled training skills. Assess your ABCDs. Consider all of the nuances of the four levels of employees. There are two kinds of A players. An A player in a B company is likely to be a B player in an A company. They will work down – or up – to the talent that surrounds flavor SUMMER 2019

them. There are two kinds of B players. One is someone who is a B player in the overall foodservice marketplace, but they could be an A player (or even a C player) in your company depending on your talent pool. An organization can also outgrow A players. For instance, an A-level area manager in a $3 million foodservice company can quickly regress to a C in a $50 million company if their skillsets don’t grow. C-level managers don’t hire A-level team members. They hire D-level associates so they look better as a manager. As author Brad Smart says in “Topgrading,” “C players suck the creative energy out of your organization. They fail to prevent problems and then can’t fix them. A tremendous amount of your time is wasted undoing what C players did or doing what they should have done.” There are two types of C players: one who can be developed into a B and one who will only ever be a C. Know the difference. Simply put, your most competitive strategy going forward is out-teaching the competition and doing so with habitual consistency. It is cheaper to train than it is to recruit. Consistency in operations is the most effective marketing strategy. Consistency in hiring, training and development is the most effective profitability strategy. Every day that we spend not improving our people, performance and products is a wasted day. l JIM SULLIVAN is the author of the Amazon best-selling book, “Fundamentals,” and a sought-after speaker at leadership conferences worldwide. You can follow him on Twitter @Sullivision and get his training product catalog at Sullivision.com. 17

Having a

VALUE Focus

by Laura Stack

e’ve all been there. It’s the end of the day. Your schedule was jam-packed. You crossed 27 things off your to-do list. And still, you have that nagging feeling that the whole day slipped by before you got the chance to really accomplish anything at all. Being busy is one thing. Being productive is something else. On the surface, it can be hard to tell the difference. And that’s why it is so easy and tempting to fall into the “busy” trap. In today’s workplace, as much as we supposedly revere productivity, “busy” is the badge of honor. Stacks of papers covering a desk, a frazzled dash to the

coffee machine, and all those blue streaks of Outlook (un)availability – wow, you are important. It’s easy to show how busy you are, but productivity is something much more personal – and much more important. At the end of the day, it’s only productivity that matters. That means you need to be very sure that your time is not only accounted for but has real value. Nobody cares how many things you crossed off your list. Nobody cares how busy you were last week if key projects are falling through the cracks. Results matter – so think about how you can get the most value out of every day. flavor SUMMER 2019

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Let some tasks go. If you

value your time, you can’t spend it doing things that aren’t valuable. Take a step back and make sure that even your lowest priority tasks are worth the time and effort you invest in them. Just because they manage to creep onto your to-do list week after week doesn’t mean they are a good use of time. If it’s an activity you do for someone else, make sure that person still

finds it valuable before you spend another second on it. The last thing that you want is to spend time on projects that only shuffle their way through inboxes until they are finally deleted or tucked into some bottomless filing cabinet. Train someone. Of course, there are plenty of tasks that you’d like to skip permanently, but that isn’t always an option. But maybe you can call in for some backup. Are you the only one capable of getting it done? If so, is there someone that you could train to fill the need? Even if you need to invest some time and energy in bringing someone up to speed, you’ll thank yourself down the road. Just remember, when delegating tasks like these, you need to let go of your perfectionism. If you are still fretting about things getting done exactly how you were doing them, then you’ll miss out on the point of delegating it out in the first place. Cancel that meeting. Meetings are important. They allow for the exchange of ideas and play an important role in the dynamics of the workplace. But not all meetings have the same value. With a limited number of hours in the day, you need to pick and choose when a meeting is appropriate and when it isn’t. Always think twice before calling a meeting. If you have the flexibility to choose, you should always think twice about agreeing to attend one, too. If you feel like a good deal of your day is wasted by meetings, consider the following: • Is the meeting simply to exchange information? If so, an email might do the trick just as well, and save everyone a lot of time. • Is there travel involved? An elevator ride is one thing. Real travel is quite another. Whether the meeting is going to have attendees from across town or across the country, always stop and consider if a conference call might be just as effective. Sometimes the face-to-face is critical. Other times, it just doesn’t matter, so you must set boundaries to avoid wasting your time or anyone else’s. • What’s your role? Maybe your place could be taken by an assistant who can take good notes. Just make sure that, if decisions need to be made, whoever is taking your place is capable of filling in for you. Others will be quickly annoyed if your absence turns into an inconvenience for them. If you do need to be there personally,

find out exactly what is needed of you. If only one item on a two-hour agenda involves you, perhaps you can handle that matter first and leave the meeting early. Spending half of your day in meetings waiting for your agenda item can be a frustrating time-waster. Revisit your objectives. When was the last time that you reviewed your job description? As time passes, it is easy to drift away from our formal responsibilities and objectives. This can be bad if you’re doing work you weren’t hired to do, but it can be bad when it comes time for a performance review. Be aware of what is expected of you and know the criteria on which you are evaluated. Sometimes you’ll need to realign the priorities that have been driving your schedule. Sometimes you and your boss might agree that your job description should be adjusted based on your evolving role in the company. Improve the process. Quite often, the time traps that drive us crazy are just because it’s being done inefficiently. This is particularly true when it comes to repetitive tasks that you’ve been engaged in for a long time. We get so set in our ways that we don’t realize there might be a better way to accomplish a task. If you have a similar report or business letter that needs to be written on a regular basis, come up with a template. If you are regularly overwhelmed by your weekly filing, consider handling paperwork as it comes in, before it piles up. If you’re constantly handwriting addresses on envelopes, figure out how to print

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directly on the envelope or use labels. The same is true at home. Dinner, laundry, paying bills – developing a system can dramatically reduce the frustration caused by everyday tasks. Even something as simple as a reusable checklist can be enough to keep you moving in the right direction. Determine the value. Find out exactly what is expected of you. You might be going well above and beyond what is really needed. Perhaps you are preparing an elaborate weekly status report when those that read it are only interested in that chart you always put on page five. If they ignore the rest, just distribute the chart. By getting an idea of what the report is really for, you might turn a two-hour headache into a 20-minute piece of cake. Perfection has its place, but if the benefits of your work aren’t worth your time, you should reconsider what you’re doing for the sake of personal productivity. Make it a productive day! l

LAURA STACK, MBA, CSP, CPAE, aka The Productivity Pro®, gives speeches and seminars on sales and leadership productivity. For over 25 years, she’s worked with Fortune 1000 clients to reduce inefficiencies, execute more quickly, improve output and increase profitability. Laura is the author of seven books, including “Doing the Right Things Right: How the Effective Executive Spends Time.” To invite Laura to speak at your next event, visit www.TheProductivityPro.com.

When You Think No One Is Watching by Dennis Snow

ou’ve probably heard this quote by legendary college basketball coach, John Wooden: “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” Whether we’re talking about someone’s personal or professional life, what he or she does when no one is watching truly is the ultimate test of character. But what if someone is watching, and we just don’t know it? I was working in my home office one rainy Florida day and happened to look up as our mail carrier pulled up to our mailbox. One package wouldn’t fit in the mailbox, so she had to bring the mail up to the front door. She obviously didn’t know I was watching because she used my mail to protect her head from the rain! By the time I got to the front door, she was gone, and my soggy mail was on the table by the door. I’m sure this mail carrier thought, “No one will see me, so why not?” Well, the customer saw her. And my trust in her integrity vaporized right there. I’m sure you’ve seen some of the hidden camera videos of restaurant workers as they accidentally drop food on the floor, pick it up (thinking no one is watching), and then proceed to serve the food to a customer. Not only is this behavior disgusting, it has 20

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Even when you think no one is watching, what behaviors would demonstrate your commitment to your organization, to your customers and, ultimately, to your own character? resulted in mountains of bad press for the restaurants involved. The employees in question thought no one was watching, but the camera was watching and, ultimately, so were millions of viewers. Customers were horrified and trust was diminished. Conversely, I was killing time late one evening in a nearly empty airport. A merchandise kiosk was nearby and the employee there spent her downtime dusting products, arranging displays and staying busy. She didn’t know anyone was watching, but I was watching and was impressed with her work ethic. At another kiosk about 20 feet away sat a bored employee reading a book and regularly referring to his cellphone. I wasn’t so impressed with his work ethic (and I don’t think his boss would have been either). One of the things I love when I visit Walt Disney World is watching cast members go out of their way to pick up trash off the

ground, even when they don’t think anyone is watching. There’s a pride factor associated with this behavior that doesn’t rely on a hovering supervisor. It’s just the right thing to do – it’s part of the Disney culture. Is it any wonder that the number one compliment Walt Disney World receives is how clean the place is? I once read an excellent suggestion (I unfortunately don’t remember where I read it). But the suggestion went like this: Imagine one day at work, unbeknownst to you, a video crew films you on the job – all day. You have no idea they’re there. The resulting video becomes the company’s new hire training video. Would you be proud of what these new hires would see and hear you doing? Would your behaviors demonstrate your organization’s values in action? I remember something my mother used to say when I was a teenager and going out with my friends. “Don’t do anything you wouldn’t want grandma to read about in the newspaper.” Something to think about: Even when you think no one is watching, what behaviors would demonstrate your commitment to your organization, to your customers and, ultimately, to your own character? l DENNIS SNOW is the president of Snow & Associates Inc. Dennis worked with the Walt Disney World Co. for 20 years and now consults with organizations around the world, helping them achieve their customer service goals. He is the author of “Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service” and “Lessons From the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World’s Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Your Life.” You can reach Dennis at 407-294-1855 or visit his website at www.snowassociates.com.

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Business Strategy and Lego Pieces by Dan Coughlin

y nephews, Bob and John, are amazing with Lego pieces. Every time I go to their house, they have built some amazing new creation. Sometimes they follow step-bystep instructions and sometimes they just build whatever comes to mind. Either way, I’m amazed every time by their result. Recently I learned the term “business architecture” from Seth Godin in his course, The Bootstrapper’s Workshop. He explained that there are different approaches that entrepreneurs can deploy to earn an income. Some deliver the product or service, some bring people together who want to be together, some organize different types of workers, and some people own an asset that can be sold. Combining these two thoughts (Lego pieces and business architecture) helped me greatly. I could see a new way of looking at business strategy.

Simplifying the Idea of Business Strategy For a long time, I’ve thought that the word strategy is the most complicated and confusing word in all of business. I believe if you read 50 books on strategy you will get 50 different definitions. And, oftentimes, they are worded in a way that is almost indecipherable. However, I can visualize Lego pieces and how they can be assembled to build different creations. There are 2,350 different Lego elements that come in 52 different colors. You can build a lot of different things with that much variety. And now I can see how organizations can use different pieces of business architecture to intentionally build different types of businesses. So here is my definition of a business strategy. A business strategy defines the business you are in and what 22

your organization does to generate value for customers. The “what your organization does” part consists of the pieces of your business architecture. 10 Pieces of Business Architecture Here are 10 ways that a company can produce value for customers and be paid for it: The Deliverer – delivers the product or service to the customer. The Maintainer – maintains the quality of the product or service. The Insurer – ensures the product or service for the customer and replaces it when needed. The Gatherer – gathers people together who want to be together. The Organizer – organizes different types of talented people to deliver the work that has been paid for. The Creator – creates the product or service. The Repeater – repeats the creation of the product or service. The Entertainer – entertains customers. The Connector – connects buyers and sellers. The Doer – does the work for the customer. You can come up with more, but 10 ways are enough to make my point. Become familiar with what they mean. Start by thinking of an example of each of these business architectural pieces. Here’s what comes to my mind: The Deliverer – pizza delivery guy. The Maintainer – plumber fixes the sink.

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The Insurer – Office Max ensures that the printer will be fixed or replaced. The Gatherer – a conference meeting planner. The Organizer – the contractor who assembles the workers to finish a basement. The Creator – the author of a book. The Repeater – a franchisee who replicates a restaurant. The Entertainer – a comic doing a stand-up routine. The Connector – real estate broker introducing buyers to sellers. The Doer – the cleaning person who cleans up your house. Analyze Famous Businesses Using Business Architecture Now describe the strategy of a famous business by defining the business they are in and the pieces of business architecture they use. Amazon is a retail business that primarily combines The Organizer, The Deliverer and The Connector. Google is an information and advertising business that primarily combines The Organizer, The Deliverer and The Connector. The Walt Disney Co. is a family entertainment business that primarily combines The Creator, The Entertainer and The Gatherer. McDonald’s is a quick-service restaurant business that primarily combines The Repeater, The Organizer and The Doer. Notice that these two things (defining the business you are in and selecting pieces of business architecture) allows you to create an infinite number of different business. Now you try it. Think of an existing organization, define the business it is in, and the different pieces of business architecture it uses. There are no perfect answers. I just want you to think about organizations in terms of the business they are in and the different ways that they produce value for customers.

Intentionally State Your Business Strategy Now it’s time to think about your business. I want you to fill in the blanks: We are in the ___ business that primarily combines ___ . You can fill in the first blank with the business you think you are in today, but you can also fill it in with the business you want to be in going forward. The choice of how you define the business you are in is tremendously important. It will affect your decisions that impact every part of your business. Once you’ve defined the business you are in, then decide on which pieces of business architecture you are going to primarily use. For example, I’m in the performance improvement business that primarily combines The Creator and The Deliverer. Going forward, I could intentionally add The Gatherer to my business strategy. Step back right now and really think. What business do you want to be in? What pieces of business architecture will you combine to produce value for your customers? Play with this for a while. You might just develop a breakthrough insight for the future of your business. l DAN COUGHLIN focuses on strengthening excellence. He defines excellence as doing whatever you do as well as you can do it right now while simultaneously learning how to do it better the next time. He has provided more than 4,000 executive coaching sessions and more than 500 seminars on excellence since 1998. He is the co-author of the new book, “The Any Person Mindset: Be Accountable to the Difference You Can Make.” Visit www.theanypersonmindset.com to learn more or visit his Free Business Leadership Idea Center at www.thecoughlincompany.com. Zenput Operations Execution

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One topic: 10 facts

Labor Costs 1 Average retail wages have risen by almost $1 per hour in the last year, to $19.40 as of March.

2 increased their minimum wage in the last five years.

Retaining staff is a persistent issue for operators and cited data showing that turnover rates increased in 2018 for both hourly employees and for all levels of management.

Twenty-seven states and Washington, D.C., have

Another 41 local municipalities have adopted minimum wages that are higher than their state levels.

The restaurant industry employs 15.3 million workers …

In a Restaurant 2025 report on the future of automation in the restaurant industry, automation and robotics could play increasingly important roles in back-of-the-house restaurant operations such as cleaning, as opposed to providing front-line service.

And is expected to add 1.6 million new jobs in the next 10 years.

Employee scheduling software can help reduce labor costs by 1-3 percent.

With a turnover rate estimated to exceed 70 percent, the restaurant industry is in particular need of tools that streamline onboarding and training and, at the same time, help boost retention.

Scheduling software can help reduce employee scheduling time by 80 percent, keeping all communication on one platform where everyone can see it.

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Source: Touch Bistro, Restaurant Business

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2019 editorial calendar Issue

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You manage your business. We’ll manage your risk. From every angle. As a Qdoba® owner, you already have to think about service, food preparation, productivity, laws and regulations, time management and the everyday challenges of running a business.

THE MAGAZINE OF THE QDOBA FRANCHISEE ASSOCIATION | SUMMER 2019

Insurance shouldn’t be one more concern. Especially given the wide range of protection you need in this day and age.

Wade Gosnell

At McGriff Insurance Services, the exclusive property and casualty insurance provider for Qdoba Franchisee Association (QFA) members nationwide, we make sure owners like you have the very best in claims assistance, loss control services – and every line of coverage you need. That means we go beyond the basics. Your business will be supported by a dedicated team of franchise insurance specialists who are knowledgeable about your industry and will develop a plan that includes the following additional coverages you may not have considered: ■ Cyber/Data Breach Liability Protects your business from sensitive data compromise, including customer credit card information and private employee data ■ Employment Practices Liability Coverage for wrongful employment practices, such as harassment, discrimination and wrongful termination

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■ Property Coverage Enhancements As a restaurant owner, additional coverages such as “Business Income for Off-Premises Utility Services,” “Outdoor Signs” and “Food Contamination and Spoilage” are vital – be sure to review your limits

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