Let’s admit it. It is rare to find someone who loves performance reviews – no matter whether they are on the giving or receiving end. And consistently giving effective andtimely performance reviews has probably been in the top 5 of universal management frustrations for as long as there have been managers! We thought this article […]
There aren’t too many people who love to handle customer complaints. When we meet those rare folks who do, we try to hire them! For the rest of us who find these conversations a little (or a lot) uncomfortable, the right guidance and a reliable set of tools can make a world of difference – to […]
Here at Zingerman’s we have tried and true recipes for giving great service. We believe in giving great service to our customers, to each other, to our friends and family — to everyone we come into contact with! Whether we’re standing face-to-face with them, chatting with them on the phone or writing them an email, […]
Ever been to one of *those* meetings? You know the one… somebody is grandstanding and won’t get off their soapbox. Somebody else is having a side conversation. The person sitting across from you might as well be alone in the room with their smartphone. Nobody is making decisions. The energy is low, and almost everyone […]
When you participate in a customer service training seminar at ZingTrain, you will explore how to define great service for your business. Find out why this is an essential first step in the process of improving customer service here and contact ZingTrain to find out when our next customer service training sessions will be offered. […]
How do you welcome new hires into your organization? Do you hand them an apron and point them in the general direction of the deli counter? Do you have them attend several days of classroom training before they ever talk to a customer? Do they learn about your organization’s history and vision from someone in […]
Does this scenario sound at all familiar? “OK, I’m supposed to teach you how we make a sandwich. It’s really simple – I’m sure you already know how to do it. But anyway, just watch me for a while, and then I’ll give you a chance to try.” A few minutes later: “Any questions? I […]
Rather than simply cataloging past behavior, spark passion and purpose by defining what both you and your employees want to achieve in a year. It all starts with creating a vision of success. If you put together a list of universal management frustrations—the areas where, despite our best systemic intentions, we consistently fall short—offering timely […]
Becoming what‘s known as a “third place” is a status that every community-oriented business should want to achieve. I first heard the idea of the third place in reading Ray Oldenburg’s book, The Great Good Place, originally published in 1989. Here is the key concept: As Oldenburg explains, the “first place is the home; the […]
More people in the food world should write about what they do and sell. Writing has helped me contribute to the building of Zingerman’s. It’s also pushed me to learn more about what I do, while making me a better listener and a more sensitive taster. Getting Started I started writing more out of frustration […]
Great service is about getting the big and small things right—and in this tough economy, keeping customers happy has even greater significance. Therefore, here is the second installment of basic but useful service strategies that we put into practice at Zingerman’s. Some of these can be implemented one at a time, starting tomorrow morning if […]
Some time ago, I spoke at the Inc. 500 Conference in Savannah. The biggest perk was to hear the other presenters, such as former President Clinton. The presentation that had the greatest lasting impact on Zingerman’s was by Scott Cook of Intuit. Intuit makes Quickbooks, Quicken, TurboTax and other accounting software. Cook talked about the […]
