Joined: 19 May 2007 Posts: 206 Location: Camp Verde, AZ
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:39 pm Post subject: Dave and Waffles, or, an attempt at writing like Louis
Dave and Lora work at their vehicle repair business five days a week. Breakfast on work days is usually something quick and easy to make, cold cereal or a muffin. On Saturdays they like to sleep in an extra hour and then enjoy a leisurely breakfast together. Dave likes to make waffles.
For years his method of making waffles was to dump the ingredients into a bowl, mix them up and pour the mixture into the waffle iron. Nothing was measured, if one ingredient was missing another was substituted. Sometimes the waffles were light and fluffy. Other times they were dry and hard. The children complained about having to eat them, but did not have much choice, so they did.
One day Dave got out a cook book and read a recipe for waffles. He measured out the ingredients the book said to use. It was amazing, his waffles now had a consistent texture each time he made them. But they were still a little heavy.
Dave read the rest of the recipe and found instructions on how to combine the ingredients. The dry ingredients were mixed together first. The wet ingredients were mixed together separately, then combined with the dry. The egg whites were separated from the yokes and beaten until stiff. These were added last and gently folded into the batter. When the waffle iron was hot, the batter was poured in.
Now everyone wants him to make waffles. They come out consistently light, fluffy and with a good flavor.
What might Dave do next to keep improving the waffles?
Are there any parallels here that could be used in our businesses?
_________________ David Wittmayer
Owner / Manager
Hansen Enterprises Fleet Repair, LLC
Camp Verde, AZ
www.hefrshop.com
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 774 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:14 pm Post subject: Re: Dave and Waffles, or, an attempt at writing like Louis
Hi Dave,
Dave wrote:
Dave and Lora work at their vehicle repair business five days a week. Breakfast on work days is usually something quick and easy to make, cold cereal or a muffin. On Saturdays they like to sleep in an extra hour and then enjoy a leisurely breakfast together. Dave likes to make waffles.
For years his method of making waffles was to dump the ingredients into a bowl, mix them up and pour the mixture into the waffle iron. Nothing was measured, if one ingredient was missing another was substituted. Sometimes the waffles were light and fluffy. Other times they were dry and hard. The children complained about having to eat them, but did not have much choice, so they did.
One day Dave got out a cook book and read a recipe for waffles. He measured out the ingredients the book said to use. It was amazing, his waffles now had a consistent texture each time he made them. But they were still a little heavy.
Dave read the rest of the recipe and found instructions on how to combine the ingredients. The dry ingredients were mixed together first. The wet ingredients were mixed together separately, then combined with the dry. The egg whites were separated from the yokes and beaten until stiff. These were added last and gently folded into the batter. When the waffle iron was hot, the batter was poured in.
Now everyone wants him to make waffles. They come out consistently light, fluffy and with a good flavor.
What might Dave do next to keep improving the waffles?
Are there any parallels here that could be used in our businesses?
Excellent example of improving the system. A better system produces a better product consistently. Suppose instead, you could not possibly change a thing, but your family paid you a bonus when you made good waffles. Now you have the current auto repair shop method
Thanks Dave, this is an excellent example. Congratulations too, you are the 1,000th post on our forum.
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