Select "Campania's". I feel this particular restaurant's issues share many similarities with quite a few repair shops. See if you can pick out anything you see with your shop or a friend's shop. What do you think of Gordon's solutions? I look forward to your responses. Thanks! Later, Matt.
_________________ Matt Fanslow
ASE CMAT/L1
Crag-Technologies, Inc
www.wavehook.com
Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 21 Location: Lathrop MO
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:05 pm Post subject:
Hi Matt,
I would really really like to participate in this thread as I think it has a lot of potetntial to discuss this show and how it relates. Unfortunately I hardly ever watch tv. I've seen part of one of these shows one time and what I saw I really liked. I would like to find the time to watch them but so far I haven't.
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 774 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:14 pm Post subject: Re: Repair shop rescue from the kitchen? Part II
MattFMN wrote:
Select "Campania's". I feel this particular restaurant's issues share many similarities with quite a few repair shops. See if you can pick out anything you see with your shop or a friend's shop. What do you think of Gordon's solutions? I look forward to your responses. Thanks! Later, Matt.
Hi Matt,
I took several things I really liked from the episode. First was the signature dish. I think this relates directly to an auto shop. Advertising what we do best, makes the most sense to me. For instance, if a shop is excellent at alignment, that's where the majority of their marketing might go. Once in and convinced of the quality, people tend to be more willing to trust the shop for other things.
It also showed a business can be fun and have joy in work, but there is no place for foolishness and horseplay. Joe wanted to be everybody’s buddy, not the leader. Fun needs to be redefined. It's accomplishment of the aim and doing a great job, not joking around and acting foolish.
Joe said it best, when he got over his pride and ego, he could learn. Lastly, I like the symbolism of the plates. I think symbolism can be a very powerful tool. Did I ever tell you about the funeral I once held?
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 146 Location: Garden City, KS
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:01 pm Post subject: Re: Repair shop rescue from the kitchen? Part II
Quote:
I took several things I really liked from the episode. First was the signature dish. I think this relates directly to an auto shop. Advertising what we do best, makes the most sense to me. For instance, if a shop is excellent at alignment, that's where the majority of their marketing might go. Once in and convinced of the quality, people tend to be more willing to trust the shop for other things.
My observation exactly! We see quick lubes advertising their fast service and low prices all the time, but rarely do we see a full-service independent shop advertising what they do best. Is it because they are so concerned with trying to put themselves on the same level as the dealer?
Quote:
It also showed a business can be fun and have joy in work, but there is no place for foolishness and horseplay. Joe wanted to be every-body's buddy, not the leader. Fun needs to be redefined. It's accomplishment of the aim and doing a great job, not joking around and acting foolish.
This was the aim of my question, "is there leadership". There absolutely is leadership and we see the employees following it. It was just not leadership that perpetuated the atmosphere needed to develop a successful/profitable restaurant/business. I totally agree with you, work can and should be fun...but their is a line between fun and tom-foolery.
Quote:
Joe said it best, when he got over his pride and ego, he could learn.
Amazing how those two things get in the way so often, isn't it? You see it in so many places in so many environments. You could tell he was in trouble right away when he said people love his food. Basically like a repair shop saying they do excellent work. If you convince yourself of that...it's really difficult to look for improvement. I feel this was a pillar of Deming's philosophy. Constant improvement requires, absolutely requires, that you accept that nothing you do is as good as you could potentially do it. There is ALWAYS room for improvement.
Quote:
Lastly, I like the symbolism of the plates. I think symbolism can be a very powerful tool. Did I ever tell you about the funeral I once held?
I do not believe you have, but I am very much looking forward to the hearing the tale.
Thanks for the response! Later, Matt.
_________________ Matt Fanslow
ASE CMAT/L1
Crag-Technologies, Inc
www.wavehook.com
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 774 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:35 am Post subject:
MattFMN wrote:
Does anyone have any issues with Gordon's incentive program?
Hi Matt,
I was waiting for someone to bring this up. Like most incentives, I believe it will give a short burst of effort. Longer term, the effect will be nil or possibly a source of irritation.
Some clients could take offense if they learned the recommendation of their server was based on winning a prize, though I am not sure the gravity of the situation is that great.
There seems to be a pre-existing distrust of auto shops in the eyes of many clients. That and the cost of the purchase might make an incentive based recommendation more grave in the case of the shop.
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 146 Location: Garden City, KS
Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:11 am Post subject:
I couldn't agree more. There will be a server who has a knack for "selling the menu" and winning the prize. Eventually the other's will give up because no matter how hard they try they cannot sell the menu like that one server. As they become disgruntled, watching that other server pocket the extra $100/night, they will most likely slack on their other duties and even their attentiveness to their clients will suffer. This is clearly a short-term patch that I was very taken aback to hear he employs in his own restaurant. Seems to me, if the night was that successful, or the turn-around that great, EVERYONE deserved a bonus...or better yet, a permanent pay increase. Thanks Louis! Later, Matt.
_________________ Matt Fanslow
ASE CMAT/L1
Crag-Technologies, Inc
www.wavehook.com
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 774 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:55 am Post subject:
MattFMN wrote:
Seems to me, if the night was that successful, or the turn-around that great, EVERYONE deserved a bonus...or better yet, a permanent pay increase.
Hi Matt,
You are basically at the heart of the issue. Incentives are popular with managers because they are conditional promises. "As long as you do this I will give you that." Now, if you can no longer do this [no matter what is to blame] I don't have to pay up. Heads I win, tails you lose.
My issue is, it removes the responsibility for production improvement from management and places it with the worker. Since workers cannot improve performance [except through unnatural effort] it will not be improved. When the unnatural effort eventually gives out, the manager simply blames the worker and moves on. Such managers appear to not realize lack of production comes out of earnings.
With proper improvement of efficiency, workers can produce far more, with normal effort. This is sustainable and both parties earn more, while the client pays no more. Problem is, it takes effort on the part of management . . . Much tougher than offering a bribe to work harder.
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 146 Location: Garden City, KS
Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:44 pm Post subject:
How does everyone feel about the business owner not having any formal training, but truly believing he is the best and people absolutely love his food?
Also, how about the equipment in back that is broken or substandard?
How do these issues, or any of the issues discussed above or that you see in the video, apply to a repair shop?
Thanks, Matt.
_________________ Matt Fanslow
ASE CMAT/L1
Crag-Technologies, Inc
www.wavehook.com
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 146 Location: Garden City, KS
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:58 pm Post subject:
I deal with shops all the time that have scan tools that are not up-to-date. I've been in shops where there are hoists that do not work, or are not fit to have a vehicle on. The reasoning? Cost. It costs too much to update tooling, it costs to much to maintain or replace equipment.
Why don't we see this as what it really is? It COSTS not having properly running and functioning equipment and tooling.
_________________ Matt Fanslow
ASE CMAT/L1
Crag-Technologies, Inc
www.wavehook.com
Joined: 19 May 2007 Posts: 206 Location: Camp Verde, AZ
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:15 pm Post subject:
To many decisions are made from the accounting side. There is an expense category for equipment repair and replacement. It is easy to see the cost. There is no easy way to see the benefits of, or income from, updated and properly working equipment. There is not category for it. It is like trying to sell vehicle maintenance. There is a spot to see how much was spent on maintenance but no column for problems prevented.
Improper working tools slow down the jobs being performed. The people using them get frustrated and have a hard time keeping a good attitude. They then turn out poor quality work and the cycle continues to spiral downward.
Some shops are afraid to charge the customer enough to cover the costs of equipment upgrades. Others, where the tech is paid flat rate, do not care because the tech gets paid the same no matter how long it takes.
_________________ 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: Tue Apr 01, 2008 7:15 am Post subject:
One of the best businessmen I ever knew once told me, "You can't save your way to a profit, you have to sell your way to a profit." Cost can only be cut so much, you have to have revenue and that generally means spending money. It takes money to make money?
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 146 Location: Garden City, KS
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:36 am Post subject:
louis wrote:
One of the best businessmen I ever knew once told me, "You can't save your way to a profit, you have to sell your way to a profit." Cost can only be cut so much, you have to have revenue and that generally means spending money. It takes money to make money?
Perhaps if we compare that saying to something automotive that we are all familiar with and have a grasp on: "It takes voltage to make voltage". When discussing charging systems, everyone would nod in agreement, but when discussing business and profit...it seems to become a difficult concept. Thanks for the replies, Dave and Louis! Later, Matt.
_________________ Matt Fanslow
ASE CMAT/L1
Crag-Technologies, Inc
www.wavehook.com
Ok, I finished watching this whole episode, finally.
Gordon seems to have a pattern with these turnarounds. Like with a case study, he identifies the major issues then solves each one.
In Campanies the leadership was weird, sort of juvenille. The menu was too big and had no signature dish, which was fixed with meatballs, of all things. Design of the place within and outside was revamped. Plus he taught by example.
Is it just me, or does anybody else find these hard to watch? They really make a point of emphasizing how bad the places really are and have the viewer feeling sorry for the owner.
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 774 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:40 pm Post subject:
Bud wrote:
Ok, I finished watching this whole episode, finally.
Gordon seems to have a pattern with these turnarounds. Like with a case study, he identifies the major issues then solves each one.
In Campanies the leadership was weird, sort of juvenille. The menu was too big and had no signature dish, which was fixed with meatballs, of all things. Design of the place within and outside was revamped. Plus he taught by example.
Is it just me, or does anybody else find these hard to watch? They really make a point of emphasizing how bad the places really are and have the viewer feeling sorry for the owner.
Hi Bud,
I actually enjoy watching them. Not that I agree with everything I see, but I think good points are made. If we looked at the best and worse in any class, we would likely find more similarities than differences. Ah, but those differences are key . . .
I actually enjoy watching them. Not that I agree with everything I see, but I think good points are made. If we looked at the best and worse in any class, we would likely find more similarities than differences. Ah, but those differences are key . . .
Well, let's see. Gordon is too smart to take on a project he can't win at, especially on TV.
His general game plan probably looks like this:
Management and leadership issues,
Menu improvements,
Marketing strategy including competition,
building and furnishings improvements,
and Advertising and promotions tactics.
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 774 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:35 pm Post subject:
Bud wrote:
Well, let's see. Gordon is too smart to take on a project he can't win at, especially on TV.
His general game plan probably looks like this:
Management and leadership issues,
Menu improvements,
Marketing strategy including competition,
building and furnishings improvements,
and Advertising and promotions tactics.
I may start my on show, "Flip this Business"
Management and leadership issues,
Eliminate the Menu,
Marketing strategy without regard to the competition,
building and furnishings improvements,
and Advertising and promotions tactics.
All I have to add is a quality improvment program and quit blaming the employees for all the problems . . .
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
