Kenney and Clark: Jeff Benjamin has a book for you

Yo, Kenney and Clarke, Read This Book!

Vetri partner Jeff Benjamin has some ideas for improving relations between you lot and your government

Mar. 07, 2016

In Front end of the Firm: Restaurant Manners, Misbehaviors & Secrets , Jeff Benjamin, Marc Vetri's partner in what is quickly becoming an empire of renowned restaurants, has written an entertaining memoir of life in the hospitality industry. Just, for those outside his industry, Benjamin's musings tin also serve as a practical and philosophical blueprint for how to improve the customer experience in whatever and all realms.

This calendar week, I've sent copies of Benjamin's book to both Mayor Kenney and Quango President Darrell Clarke because, reading it, i could only wish that our elected officials idea as deeply most the quality of their taxpayer'southward experience with the urban center as Benjamin thinks virtually things from his customer's point of view. I've sent the volume to Kenney and Clarke non to embarrass or hector them, but to endeavour and legitimately help them establish a culture of putting each denizen first through all levels of urban center government. Hither at The Citizen, we've been investigating City Hall's customer satisfaction efforts of late, going then far as to send out teams of mystery shoppers to report back on how their city government has treated them. We're doing this because information technology sure would be cool to love our metropolis regime as much every bit nosotros love our metropolis.

Last week, I caught up with Benjamin at his Lo Spiedo restaurant at the Navy Yard. Over some deliciously smoked craven wings and ribs, nosotros compared notes on how a focus on the principles of hospitality can brand Philadelphia better. Shortly after sitting down with his back to a window, Benjamin inadvertently illustrated how customer satisfaction is always superlative of his mind. He put his hand at the base of the window behind him several times, earlier asking: "Yous feel a draft here?" Later, every bit if to himself, he said: "I wonder if we didn't seal this correctly." Still afterwards, not able to let information technology get: "Run into, if I wasn't sitting here, I wouldn't know that someone in this seat may be experiencing a chill, unless they told me," he said. "And most people won't tell." Still later, again as if to himself: "Monday morn, I demand to point out this air problem. We've gotta solve it."

Denizen : Information technology takes this kind of obsessiveness to exercise hospitality right, doesn't information technology?

JB : Information technology takes being conscious and purposeful. It'due south funny, just before y'all called, I got a notice  that I didn't file a liquor revenue enhancement render in November of 2022 for this identify. Well, Lo Spiedo didn't open until November of 2014. Now, I empathise that large organizations make mistakes. And I got on the telephone and nosotros straightened it out. And so it was fine, ultimately. But information technology'due south also office and parcel of what'due south wrong with big organizations. No one was empowered to look into the facts earlier that notice went out. If someone had looked, they would accept seen that we reported no sales tax in 2022 and mayhap said, "Oh, look, they must non accept been opened nonetheless."

Mayor Kenney should spend some fourth dimension behind the counter at the municipal services building, interfacing with citizens. It's more simply squad edifice. Information technology can also atomic number 82 to insights, like 'Nosotros might not have the about efficient system here.'

Citizen : It reminds me of the story in your book about your experience in line with your kids at a fast food spot at the Joyce Kilmer service area on the Jersey Turnpike.

JB : Yes! Nosotros were in a long line and about to bail when three employees came effectually to the forepart of the stand with pen and paper in hand and started taking all our orders. Past the fourth dimension I got to the annals a few minutes later, my order was already prepare. I couldn't help myself and I went up to i of them. "I saw what yous did," I said. "Is that standard operating process?" She looked like she was afraid she was near to get in trouble and said, "No, I just thought that since we had all finished assembling food, and you all were going to exist waiting a long fourth dimension, we could have orders then run back and continue packing them up. I sure wouldn't want to await in such a long line."

Denizen : That's empathy.

JB : She was thinking . She was performing genuine hospitality. Why wasn't there an equivalent to her in regime before that bogus tax bill went out? What that fast food worker knew was that in that location is not a single person in the corporate structure who volition be bellyaching with you lot for trying to brand customer service better.

Citizen : And so how do you create a civilization that'south proactive like that?

JB : A lot of it has to do with hiring and training. Merely hiring someone and expecting them to perform to your standards, that's a lot to ask. We'd never hire a cook, no matter how talented, and just say, "Okay, it's your plow to make all these meals." You take to train and give direction and oversee.

Typically, before we open a restaurant, our staff role plays for two full days. Some play the client, others wait on them, and then nosotros fill out forms and learn from the experience. We're our ain toughest critic. Our managers are empowered to exercise this whenever they think information technology'southward needed.

Years ago, when I was at Aramark, it was mandatory that everyone in corporate spend a day working in the field at an hourly chore alongside an hourly worker. [Aramark CEO] Joe Neubauer worked on a truck. I made waffles with the general counsel. Today, you lot'll find Marc working in the dish room washing dishes during a new restaurant opening. It helps you lot sympathize what other people do and creates a culture. Mayor Kenney should spend some time behind the counter at the municipal services building, interfacing with the people who are coming in to straighten out their water bills, or any. It's more than merely team building. It can likewise atomic number 82 to insights, like "Nosotros might not have the nigh efficient system hither."

Citizen : I had to laugh when I read most your pet peeve. When a waiter or waitress says to a diner, "Let me get your server."

JB : Oh my God, I hate that. Sometimes, when I'm eating in a new restaurant, I'll exam it. I'll wait until our server is out of sight and inquire a different server to provide something for our table. Whenever I hear, "Certain," I know we're going to exist well taken intendance of. When I hear, "Let me get your server," I know we're in for a mediocre experience. Because "Let me get your server" really means I don't want to help you lot. Let me get someone who feels like helping y'all. It's the ultimate passing of the buck and it doesn't just happen in my business. It happens when you're in line at the grocery store and are told "My lane's closing." Or when your mystery shopper got sent to all those unlike places in search of a block party permit, only to find out the role was only open up for a 2-hour window, and they'd missed it.

When's the last fourth dimension you woke up in the morning and said, "Oh, skillful—I get to go to City Hall today to become a allow?" It'due south a shame that the highlight is when information technology happens the right fashion, when someone goes out of their way for the customer.

Denizen : You cite as i of your customer service gurus none other than Patrick Swayze in the classic movie Route Business firm . He plays a bouncer who tames out-of-control bars by being overnice . When it comes to government, though, and civil servant workers, I wonder if we've removed the incentive to be squeamish?

JB : May Swayze rest in peace. But, actually, isn't that human nature? Aren't nosotros caring? Isn't that role of the human form? That miserable person behind that city desk, they were nice to somebody at some betoken that day. They take friends, loved ones. Our job every bit leaders is to get them to be their virtually caring selves.

Citizen : This gets us to Mayor Kenney. He's said his goal is to make city government more efficient at delivering services. What'south your advice to him?

JB : Job one is to follow the Swayze advice and be nice, and I believe Mayor Kenney is. Seems similar he is genuinely concerned. Just with the business organization should come genuine understanding. Does he empathize the workings of urban center regime? These plates on our table right now? I know all the things that transpired to make them come up out of the kitchen, downwards to the second. Before he read it in The Citizen, did Kenney know all the hoops you lot take to spring through to become a block party permit?

When's the last time you woke up in the forenoon and said, 'Oh, good—I get to get to City Hall to get a let'? It'southward a shame that the highlight is when it happens the right fashion, when someone goes out of their mode for the customer.

But my biggest slice of advice is ane I shared three times with the last mayor, to no avail. Become yourself a board of advisers from dissimilar sectors and come across with them regularly. Accept someone from hospitality, someone from finance, someone from business. These shouldn't be political donors or patronage picks. They should be experts who tin can weigh in with ideas and best practices City Hall may non know about.

Denizen : Yes, I bet most metropolis workers don't role play their interactions with taxpayers similar your staffers role play theirs with your diners.

JB : And that's just i lilliputian thing. Wait, I don't have all the answers. I'd actually have more questions than answers when information technology comes to the way metropolis authorities works. Simply you go to new ideas and a better experience past asking the right questions.

Header photo: Flickr/Jeff Djevdet (via Speed Property Buyers)

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Source: https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/yo-mayor-read-book-jeff-benjamin/

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