Who Are They?
We rarely truly connect with people who serve us in restaurants, banks, service stations, etc. Sometimes, if we see them regularly, we get to know their names. It is not often we go beyond the ritual of “Hi. How are you?”.
Well, here at Bubby Rose’s bakery, we take people seriously, Our staff are warm, friendly and genuinely care about people. Our customers’ names, AND lives , are important to us. Their habits are worthy of attention, their needs are addressed because we care.
Staff notice when someone is “missing”. We discuss the void with concern – is s/he okay, etc. Have they moved. We feel bad to think that we have been “left out of the loop”. Or we have screwed up and we do not have the opportunity to “make it right”.
This week we will all mourn the departure of one of our resident artists, Joe Coffey. Joe’s work is well worth visiting Winchester Gallery to see. (Who will take his place?!)
This is leading somewhere…
When we order a meal in a restaurant, a waiter takes our order to the kitchen. When it is ready, s/he brings it to us. The waiter may ask if we want a drink, if we are happy with our meal. “Would you like fresh ground pepper on that”?
Our amazing staff ask what a guest would like and ensure that the food is promptly grilled or heated if desired. The drinks are made by him/herself (often). Many times, that same person brings the food to the table.
This same individual must learn how to properly make espresso drinks (not easy), practise FOODSAFE principles in order to handle food safely, clear tables, sweep floors, wash dishes, wrap goods, box and label orders, make change, give suggestions, know ingredients, move quickly, truly multi-task and ALWAYS be pleasant, making sure that everyone’s experience is a GREAT one.
Now, please, someone explain to me why it is that, although we pay higher than minimum wage, our staff can make so much more money “serving” people in a restaurant than here.
We tip surly waiters 5 – 10%. A decent to very good waiter gets 15%.
Our Staff earn less than 2% in tips! Why is it that young people, those who purchase small ticket items like a latte and a cookie will leave 50ยข when older folks will buy $35 worth of wrapped and boxed product, use a Gold VISA and leave 0?!
Bakeries are just one part of the “small business” community that is competing with construction for employees. The culture we endeavour to support is slipping away as we allow ourselves the luxury of short-term/sighted savings when we shop at the Wal-Marts of the world and treat wonderful people at the smaller establishments to the irony of tipping habits noted above.
The people we employ are hard-working (coffee and/or lunch breaks are not common). They work because the job has to be done, and they love working at Bubby Rose’s. We, as an employer, do what we possibly can to make their time at work enjoyable.
This brings me to another topic: what more can we do. Well, we could raise everyone’s wage by $1. To a lot of them, this would make a real difference. Imagine – only $1 per hour. For some that would mean $20 per week. Others would “enjoy” $40 – all before taxes.
This would require about a 4-5% increase in prices to cover. (Please, if you don’t already know, this business has been a labour of love for the owners – not a cash cow)!
How would our guests react to this? We don’t know but are curious. Too bad we had to raise the prices on a lot of our flour-laden products already…
PS – Joe didn’t go! So, now we can continue this delightful relationship (while we and the public take pleasure in his wonderful painting on Bubby 2’s wall). In the meantime, his friend, Tim Schrumm (another wonderful painter) is leaving soon for the Antarctic and beyond to Alberta…