You might not expect to find a lesson on school leadership in The Bear, a hit TV show about a chef who turns his family’s Chicago sandwich shop into a fine dining establishment. But if you want a masterclass in hospitality and customer service, look no further than the second season episode “Forks.”
At the episode’s start, chef Carmy has sent inexperienced manager Richie to intern at Ever, a Michelin-starred restaurant. His very first assignment? Polishing forks for nine hours. It’s immediately clear that Richie finds this task beneath him. Who cares if the forks are smudged? But as one Ever employee impresses upon him, “every day here is the freaking Super Bowl.” In other words, every detail counts.
Throughout his week at Ever, Richie begins to understand the complexity of its operation. The restaurant has a full-time employee whose sole job is to research each diner before they arrive in order to craft a perfectly tailored experience. Waitstaff are always looking for an opportunity to make someone’s day. When one customer mentions she hasn’t gotten the chance to try deep dish while in Chicago, Ever sends Richie to fetch some from a nearby pizza joint.
Slowly but surely, Richie buys into this above-and-beyond level of service. His journey comes full circle when he finds Ever’s head chef meticulously peeling mushrooms by hand. When he asks why she’d bother with such a small detail herself, she replies, “I think time doing this is time well spent.” The point being: Whether it’s polishing forks or peeling mushrooms, there’s dignity in the details.
Your school district isn’t a Michelin-starred restaurant, but the principle still rings true: Fine details matter. The welcome a visitor receives in your front office, the speed at which a parent can get a question answered, the subtle ways you show your staff they matter—these all seem like small things. But their impact on your brand, your community support and even your enrollment numbers can be seismic.
Meeting your community’s high standards requires strong customer service: the technical processes that empower your district to seamlessly meet needs, answer questions and solve problems. But exceeding expectations also requires hospitality: a dedication to making every member of your community feel welcome and valued. These concepts go hand-in-hand, and throughout this issue, we’ll discuss them both—because both are necessary to giving folks a great experience with your schools.
In today’s school choice environment, you need every brand differentiator you can get. Customer service and hospitality are great places to start. Fail to meet a family’s expectations, and you could lose them. But if you sweat the small stuff, you could win an advocate for life.
/)
/)
/)
/)
/)
/)
/)
/)
/)
/)
/)
You might not expect to find a lesson on school leadership in The Bear, a hit TV show about a chef who turns his family’s Chicago sandwich shop into a fine dining establishment. But if you want a masterclass in hospitality and customer service, look no further than the second season episode “Forks.”
At the episode’s start, chef Carmy has sent inexperienced manager Richie to intern at Ever, a Michelin-starred restaurant. His very first assignment? Polishing forks for nine hours. It’s immediately clear that Richie finds this task beneath him. Who cares if the forks are smudged? But as one Ever employee impresses upon him, “every day here is the freaking Super Bowl.” In other words, every detail counts.
Throughout his week at Ever, Richie begins to understand the complexity of its operation. The restaurant has a full-time employee whose sole job is to research each diner before they arrive in order to craft a perfectly tailored experience. Waitstaff are always looking for an opportunity to make someone’s day. When one customer mentions she hasn’t gotten the chance to try deep dish while in Chicago, Ever sends Richie to fetch some from a nearby pizza joint.
Slowly but surely, Richie buys into this above-and-beyond level of service. His journey comes full circle when he finds Ever’s head chef meticulously peeling mushrooms by hand. When he asks why she’d bother with such a small detail herself, she replies, “I think time doing this is time well spent.” The point being: Whether it’s polishing forks or peeling mushrooms, there’s dignity in the details.
Your school district isn’t a Michelin-starred restaurant, but the principle still rings true: Fine details matter. The welcome a visitor receives in your front office, the speed at which a parent can get a question answered, the subtle ways you show your staff they matter—these all seem like small things. But their impact on your brand, your community support and even your enrollment numbers can be seismic.
Meeting your community’s high standards requires strong customer service: the technical processes that empower your district to seamlessly meet needs, answer questions and solve problems. But exceeding expectations also requires hospitality: a dedication to making every member of your community feel welcome and valued. These concepts go hand-in-hand, and throughout this issue, we’ll discuss them both—because both are necessary to giving folks a great experience with your schools.
In today’s school choice environment, you need every brand differentiator you can get. Customer service and hospitality are great places to start. Fail to meet a family’s expectations, and you could lose them. But if you sweat the small stuff, you could win an advocate for life.