Thoughts on Service...

Traveling tires me out!  I enjoy meeting all the new people, and expanding the transcend network, but at the end of the day, my travel is never restful.  If it is not driving bumpy roads at origin for 15 hours a day, it is visiting cafes, and connecting with people (all good!) but nevertheless exhausting.  One thing I have done more on this trip than any other recent trip is read (this is a good thing).  I worked through "In Defense of Food" (awesome book) first, and now have been gulping up the Charlie Trotter book on Service, which is both inspiring and unbelievably challenging to read.  Reading the book on Charlie's philosophy on service has left me wanting to ramp up the service at Transcend, to an even higher level than it already is.  While we are not a Micheline 5 Star dining facility, we do provide a product (coffee) with some of the highest standards in the world.  Alas, I know better than anyone, that our service does not always match the quality of our drinks.  We have amazing people at Transcend, but like me, some have never been involved in the service industry before.  So, I have resolved to work towards changing this, and will lead by example (this is one of the Trotter key foundations).  To that end, I will work with Josh when I get home to get my latte art back up to snuff, and you will see me pulling shots a couple of times a week behind the bar.  While I know that this is not the most effective use of my time in terms of growing the business, I now feel that it is essential for me to be up front once and a while to connect with you our customers.  It is also important for me to know and understand what our amazing baristas go through every day, so that we can make our customer's experience even better.  So, look for me every once and a while behind the Synesso in a couple of weeks, and forgive me, if my hands are not quite as steady as they used to be.

PS... if you want to read an amazing book, read this book on service, it will enlighten you.  Also read In Defense of Food, it will change your life.