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No Man Can Serve Two (or Three) Masters
Time and time again, when I talk to people about coffee business strategy it seems the top priority is speed. "I want the customer to be able to be in and out in 90 seconds or less," and the like seem to have somehow become the goal to strive for in regards to customer service.
Fine. Good. Quick service is hard to look down on, but is that all there is to it? Of course not!
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that speed isn't a noble practice. I'm saying that it shouldn't take a back seat to quality.
I know, I know. This is said time and time again. "The horse is not only dead, it ceases to exist." Yes, right. I know. Hear me out.
You have to start with one or the other. Yeah, sure, you can have fast quality, but they are never equals. I don't care what the business plan or mission statement says. I don't care what the manager or CEO says. They are NEVER equals.
Imagine, if you will, a store that wants to franchise. They want to serve the best quality possible. For this reason, they are installing super automatic espresso machines. Counter-intuitive? Why? This means that service will be fast, and the quality will be consistent.. right?
Well... yes and no. Already, we've seen another variable enter into the equation. Consistency.
So now we have to choose between: Speed. Quality. Consistency.
Yes, those three little words that are cause for much planning, much strategy, and much debate over their importance.
The thing is, people always say, "well, they're all important", and the more advanced version, "Quality is the most important, but the others are definitely high on our list." That last one sounds great... on paper.
The problem is that too many times people will say things like that, but when push comes to shove, if there is a bottleneck line out the door, and the shot didn't come out quite right, a lot of people will serve it anyway. It'll be covered in milk anyway, right?
Herein lies the dilemma. We need more than a mantra. We need more than a concept. We need a philosophical framework for how to implement these words accurately and correctly in a cognitive manner.
Actions follow thought, so in order to perform right action, we must first practice right thought. As we've already seen, words tend to be kind of cheap. Mantras and slogans show their age and get stale. They are impermanent solutions to a fundamental philosophical problem within our industry as a whole.
As it is, time and time again I hear and preach that one should focus on a few things, and do those few things well. Time and time again, the word comes up with great emphasis. Focus.
Just as we must crawl before we can walk (and walk before we can run), we must begin begin by focusing on only one element before we can learn to successfully implement the others.
I propose the same thing than any reader of this blog would state to be their primary focus of the three priorities listed. Focus on Quality.
Start by perfecting espresso preparation and milk frothing techniques. Back to basics. Practice. Taste. Analyze. Troubleshoot. Repeat. Do this time and time again until the analysis yields consistent results, and troubleshooting becomes unnecessary.
And there, we've made our first adaptational merger of priorities. We began with quality. Now, we have adapted consistency to the primary objective.
They are not equals. Consistency is an add on. Like a six-speed transmission on a base model coupe.
It's nice, but not the core of what you intend.
Now that the fundamental skill set is in place, how do we beat the clock to get from point A to point B in our slightly improved automobile? We speed it up.
Now, speeding things up doesn't mean dropping the transmission. You certainly can't speed up with no fundamental with which to increase your speed. If you sacrifice the primary objective, the entire structure falls apart, and we are no longer in the upper echelon of product prestige.
Imagine the quickness not as a physical speed, but as an efficiency. We're going to replace the conventional oil with full-on synthetic. We're going to replace the air filter for easier breathing(inhale). We're going to use some GM Syncromesh in the gearbox, and we're going to (slightly) increase the diameter of our exhaust tubing, again, for easier breathing (exhale).
We have not added anything. We have only removed obstacles that make existing power more easily accessible. We haven't sped things up. We've only made the work flow more efficient. The result, as the car will attest to, is better efficiency, and more speed(power).
"Work smarter, not harder".. again. We don't need mantras. However, if you were to take the analogy just given and condense it into one sentence, that would be it. I just feel that such verbalizations are too general and really don't drive the point home effectively enough.
So now we have adapted NOTHING to our Primary Objective other than consistency(from earlier). We've just streamlined the operations a bit. Simple. This is not in the hands of the barista. This is in the hands of the general manager, bar manager, shop owner, whoever is solely responsible for the general layout of things behind the bar.
Now that everything is primed, this little sporty coupe is ready to hit the Autobahn.
It doesn't take much effort to speed things up a bit at this point. If it's truly challenging, then I would suspect that you didn't succeed in optimizing your work station's work flow efficiency.
(Maybe you used the wrong sized exhaust tubing. Maybe your air filter is dirty. Maybe you're still trying to cheap out by using conventional oil.)
In skilled hands, speeding up the pace means just doing the normal tasks in a slightly accelerated pace. Generally, this is more related to efficiency than actual velocity and acceleration of physical movements.
And thus, we have adapted Speed to the Primary Objective.
If you'll notice, neither consistency nor speed will stand on their own if quality truly is the high priority. Both are merely an adaptation to what is already present: a concentrated and intense focus on quality.
But if a bad shot is pulled, you don't ditch the foundation. You don't throw away the car. You throw away the offensive shot and start over. Just like making a U-turn under the highway overpass.
Think of it as a molecule. Quality has a couple of smaller atoms. The first one is consistency. Consistency has a smaller atom attached to it as well. It's called speed.
Originally found at CoffeeAspirations
.
Fine. Good. Quick service is hard to look down on, but is that all there is to it? Of course not!
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that speed isn't a noble practice. I'm saying that it shouldn't take a back seat to quality.
I know, I know. This is said time and time again. "The horse is not only dead, it ceases to exist." Yes, right. I know. Hear me out.
You have to start with one or the other. Yeah, sure, you can have fast quality, but they are never equals. I don't care what the business plan or mission statement says. I don't care what the manager or CEO says. They are NEVER equals.
Imagine, if you will, a store that wants to franchise. They want to serve the best quality possible. For this reason, they are installing super automatic espresso machines. Counter-intuitive? Why? This means that service will be fast, and the quality will be consistent.. right?
Well... yes and no. Already, we've seen another variable enter into the equation. Consistency.
So now we have to choose between: Speed. Quality. Consistency.
Yes, those three little words that are cause for much planning, much strategy, and much debate over their importance.
The thing is, people always say, "well, they're all important", and the more advanced version, "Quality is the most important, but the others are definitely high on our list." That last one sounds great... on paper.
The problem is that too many times people will say things like that, but when push comes to shove, if there is a bottleneck line out the door, and the shot didn't come out quite right, a lot of people will serve it anyway. It'll be covered in milk anyway, right?
Herein lies the dilemma. We need more than a mantra. We need more than a concept. We need a philosophical framework for how to implement these words accurately and correctly in a cognitive manner.
Actions follow thought, so in order to perform right action, we must first practice right thought. As we've already seen, words tend to be kind of cheap. Mantras and slogans show their age and get stale. They are impermanent solutions to a fundamental philosophical problem within our industry as a whole.
As it is, time and time again I hear and preach that one should focus on a few things, and do those few things well. Time and time again, the word comes up with great emphasis. Focus.
Just as we must crawl before we can walk (and walk before we can run), we must begin begin by focusing on only one element before we can learn to successfully implement the others.
I propose the same thing than any reader of this blog would state to be their primary focus of the three priorities listed. Focus on Quality.
Start by perfecting espresso preparation and milk frothing techniques. Back to basics. Practice. Taste. Analyze. Troubleshoot. Repeat. Do this time and time again until the analysis yields consistent results, and troubleshooting becomes unnecessary.
And there, we've made our first adaptational merger of priorities. We began with quality. Now, we have adapted consistency to the primary objective.
They are not equals. Consistency is an add on. Like a six-speed transmission on a base model coupe.
It's nice, but not the core of what you intend.
Now that the fundamental skill set is in place, how do we beat the clock to get from point A to point B in our slightly improved automobile? We speed it up.
Now, speeding things up doesn't mean dropping the transmission. You certainly can't speed up with no fundamental with which to increase your speed. If you sacrifice the primary objective, the entire structure falls apart, and we are no longer in the upper echelon of product prestige.
Imagine the quickness not as a physical speed, but as an efficiency. We're going to replace the conventional oil with full-on synthetic. We're going to replace the air filter for easier breathing(inhale). We're going to use some GM Syncromesh in the gearbox, and we're going to (slightly) increase the diameter of our exhaust tubing, again, for easier breathing (exhale).
We have not added anything. We have only removed obstacles that make existing power more easily accessible. We haven't sped things up. We've only made the work flow more efficient. The result, as the car will attest to, is better efficiency, and more speed(power).
"Work smarter, not harder".. again. We don't need mantras. However, if you were to take the analogy just given and condense it into one sentence, that would be it. I just feel that such verbalizations are too general and really don't drive the point home effectively enough.
So now we have adapted NOTHING to our Primary Objective other than consistency(from earlier). We've just streamlined the operations a bit. Simple. This is not in the hands of the barista. This is in the hands of the general manager, bar manager, shop owner, whoever is solely responsible for the general layout of things behind the bar.
Now that everything is primed, this little sporty coupe is ready to hit the Autobahn.
It doesn't take much effort to speed things up a bit at this point. If it's truly challenging, then I would suspect that you didn't succeed in optimizing your work station's work flow efficiency.
(Maybe you used the wrong sized exhaust tubing. Maybe your air filter is dirty. Maybe you're still trying to cheap out by using conventional oil.)
In skilled hands, speeding up the pace means just doing the normal tasks in a slightly accelerated pace. Generally, this is more related to efficiency than actual velocity and acceleration of physical movements.
And thus, we have adapted Speed to the Primary Objective.
If you'll notice, neither consistency nor speed will stand on their own if quality truly is the high priority. Both are merely an adaptation to what is already present: a concentrated and intense focus on quality.
But if a bad shot is pulled, you don't ditch the foundation. You don't throw away the car. You throw away the offensive shot and start over. Just like making a U-turn under the highway overpass.
Think of it as a molecule. Quality has a couple of smaller atoms. The first one is consistency. Consistency has a smaller atom attached to it as well. It's called speed.
Originally found at CoffeeAspirations
.
Tags: bar, barista, coffee, consistency, efficiency, espresso, quality, speed
45 Comments
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Comment by Kayakman on April 28, 2008 at 12:14pm -
Speed. Quality. Consistency. Tricky balance for sure... but as a consumer of coffee I would say that quality and consistency should always come before speed. Who after all would order a nice dinner and want it delivered super fast? When ordering fine coffee... most people would be willing to wait. For those that want their coffee delivered fast, I would recommend the find a place that serves McCoffee.
One of the great dangers that places like Starbucks have introduced, is the idea that coffee should be served like fast food. That really destroys the publics way of thinking about what a coffeehouse should be. Fine coffee is something that should be savored, enjoyed slowly with friend over good conversation... not slammed down while running from place to place. The "quickie cappuccino" culture is a big part of what is unhealthy in modern society.
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Comment by Brady on April 28, 2008 at 1:01pm -
Great blog Jason. Thanks!
Kayakman, I disagree with what you think a coffeehouse should be. Sure, great coffee is best savored slowly, and when I was in school or unemployed it was great fun to sit around in my neighborhood shop and sip, read, hang out, talk with people. But for quite a few (most?) people that just isn't an option. The morning cup picked up on the way to work is all most people can realistically get. This will not be Italy anytime soon, healthy or not. (Though come to think of it, wasn't speedy preparation part of the motivation for espresso in the first place? I digress...)
I think Jason hit an important balance here - speed from skilled preparation without delay, not through shortcuts. Good shops are not slow with their great cups of coffee, just like good restaurants are not slow with their great food. When I order a meal at a great restaurant it is usually timed perfectly, to the point that the timing is not noticable. I expect it to flow perfectly - unhurried, but without delay. This is a mark of excellence in restaurant service and preparation... and I think a coffee shop can aspire to the same goal.
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Comment by Jason Haeger on April 28, 2008 at 1:04pm - Brady, thanks for summarizing the intention in a much shorter space.
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Comment by Kayakman on April 28, 2008 at 1:57pm
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Brady,
Actually I think we agree more than we on more than you might at first realize.
First, I would totally agree will all that you said in your second paragraph. By making quality and consistency the first priority, I do not mean to say the speed should not be a concern. Speed is necessary, just that it should never be the top priority, at the expense of quality and consistency. I for one would not want to wait forever and day for my cappuccino. So I am in no way recommending intentionally slow service or dragging of the feet and I am sorry if you somehow thought I was.
Regarding the nature of a coffeehouse... what do you mean "This will not be Italy anytime soon"? I live in Hungary and not Italy. As far as I know Hungary and Italy are still two separate nations. Never the less, celebrating life is still a valued and practiced European tradition in most countries in the EU. The coffeehouse has been and hopefully will continue to be a place where people can do that. Turning it into a "fast food" like establishment somehow cheapens daily life.
In most cases, however, I don't think stopping to smell the flowers or savoring a cup off coffee is something out of the reach of most people. It is more a matter of lifestyle choice and setting of priorities. Those things your value, you will take time for. If you value quantity of activity over quality or experience than your daily schedule will reflect that and the simple pleasures of life will always seem to be "realistically".
I for one would never want to slam down a fine meal, why would I ever want to slam down a quality cup of coffee? Doing so would not only cheapen the experience of the coffee, but also in some small way life itself.
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Comment by Jason Haeger on April 28, 2008 at 3:45pm
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While I do think that people should be able to slow down for their coffee, not everyone is in a position to do so.
The Italian espresso bar is not built on the "stop and enjoy your coffee" model, and I don't know about Hungary, but here in the US, you'd be hard pressed to convince a morning commuter to hang around for an extra few minutes to appreciate the quality.
It is enough that they are coming to YOUR shop rather than the competition who may be running just a tad faster and a huge sacrifice of quality. This is a consumer driven market, when push comes to shove, whether we care to admit it or not (paging Mr. Caragay).
Sure, we can try out concepts to see how they are received, but ultimately, it is the customers who decide what is a successful model and what isn't.
Having a fast coffee retailer doesn't necessarily mean sacrificing quality, and I guarantee you that their customers do not feel that their life is somehow cheapened by the speed at which they receive their great cup of coffee in the morning. If anything, it is what we call an affordable luxury.
Good luck convincing someone that a luxury's speed of delivery will cheapen their daily lives. It just isn't so, as much as I want to agree with you, and as much as I want to force people to slow down a bit, and to make time if they don't have it, this is not the reality in which we find ourselves, and thus, the marketability of the slow-coffee concept is not nearly as promising.
Stateside, folks want quality, and they want it conveniently and swiftly. Location has everything to do with it. In more ways than one.
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Comment by Kayakman on April 28, 2008 at 4:28pm
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Jason,
I agree with you and never disagreed with you regarding the fact that speed is an important factor in customer service. Never did I or would I suggest the "slow-coffee concept". I simply wanted to state that... As a consumer I prefer quality and consistency over and above speed.
Here is another way to put it... The moment a coffeehouse places speed above and at the expense of quality and consistency, to accommodate the crowds that are showing up, something important is lost. The priority of profit over quality of product is made clear and McCoffee is the result. At the same time, there is nothing wrong with producing fine coffee quickly, as long as quality and consistency are never compromised in the process.
All of that to say that speed should never take top priority, nor should it be neglected. On this matter I have been in agreement with you all the time and have suggested nothing less.
Regarding personal lifestyle choices related to coffee... I as a consumer prefer to frequent the coffeehouse that treats coffee as an art form and the customer with genuine hospitality, over and above an establishment that makes me feel like a number and coffee like fast food. The moment I as a consumer treat a fine coffee like a BigMac, something important is lost and McLife is the result. I have respect for fine coffee and never want to just slam it down on the run.
I think this is why Starbucks is having a more difficult time expanding in continental Europe. Mixing fine coffee with the fast food concepts is in conflict with the way that people want to live here. Some might also think that once you see a drive through, quality is more than likely being comprised.
Never the less I agree with you... quality coffee should be delivered in a timely fashion.
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Comment by Kayakman on April 28, 2008 at 4:37pm
- I should also say that in my original response by "delivered super fast", I was hinting at a type of speed that was unnatural... like burgers stacked up and waiting to go before there is even an order placed for them. Like so many fast food establishment are in the habit of doing. I should have made that more clear, because this might why the responders are misunderstanding me.
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Comment by Brady on April 28, 2008 at 5:59pm
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Kayakman, we are in agreement (but apologies, first, as I didn't bother to check your profile and assumed that you were an American as well).
What you and Jason have discussed here is the big challenge that we've tried to balance at my shop - a quality coffee served with little delay in a welcoming atmosphere. That is a tough line to walk, but I think worth the effort. Its very nice when a coffee shop can get that balance, I have fond memories from several places that did.
I guess this is a shared frustration. I really, really wish that the pace of most of my customers was slower. We do have quite a few ceramic cups to serve our coffees in, but most orders are still to-go. Fortunately we are seeing more people take a few minutes to enjoy, or come back on a Saturday afternoon when they have a few minutes to relax. We'll do what we can to encourage this, and give them a good cup of coffee to go when they can't.
Good discussion. Now I'm off to savor a glass of something else...
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Comment by Kayakman on April 29, 2008 at 3:15am
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As I am thinking about this issue... a few questions come to mind...
Is the only valid model of coffeehouse, one that tries to move as many people in and out as quickly as possible with the focuses on the drive-thru ?
Do shop owners have any higher responsibility in the culture they promote, above trying to maximize their own profits?
Is there anything wrong with trying to create an environment that encourages customers to pause and relax for a while?
I for one would rather spend time at a coffeehouse with a nice patio, sidewalk setting, or creative interior, over and above one that feel like a fast food establishment with the prefab decor. Slower music, larger tables, board games, books, live music, locally produced art, and meeting rooms for interest groups are just a few ways that shop owners can encourage customers to stay a while and enjoy life.
In the end we can't change the customer, but that does that mean that we should compromise the historic nature of the coffeehouse culture and reduce the experience to something like a trip out for fast food? Just because todays business culture likes to treat people like cows at the feeding troff, does that mean that coffeehouses should promote this way of doing business as well?
I am just not sure the Starbucks drive-thru "quickie cappuccino" model is the only way of doing coffeehouse or for that matter a way worth cloning and exporting around the world. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having a drive-thru or serving coffee in a timely fashion, but perhaps this should not be the coffeehouse's only goal.
While making money is important in any business, compromising quality, treating customers like a number, and discouraging longer stay visitors in the way the coffeehouse is designed are all measures that should be avoided so that we don't turn the coffeehouse into a McBusiness. While aiming for abnormally high profits is always a temptation in any business, in the long term too many compromises will be made in reaching that goal.
Balance in life is not easy to achieve... the same is true with coffeehouses. These are issues well worth thinking about and discussing... as are many others in todays coffeehouse culture trends. Its always a good conversation as long as we take time to listen and learn from each other.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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Comment by Kayakman on April 29, 2008 at 8:30am
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One more thought regarding this subject... i just listened to the podcast Coffee Retailer Overview from the Bellissimo Coffee Podcast. In this podcast they are talking about The 3rd place that Americans seek, a place to take a break away from home and work. and how the coffeehouse is becoming that the US. In this podcast they also talk about how small independent coffeehouses can compete against the big chain coffeehouses by offer much more conformable to relax and take a break.
So it seems that its not just in Europe that there a culture class between the old traditional style coffeehouse and the new fast food style chains. Also in the US it seems there is a conflicting ideas between the large chains and the newer independent coffeehouses.
Does anybody know if these newer coffeehouses are bohemian in style?
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