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Ask for Olympic Symbol Doughnuts. Jackie at Krispy Kreme Delivers!

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Darrell Cody

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If she were working for me, I would have fired her. For giving away free food. Wasting company time on irrational requests.
In the video, there is no evidence of a crush of a crowd. It looks like she had the time. Nor is there evidence that the request was irrational.

So, really all you've got against her is that she gave away free-food. Turns out that the publicity of a video like this is going to be worth more than 5 donuts. If she'd actually thought like that, it would have been a good decision; but I'm not going to claim that she did so. It seems like she enjoyed the process and that was all the reward she wanted. In that moment, she was obviously not thinking about whether her employer should get payment. In the moment, she probably felt like she owned the donuts. She probably -- correctly -- feels her role gives her some leeway when it comes to 5 donuts.

But, giving the donuts for free is a distraction here. Even if we assume she should have asked for payment, we're barking up the wrong tree.

More essential is this: the customer was obviously willing to pay for a request that seemed it would be a value for him, but it demanded that she go slightly above the routine. She appeared to have the time to fulfill the request. So, her options were: stick to her defined job-role or go beyond. The second option would be fun for her, and would make the customer happy. Any good person would choose the win-win option as she did.

The fact that she did not accept payment is not fundamental here, it is an after thought. If the owner thought money should have been accepted, its easy enough to say "Great job, but next time make the guy pay for it". But, really, a good businessman would probably be thinking: "Wow! next time we have an Olympics, we should do these and sell the set at a bit higher margin", or "The next Olympics are 4 years away, what else can you make for us, Miss Donut Rodin?"

The attitude shown by this employee is exactly the attitude that good businessmen seek: someone who cares about the customer, has a bit of fun in her job, and is willing to go the distance. Getting such a person to start charging the right amount for her work is relatively easy. But, it is virtually impossible to take someone who is bureaucratic and lacking in initiative (but willing to charge what's on the menu) and instill those qualities into them.

Edited by softwareNerd
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Here's how the employee explains her own motivation.

When customers come in, and they want something special, if it's in my power to do it, cause ... like... effort ...[inaudible]. For me, it was an artistic challenge. It's like: 'Could I do this?' "

She explains that parents come in and want something very specific for their child, she'll bend over backwards to give it to them.

This is from the follow-up video:

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Give her a raise?

If she were working for me, I would have fired her. For giving away free food. Wasting company time on irrational requests. I would deny her unemployment, too.

I think she should have rejected him, immediately.

It seems likely that you've never been to KrispyKrack. They always give you a free glazed doughnut as soon as you walk in the door. The company knows you'll want more and have incorporated it into their policy.

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No, she probably wouldnt hire me. My role model would have been way more like the Soup Nazi, not more like her catering to customer whims.

Nor is there evidence that the request was irrational

He refers to his requests as 'crazy'. The request, as such. But the reasoning behind the request being crazy, is a different story, as that has to do with his therapy. I wonder how making such requests, which are so unrealistic, would help him with rejection, when he is rejected, not for a crazy request, but rejected for a request in general? Did he just make this rejection therapy up, or is he seeing a pshycologist or someone of the like?

http://thesaurus.com/browse/irrational

If I ran, say, a soup or cafe type business in a busy city on lunch hour, I would have rules up, in order to KEEP CUSTOMERS HAPPY and in order TO MAKE MONEY by making sure the ones in line know what they want to eat, and have their money ready by the time they get to the counter, just like the "Soup Nazi" did on Seinfeld. (I dislike the name, but that's who he is referred to as) That way you have a mutually beneficial thing going on there, where the line keeps moving, people get the food they want, the wait time is drastically reduced because people know what they want and have their money ready, you don't have to wait 5 minutes for granny to dig in her purse for change, or wait for her to decide what she wants when she gets to the counter, you know? I think that would be a successful business practice. Also, have a limit on how long you are to sit and eat inside as well, if there are seats to eat (probably not though). That way people will more likely be able to find a seat with a limit on time. I saw this in place once downtown Pittsburgh when I was attending college.

Also, there would be absolutely no customer intimacy while IN LINE and when PAYING. No, "So how's the weather?" "How was your day, Mrs, Smith?" NO WAY! When people are on their lunch breaks, they only have so much time, and if granny is in line talking about her grandkids to the server, taking up precious time, not only for other customers, but also time the business could be pulling in EVEN MORE MONEY, since I would be in business afterall TO MAKE MONEY, word of mouth would go around, not that our policies are rude/crude/horrible run by a narcissistic asshole, but that the policy is great run by a productive efficacious business minded man, because it gives you more time on your break, instead of standing in line. Less time you have to sacrifice to others and more time you can spend on yourself on your break. And once that word of mouth goes around, I'll get more customers because I am giving people what they want, fast line/good food, hire as needed more and more people to help keep that line moving and the MONEY COMING IN. Those places that are big on customer intimacy, might get some of the market, but not the busy workers-on-their-lunch-breaks-types.

This vision comes twofold - from being a customer myself and from a business approach in theory. Look at customers standing in line. They are often frustrated because of it. Especially when the cashier is intimate with the customers, they are seemingly NOT CARING AT ALL for the other customers that are in line. I hate that so much! My plan curbs that drastically and radically and I would have it in place no matter what the demographics. Would you rather stand in line on your lunch hour or any other hour of your day due to policies of customer intimacy, or go to a place with great food, fast lines, everything geared towards you as a customer to get you what you want as fast as possible that helps you as a customer to relax more on your break and not standing in line unnecessarily? This is customer service. I would explain the approach in signs or something somewhere posted, an advertising campaign?, and so forth, in order to show just how much we care about what customers really want - their items, and fast. If they want small talk, talk to each other, but don't let it interfere with line movement. All questions are to be answer before stepping in line, too. Money ready. Change purse ready. Not adhering to the rules, is disrespectful of the other customers there, customers just like yourself.

Now in this case, she might not be busy, plenty of tome to indulge in a customers whim. But as I said before, I would still fire her, regardless if ther was a line, or no line.

Edited by intellectualammo
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IA, what you have described is just one business model. That model that doesn't work outside of densely populated areas. Even you implicitly acknowledge this when you note the absence of throngs of busy people. Yet you cling to the idea that Jackie should be fired. I think that's funny.

Some businesses survive on repeat customers with whom a little extra time is taken to establish a relationship.

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Those places that are big on customer intimacy, might get some of the market, but not the busy workers-on-their-lunch-breaks-types.

Don't you ever go out to eat with friends or family, and enjoy just relaxing and having a good time with people you care about? For me, there's more to going out than just eating a meal. If I wanted to be in complete solitude and avoid people, I just would pack my own lunch and eat in my office. But I don't do that unless I really am super busy, because that takes the fun out of my mealtimes. I wouldn't put up with the type of atmosphere found at the SoupNazi's place at a subpar joint, like Krispy Kreme or any other chain restaurant because their food isn't that great. Unless the place really had something to die for, (and most places don't), I wouldn't tolerate it.

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And I dont see why you think its funny FeatherFall, the length or nonexostence of a line, does not change the fact she gave away food, entertained a customers whim on company time, which if she were employed by me, she would no longer be, regardless of length of line. If grammy is the only one in line, the rules I would have up, would still apply. Again, length of line does not matter. I want it as impersonal as possible.

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Give her a raise?

If she were working for me, I would have fired her. For giving away free food. Wasting company time on irrational requests. I would deny her unemployment, too.

I think she should have rejected him, immediately.

This incident has garnered enormous reviews online, a Krispy Kreme video that has gone viral, a happy customer, perhaps thousands of new Krispy Kreme fans, unfathomable amounts of secondary good marketing for Krispy Kreme and several people talking about Krispy Kreme on Objectivism Online who would not be otherwise - which means thousands of dollars in profits it would not have otherwise gotten - and it cost the company about 90 cents in donuts and a box.

So - IntellectualAmmo - as a businessman - the facts are those; based on Objectivism's proper way of thinking, do you care to admit you see the logic of why this woman did the right thing?

There's really nothing else to say. *munches donut*

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No.

Yes, it is.

And, intellectualalamo, restricting employees to the bare minimum of creativity and independent thinking is just asking for them to deliver the bare minimum of effort at their jobs, in response. People will treat you back the way you treat them.

Even if you're running something that seemingly requires very little from workers, the results of your mismanagement will show up and affect your business eventually. In the case of a food joint like this, the first thing customers notice is the quality of the service, not the quality of the food. You're not going to get quality service out of employees who have no desire to do accomplish anything except the bare minimum needed to keep their job (if that - after all, they get a paid vacation if they're fired, and then they can easily get an equally crappy job).

In fact, higher end jobs, where creativity and professional growth (learning new skills) are an inherent part of the job, are much easier to manage properly than menial jobs with very little to offer in terms of learning and being creative. Allowing menial jobs to stay monotone has disastrous consequences to a business that's dependent on customer relations.

Edited by Nicky
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And I dont see why you think its funny FeatherFall

I don't suppose it would be funny to me if you did. If you saw the humor, you wouldn't insist on a poor management decision that willfully ignores the context of the business in question. It's the willful evasion that I find humorous.

I get that you're a super-busy guy who doesn't want to interact with the service people. I get that if you had a business, your product would be sooo good that you could treat your customers as poorly as the Soup Nazi. But you have to understand that everybody isn't like you. Krispy Kreme is in the business of selling doughnuts to the population at large, not to a niche group of rushed watch-watchers.

For what it's worth, I bet if you went to that Krispy Kreme you'd be in and out of the drive through in record time.

Edit: You do realize that the Soup Nazi episodes poked fun at how poorly the customers were treated, don't you? That the business survived despite atrocious customer service?

Edited by FeatherFall
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And I dont see why you think its funny FeatherFall, the length or nonexostence of a line, does not change the fact she gave away food, entertained a customers whim on company time

She said "that one's on me" at the end. For all I know, she paid for the doughnuts, rendering your point moot.

Edited by Eiuol
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I dont see them as being treated poorly. When they dont follow the rules, they should expect consequences.

I see you as starting a b&d consultancy and cashing in big time on the success of Fifty Shades of Grey and Harvard College Munch. Practice saying "Obey me this instant or you can lick my shoes clean! The trouble with this world is people who do what they feel like doing instead of doing what they're told!" in the right tone of voice, set yourself up to accept credit cards and you're off and running.

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Just follow the rules is all.

She still gave free food away to him, regardless of whether or not she paid for it. Now how many 'special requests' wil she get now? 'Jackie, Would you be able to make for me a donut stick in the shape of a fallus?' Let me see what I can do, she says. 'Not only did she make it for me, but she also made some glaze coming out of the head of it, and even made two donut hols to serve as testicles with vanilla pudding filling in them. Oh and best of all, she didnt charge me. She said she was not happy with its girth.' Would you guys praise her up and down, even more, for going even further to please a customers whims?

Last week I actualy was at a Dunkin Dounuts store. It was not busy, no one in line but me, but the girl who served me was as fast as if there was a line out the door. Thats customer service to me.

Darrell.wrote: All this talk about doughnuts makes me hungry

Me too. I think I will pick up some after I see my peridontist in the morning. I will get them at a bakery in the grocery store becuase I have to go there to get pick up my Advair at their pharmacy. Id go to the DD, but this is more convenient.

Edited by intellectualammo
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Darrell.wrote: All this talk about doughnuts makes me hungry

Me too. I think I will pick up some after I see my peridontist in the morning. I will get them at a bakery in the grocery store becuase I have to go there to get pick up my Advair at their pharmacy. Id go to the DD, but this is more convenient.

Cool. What kind will you get? I love the Dunkin Donuts Vanilla Cream.

Everybody hit me with your favorite donuts.

Edited by Darrell Cody
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