Guest feedback fuels Mission-Driven Organizations
The Perch is one of several organizations I have launched, and as an entrepreneur in all those scenarios you learn to plan, but the objective of the plan is not to be perfect, but rather to be prepared to learn and grow.
The Perch build-out was a yearlong process, and the plan goes back years farther. That plan included consistent curiosity, relentless research, and the perspectives and passions of partners. The culmination of that plan certainly includes the product you are serving and the place where you are providing it, but even those things can evolve! The important anchor is your purpose, vision, mission and values. These define why The Perch exists, where it is headed, what it should look like every day, and our commitment to how we will delivery that promise to each other and to our guests.
For the entrepreneur, the most precious part of the plan is the purpose, vision, mission, and values, they define and guide the outcome you are trying to achieve or the problem you are trying to solve for prospective customers. Metrics and numbers can certainly show some insights, but the success I have found in my pursuits comes from engaging and absorbing guest feedback, discussing it with the team, and were warranted adjusting then test and learning again. In fact, the most dangerous symptom for an organization is not when it receives negative feedback, but instead when it has received none. The silent guest is a lost opportunity.
Just over a week ago, we passed our 50th day since we opened, and we were also excited to receive more than fifty 5-star reviews, but that joyful outcome is not where we stop. We also disappointed some of our guests, and we missed the mark on fulfilling our promise to them. In either case, both are opportunities.
Guest feedback is fuel and it’s an opportunity in our specialty coffee shop and board game cafe
At every shift start and every shift turnover, the team members huddle. When starting a shift, they ask of each other what their team objectives will be for the shift, and where they as a team need to put more focus while at the end of every shift, they ask themselves what went well, what could go better, and who did something that stood out. This happens multiple times a day. We repeat this process in a broader context at our monthly retrospective. Every day written or verbal feedback is received, the team reads it out loud and talks about it and ask, “how can we amplify this or consistent repeat this experience” when it is positive, and “how can we clarify, show up better, or cultivate a better connection” when it is not. The team also enjoys proactively seeking out guests and engaging them always actively listening to how we can lean in and aim higher.
We didn’t set out to hire highly skilled food services team members or highly skilled baristas. We set out to hire people who love people, and are excited to meet new people or reconnect with regulars. The team at The Perch is passionate about serving Joy, and they know they can only consistently deliver on this promise if they absorb feedback and collaborate as a team.
We are mission-focused on creating a space that brings you all together and ensures you leave with lasting joy. We can only consistently achieve this with feedback. Guest feedback is fuel and it’s an opportunity in our specialty coffee shop and board game cafe. We are deeply grateful for the high marks in our first fifty, and we are grateful for those that spoke up when we missed the mark. In all cases our aim remains the same…to serve Joy! We are excited to be here, to meet you, to hear your story, and learn about your favorite drink or food item. It’s been a terrific first two months now, but we are just getting started!
Make it a great day,
Jacob