Focus

In Wouter Verkerk's latest column, he talks about focus. He takes you along on this fictional story. And do you want focus for the festive season? You can download the poster at the bottom.

I often talk with hospitality entrepreneurs about a business that has been gone for a while. It was an incredible hit. There were lines out the door, you went in and out, and the quality was top-notch. The name of the business was the menu itself; it was a one-trick pony avant la lettre. But, something went terribly wrong.

At Bread, Butter, Cheese & Milk, you'd have a cheese sandwich with or without a glass of milk. But almost no one chose without. The bread came from the baker a little further down the road, and the milk, cheese, and butter from a farm in the next village. The two suppliers delivered daily and were paid twice a month. There was never any discussion about money or purchase prices. You paid what it cost. Administration was a piece of cake, and spoilage or expiration date issues were not a concern.

New employees were trained in an average of three minutes, then you knew everything! And the ultra-short prep list in the kitchen was the same every day. The opening hours, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, were ideal; people enjoyed working there, and guests had the time of their lives. They were served bread with cheese, a glass of milk, and top-notch hospitality. 

Exception

One day, a regular guest came with a somewhat peculiar request. His doctor had forbidden him from consuming dairy products. This was naturally a problem for the establishment, and specifically for Mr. De Vries, there was now orange juice to drink and roast beef for his sandwiches. For a brief moment, everyone was happy, but soon more questions arose. 

Suddenly there was a lot of demand for coffee, so that was added. And then also cappuccino and tea and the rest... And for sandwiches, you could now also choose between steak tartare and the vegan version. Oh yes, from now on there was a choice of three types of bread and four types of cheese. 

Renovation

When soft drinks, beers, and wines were also added, renovations were necessary, as the two refrigerators had only been used for milk for years, and now space was needed. A cash register, a beer tap, and a cabinet for all types of glasses, plates, and cups also had to be installed. The bookkeeping had to be outsourced, and more and more products had to be thrown away because they expired.

New employees now had to work for a few weeks to learn about all the products and how to serve them. Guests found it increasingly difficult to make a choice: ‘Why don't you have salads and hot dishes?’ That was a good idea! We decided to do that. 

Two months before the now very quiet case went bankrupt, the new employee asked the bartender where that strange name came from. ‘Yeah, that's something from the old days, that's all we had.’

And when asked if that was fun, the bartender replied: ‘Fun? Man, it was great. There was a line every day!’

Download the Focus poster!

Wouter Verkerk is one of the most in-demand speakers in the Hospitality and Service industry, guiding hospitality entrepreneurs and their teams throughout the Netherlands. Wouter writes columns, blogs, and books about hospitality. He developed various hospitality models, such as the ’12 Steps Hospitality Contact Plan,’ and is the founder of “Signature Hospitality.” Wouter writes independently, and when a commercial relationship exists between Wouter and his subject matter, he discloses it. He is also a proud ambassador for Unitouch.