Biscuitville Fresh Southern’s Post

For years, I have counseled my clients about the importance of consistent and clear messaging. You can't say one thing to your employers, another to your customers and yet a third thing to Wall Street. This week, Wendy's was the prime example why that doesn't work. If, indeed, Wendy's wants to offer discounts to customers at low-traffic times to drive additional foot traffic to stores and then basically ask if the customer "wants fries with that"...well there's not much new or controversial about that. Presumably, the innovation comes from being able to offer discounts that incentive customers on a hyper-local level. But you have to say all of that to everyone. And if you ever do find that you need to issue a statement clarifying a previous statement admit that the reason it was necessary was because you did not clearly articulate your initial message and not because the media"misconstrued" what was said. #corporatecommunications #clearcommunication #leadership #soapbox https://lnkd.in/gMEW7jP6

What goes together better than burrito bowls and coffee?! Chipotle 🌮 and Starbucks ☕ aren't just two brands people love, or two frequently co-located fast casual places; they're now also connected in a 3rd way: a fascinating #succession story. Starbucks's CEO stepped down Tuesday, and the company tapped Chipotle's CEO and "corporate fix-it man" Brian Niccol to step in. This leaves a Chipotle COO Scott Boatwright to become Interim CEO, and Chipotle CFO Jack Hartung (who said he planned to retire in 2025) to stay on indefinitely to help with the transition. Not quite what anyone expected... At CFAR: Consulting and Coaching we think of succession planning as a process, not an event, and as deeply intertwined with governance. But, sometimes circumstance gets in the way and an emergency succession need like this one sidelines the best laid plans. My colleagues and I work hand in hand with executive leaders, shareholders, and their boards to build strong benches and thoughtfully plan for future leadership and governance needs. We also help our clients plan for "what if's" like a rapid departure or death, so that rather than being forced into quick decision-making when the unexpected happens, the next steps are more like muscle memory. #SuccessionPlanning #LeadershipTransition #InCaseOfEmergency

Elevating the Restaurant Industry: Leadership, Innovation, and Community 🌟 In the ever-evolving landscape of the restaurant industry, leadership and innovation are more critical than ever. As we navigate challenges and embrace new opportunities, focusing on a few key areas can drive significant success: 💡 Customer-Centric Approach: Consistently delivering quality and value to enhance guest satisfaction. 🔧 Embracing Technology: Leveraging advanced POS systems, online ordering platforms, and supply chain management tools to streamline operations and improve efficiency. 🌱 Sustainable Practices: Implementing eco-friendly initiatives that resonate with today’s environmentally-conscious consumers and contribute to a better future. 👥 Employee Development: Heavily and consistently investing in robust training and development programs to empower our teams, foster a culture of excellence, and retain top talent. 🚀 Franchise Growth: Strategically expanding franchise networks with strong support systems to ensure franchisee success and sustainable growth. Like many of you experienced at leading teams and optimizing operations, I'm sure you've seen firsthand how these elements contribute to thriving businesses. Personally, I am passionate about creating an environment where innovation meets tradition, and leadership inspires growth and excellence. Let’s foster a collaborative community where we share insights and strategies to elevate the industry together. What approaches have you found most effective in driving success? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. #Leadership #Innovation #RestaurantIndustry #CustomerExperience #FranchiseGrowth #Sustainability #EmployeeDevelopment 👀

Starbucks’ appointment of Brian Niccol highlights two key principles for long-term success: 1) Deliver Consistent Value: Customers may tolerate higher prices from well-established brands for a while, but only if they continue to see value. Staying humble and focused on the customer experience is crucial. 2) Execution: Success comes from having a clear vision and flawlessly executing it day in and day out. Execution doesn't have to be grinding or abrasive. When there is profit to go around, there are a lot of possibilities. "Since becoming CEO in 2018, Niccol has transformed Chipotle. His focus on people and culture, brand, menu innovation, operational excellence, and digital transformation have set new standards in the industry and driven significant growth and value creation."

Boards roles in successful CEO Succession Planning - Lessons from Starbucks External CEOs - from a management consultant to an industry captain of retail restaurant businesses https://lnkd.in/dD4i_WTh

Make this make sense. Yesterday, I went to Walmart. And then, I went to Publix grocery store. I couldn't help but recognize the contrast. It was palatable. At Walmart, every single grocery cart was apparently outdoors, and the majority of them were not placed back in the designated receptacles. At Publix, every grocery cart was in its right place, and there was a worker rounding them up to bring them back into the store. At Walmart, I asked for a particular product, and the worker had no idea where it was—it was indeed there. But at Publix, I asked for a product, and they knew exactly where, what shelf, aisle, side, and where on the shelf. Of course, at Walmart, it was a do-it-yourself checkout situation only. Even though there was a similar checkout at Publix, the attendant was actively involved in your checkout experience. Both of these stores were completely full of customers. There was this sense of being overwhelmed at Walmart while I felt at ease as a customer at Publix. I looked it up. Walmart's market value is $406 billion, while Publix's market value is $46 billion. It's obvious that Walmart has a low-cost model, while Publix has a higher-cost model. Does this matter? But here's the thing—▶️ the managers at Publix were visible and involved. They were making decisions, giving direction, and adjusting to the customer movement. While at Walmart, I can't be certain that I saw a single manager while I was there. No surprises here. I'm sure you've had a similar Walmart experience when you were there, wherever you are in the world. ▶️ Where there is effective leadership, the team will take on a corresponding attitude. The workers will align with the values of the organization and its leader—it will be seen in their behaviors. ▶️ The act of laissez-faire leadership gives permission for workers to disengage from the values of the organization and team. ▶️ When leaders aren't obviously visible, workers will lose their sense of accountability. But also, ▶️ when there is a lack of leadership, even the customer will not respect the organization—leaving carts in parking spots and on the grass and not returning products to the shelf. ▶️ Leadership attracts a level of pride in both its workers and customers. #coreleadership

Stanford GSB MSx Week 5 - The Starbucks Case Study This Starbucks case was actually discussed in last week’s Marketing class, but with midterms approaching, I didn’t get around to writing about it until the news broke that Starbucks has a new CEO. The Marketing case took us back to 2002, when Christine Day, the then Senior VP of North American Operations at Starbucks, was faced with a critical decision: what kind of investment would best improve customer service? Professor Jonathan Levav challenged us to think about how to differentiate the importance of various customer segments and make the right strategic choices—hence the class theme: "Not All Customers Were Created Equal." I won’t go into the details of the case, but it’s interesting to see that the challenges Starbucks faced in 2002 are still relevant today. As a brand that sells regular coffee at premium prices ($4-5), Starbucks continues to navigate the balance between maintaining its upscale positioning and customer experience, while also catering to a growing and diverse customer base that increasingly values speed and convenience. This brings us to the news this week: Starbucks’ new CEO, Brian Niccol, comes from Chipotle and, before that, Taco Bell, where he earned a reputation for cost-cutting and SKU simplification. It’s worth questioning how Starbucks’ founding principles—like the “third place,” respect for employees, and the “Just say yes” approach to customer service—might evolve under the leadership of this operations-focused executive. #MarketingStrategy #CustomerExperience #Starbucks #LeadershipChange #StanfordGSB #MSx

You asked, we answered! Following our first ‘quick fire Friday’, where we asked you to submit your questions for our leadership team, the most frequently asked question was around stock availability. 👉 More specifically: What’s being done to improve service (including stock availability)❓ We know there’s room for improvement across our stock levels, and we’re taking multiple approaches to get back up to optimum levels, including: - Building stock depth on products sourced from key suppliers across a range of essential categories. - Building a wider range of alternatives, specifically using our own 5 Star™ brand. With 5 Star™ products, we can cover a wide range of critical categories, such as janitorial and stationery, with supply that’s readily available, ensuring we have an option to suit your needs.

Investors might be wondering whether Starbucks’ new CEO Brian Niccol is worth the $18bn of market value created since his new role was announced. At Understory, we make it easy to examine his track record at past companies, so our customers can analyze his past success on an infinite number of dimensions. As it turns out, his tenure at Chipotle Mexican Grill was nothing short of incredible, as we’ve shown below on a variety of our preferred metrics. If Niccol can increase Starbucks’ metrics to even a remotely similar extent, there’s plenty of reason to be bullish, even after the recent rally. Here’s a summary of Niccol’s accomplishments at Chipotle from 2018 to Q2’24: 📈 Compounded Same-Store Sales by 77% (9.1% per annum on average) 📊 Drove nearly 1,000 basis points of Restaurant-Level Margin improvement 💸 Top-line + margin expansion >> 2.5x increase in Restaurant-Level Dollar Profits per Unit 🏪 Over the same time, Chipotle added 1,080 system-wide units to their fleet, a 45% increase 🚀 Taken together, Niccol grew Chipotle’s net income by a staggering 7x during his tenure Instead of just assuming that a company or executive is “great” or “terrible”, Understory customers can easily dig deeper and actually quantify what Wall Street watchers might otherwise just assume a priori.