Winning in Small Business, Fort McMurray style

The line-up is out the door and stretching onto the patio into the cool fall air. What is most intriguing is that there is not a single bleat of complaint in the line, and nobody stalks off in a huff as they wait for their turn. They want what is at the end of the line, enough so that they will wait patiently and quietly.
At the end of that line is something that is not all that unusual in many regards, except for the critical elements that make the product not only unique but desired. It’s fresh, it’s made with care and attention to detail, and it never disappoints.
And I am one of those who will wait in that line, without quibble or question. This small local business might not be involved in the oil industry, but they probably use cooking oil in the production of some of their products. And that yellow bread, sunshine bread as they call it? It’s kind of like heaven when it’s wrapped around delicious ingredient combinations that might seem unusual at first but make perfect sense after the first bite.

If you haven’t figured out yet that I am talking about Mitchell’s Café, then maybe you haven’t been in town that long, as Mitchell’s is not only a staple of the restaurant scene but I would suggest a small business that is doing it all right in a massive way.
Full disclosure: I love Mitchell’s. I love the food, I love their style, I adore the staff and I love the way they have filled this niche market in our community. I am there at least weekly, sometimes twice a week as I stalk their Instagram account to watch the specials of the day. Prime rib sandwiches with blue cheese spread and tomato basil soup on the side? Start the car.
While the quality of the product is tremendously important, there are some other critical factors that always make me enjoy my experience. Sure, I could eat my lunch there, but I am the kind of person who has chronic “crumbs in the keyboard” syndrome from eating lunch at my desk. That brown bag of soup and a sandwich is ideal for people like me, who want “fast food”, but meaning real food made fast, not drive-thru burgers. Then, there is the staff at Mitchell’s. It’s usually the same smiling faces every day, making my sandwich and doling out soup. Staff retention seems high, which isn’t always the case in the food industry, and speaks to a strong happiness quotient. And then there is the fact that even when there is a line up, there is a clear process in place that moves people along rapidly. You might be waiting, but that just means a little more time to ogle those double-chocolate brownies and debate the merits of excess calories vs. the joys of hedonism.
At this time in our region, it is more critical than ever for small businesses to perfect their business model. Competition is fierce, and times are undoubtedly tougher than they have ever been before. The revenue line is the final factor determining success, of course, but that line item in the budget is undoubtedly impacted by small business practices that treat staff well, produce a quality product and keeps customers happy. For that kind of business, I will wait in line all day – without even a tiny whine of complaint.


Winning in small business, Fort McMurray style  appeared first on http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com