To Our Valued Subscribers:

Here it is the beginning of September and the “New Normal” is still evolving. My Cubs have started strong and are leading their division and our White Sox have almost the same record! Besides that, there isn’t that much good news. Our industry is at a record low for reasons I don’t need to tell you.

Here’s the good news: there are “litmus-type” tests developed by Yale University and the University of Illinois, that can be administered by anyone and confirm the presence of Covid-19 in a person’s saliva within a minute. At an estimated cost per paper strip of $1.00, this could allow any facility that is a public gathering to ensure that anyone entering that facility is Coronavirus-Free. Long before the 40% of Americans who don’t want to take the future vaccine, not to mention those that the vaccine doesn’t take (statistics of current flu vaccines) this test may save restaurants, theater, sporting, and travel industries.

With the upcoming election, I would be foolish to talk politics, nor take sides. What I can tell you is that there are three current trends in our nation that are in conflict with reality:

• We are the “instant gratification” society. Anyone elected to any national, state or local government position has a very short honeymoon period.
• We are the “superhero” society. Whoever is elected will be blamed for anything and everything, even when the problem has nothing to do with that person’s actual authority.
• We live in a “what’s in it for me” society where kindness and courtesy are growing in short supply.

I only hope we find a cure and/or prevention program for Covid-19 sooner than later so people can un-shelter and reconnect by breaking bread over the dinner table in a restaurant or two!

In a recent article published in The Upward Leader, noted author Paul LaRue lists  “Reasons Why Organizations Hurt their Own Strategies.” Here are a couple I found intriguing and want to share:

• Chasing the “Shiny New Object”. A new idea comes across the table, perhaps trendy, splashy, and marketable, the imaging that can come from this path is too tempting to resist. The problem with this rationale is that there is always a new angle and strategy that presents itself that can accomplish that purpose. It’s chasing after rabbits, leading to the old Russian proverb ““If you chase two rabbits, you won’t catch either.”
• Impatience – Being Focused on Results, Not Process. Many times, this is the consequence of not understanding the behavior-habit cycle, but it’s a separate reason in itself. A leader who only wants immediate results fails to understand how a strategic plan creates a process to make better results sustained over a longer period. They won’t have the patience to see a plan through if the deliverables don’t come right away, nor see how their organization – and mostly their people – will grow and become stronger as a result of seeing a project through. Instead, they get a new plan in and soon move on to another one when that one doesn’t work

One strategy that can Never Hurt an organization is to have top talent in key positions. Your company has an UNPRECENTED OPPORTUNITY to check the talent meter of who’s out there who could radically impact your organization in a favorable way. My colleagues and I have access to an incredible number of talented professionals that Can and Will help your organization execute your winning strategies. To learn more about these individuals or to learn more about the LaRue article, give me or any of my team a call or drop an e-mail. We will be happy to respond. Enjoy the latest edition of American Recruiters Global Foodservice News and have a great and safe Labor Day.

Craig Wilson

President

American Recruiters

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Krispy Kreme Sets Date for Times Square debut

“We’re filled with joy to share the sweet news that Krispy Kreme is opening in Times Square,” said Michael Tattersfield, chief executive officer of Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. “We said earlier this year that when New York City and Times Square are ready, we’ll be ready. We can’t wait to bring a new bright Hot Light to Broadway beginning Sept. 15.” The Times Square location is part of Krispy Kreme’s 2020 expansion in New York City, which by the end of the year will total eight shops, including the brand’s remodeled Penn Station location. “We all need a little joy right now and with that, we welcome the Krispy Kreme flagship location to the heart of this great city​,” said Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance. “We’re thrilled for New Yorkers and visitors to enjoy the one-of-a-kind treats and the famous Hot Light experience. This iconic brand will make Times Square sweeter and we can’t wait to take a bite.” Krispy Kreme Doughnuts on Aug. 19 announced that its Times Square Flagship Shop will open Tuesday, Sept. 15. The first-of-its-kind store will deliver 24 hours-per-day donuts and more to customers. Krispy Kreme’s 4,500‑square-foot location will offer an immersive and interactive donut experience, including The world’s largest Hot Light; an iconic donut-making theater; the largest Glazed Waterfall for spectators to watch donuts run through; stadium‑style seating inside a giant Krispy Kreme dozens box; a 24-hour street-side pickup window where people can get donuts as they walk by; merchandise specific to New York City and Times Square to commemorate the experience; and a special edition and commemorative “Big Apple” Doughnut exclusively at the Times Square Shop. “We’re filled with joy to share the sweet news that Krispy Kreme is opening in Times Square,” said Michael Tattersfield, chief executive officer of Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. “We said earlier this year that when New York City and Times Square are ready, we’ll be ready. We can’t wait to bring a new bright Hot Light to Broadway beginning Sept. 15.” – Source: Food Business News.

Former Yum! exec joins Pieology as CMO

Adrienne Berkes, a longtime leader at Yum! Brands, Inc., has joined create-your-own pizzeria Pieology as chief marketing officer. Ms. Berkes will be responsible for the expansion of the brand overseas as well as throughout the United States. Adrienne is an accomplished marketing strategist with strong QSR retail experience and a passion to build brands,” said Gregg Imamoto, chief executive officer of Pieology. Ms. Berkes joins Pieology from Yum! Brands, where she spent more than 17 years in a variety of roles, most recently as senior director of restaurant experience strategy and innovation at Taco Bell. She also has worked as chief sales and brand officer and chief marketing officer at Pizza Hut Europe. Earlier in her career, she spent 12 years at Taco Bell in a variety of brand marketing roles. – Source: Food Business News.

Former Starbucks exec Joins Continental Mills as CFO

In her new role, Ms. Ruggeri will have responsibility for finance, accounting, and information resources, reporting to Andy Heily, president of Continental Mills. Before joining Continental Mills Ms. Ruggeri spent more than 16 years at Starbucks Coffee Co., most recently as senior vice-president of finance for the Americas. She began her career in 1998 as a controller at J.R. Simplot Co. She received a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of Puget Sound and a master’s degree in business administration from Washington State University. “Rachel is a high-caliber finance veteran who will bring significant value to Continental Mills and customers as we grow and continue to deepen our focus on the baking and breakfast mix categories,” Mr. Heily said. “In addition, I believe Rachel will be a great fit for our positive culture, which is steeped in Continental Mills’ roots as a family-owned business.” Established in 1932, Continental Mills offers its flagship baking brand, Krusteaz, as well as a full line of other baking and snack brands, including Kretschmer Wheat Germ, Albers Cornmeal and Grits, Alpine Cider, Wild Roots Trail Mixes and Buck Wild Snacks. – Source: Food Business News.

Taco Bell to debut ‘Go Mobile’ prototype store with double drive-thru lanes, curbside pickup

In the works for a few years, the smaller footprint stores are designed for contactless carry out; but are Cantinas and fast social designs out? A Taco Bell executive gives us the lowdown. In early March, Taco Bell announced a bold plan to open ‘fast social’ restaurants with stadium-style seating for gamers. But those dine-in-focused lifestyle stores have been put on pause as the brand transitions to a smaller footprint store that caters to on-the-go consumers looking for double drive-thrus and curbside pickup.

The new format store, dubbed “Taco Bell Go Mobile,” has been in the works for three to four years but was accelerated due to the pandemic, said Mike Grams, Taco Bell president and global chief operating officer.  “I think the COVID environment has just accelerated those customer insights and needs,” he told Nation’s Restaurant News during a phone interview. “It’s really clear what the consumer wants from us.” And, that format is one that involves less friction with mobile orders, and better and faster — and now safer — ways to pick up food.

One key feature of the Go Mobile format, which is months away from debuting, is dual drive-through lanes. One lane will be a traditional quick-service drive-thru lane, where customers order, pay and get their food. But, the second lane is a “priority” lane geared for picking up mobile orders, similar to mobile pick-up lanes by Chipotle Mexican Grill and Noodles & Company. “The priority lane is created for the emergence of digital demands — the ability to put the customer experience in their hands [where they can] order before they get to the parking lot,” he said. The move comes as chains across the U.S. are turning their mobile apps into one-stop ordering hubs for the brands.

Many are layering the app with multiple functions, including integrating a rewards program, offering scheduled pickup and direct delivery. Eventually, Taco Bell’s app, which recently debuted a new loyalty program, will offer rapid reorder and reward points for customers who visit Go Mobile stores. The first stores, aimed for new builds, won’t open until early next year.

Some franchise locations will also get retrofits.  Grams said the Go Mobile format will likely be smaller, at about 1,400 square feet, as these stores will have less of a dine-in focus. Most Taco Bell restaurants are about 2,000 square feet. The chain, which has opened about 1,000 stores over the last five years, is not moving away from its urban in-line stores such as the Cantina format. “That won’t change. That will continue,” Grams said. The Go Mobile and Cantinas are part of the brand’s plan to design and build “flexible format” restaurants that meet the needs of customers in specific trade areas. Part of that plan was to open a “fast social” restaurant in California that was outfitted with stadium-style seating for gaming fans. But that format announced only a few weeks before stay at home orders began sweeping the nation in mid-March, is on pause for now. “It’s still on the table, but it’s not a priority right now,” Grams said. “Right now, we’ve really put our efforts on to the total mobile experience.”

That experience also includes adding a curbside pickup to Go Mobile restaurants. The chain began testing curbside pickup during the pandemic, which many other chains adopted to create a contactless experience for consumers during the crisis. That format is “becoming a staple going forward. We believe that’ll live on,” Grams said.  Taco Bell is also using “smart” technology in the kitchen to determine when a mobile customer has entered the parking lot. At that point, the app will send a customer a message to let them know which access point is the best and fastest option for picking up their food: curbside, carryout or the express lane. “The eventual experience is when you pull on the lot, we want to be able to guide and direct you to the best experience whether that’s through the priority pickup lane, curbside, or coming into the restaurant,” he said.

The idea is the kitchen technology, acting as a traffic controller, would be able to guide the customer to the best pickup experience, Grams said. That’s another reason why Taco Bell recently trimmed its menus to reduce complexity in the kitchen. But, also to make room for a new pipeline of foods. “We’ve got a really good pipeline of great products and innovation that will be coming onto the menu,” he said.  By reducing the menu, and adding new items, Grams said Taco Bell can provide a better experience for customers, as well. “What we don’t want to do is just continue to expand our menu beyond our capability,” he said. – Source: NRN.

The Association’s Educational Foundation campaign provided direct support in the form of $500 checks to those in need . . . .

Restaurant Employee Relief Fund helps 43K-Plus out-of-Work Employees

The Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, which began in late March, is helping more than 43,000 restaurant workers impacted by the COVID-19 health and economic crisis. The Foundation’s four-month campaign, championed by celebrity chef Guy Fieri, garnered over $21.5 million in financial aid for struggling restaurant workers. The money raised came from both corporate donors (more than 50 of them) and donations from private individuals (nearly $2 million of the $21.5 million funds). Major contributors included Uber Eats, PepsiCo, TikTok, Constellation Brands, Netflix, And Series Creators, Wingstop Restaurants Inc., and The Coca-Cola Company; 100% of all donations went directly to RERF. Donations went directly to the relief fund to be dispersed to each approved applicant in the form of a $500 check.

Many recipients — writing to thank the Foundation — shared that they planned to use the money to help with everything from rent and mortgage payments to food, transportation, school loans, childcare, medical bills, and even car repairs. All applicants who met the eligibility requirements were funded. The one-time grants have been distributed to workers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Approximately 60% of recipients are between the ages of 21 and 35, and nearly 60% identify as female. Half identified as racial minorities. The majority, 80%, reported that they had household incomes of less than $50,000 per year prior to the pandemic. Many wrote to the Foundation to express their thanks, and their sentiments reveal not only the impact of the financial relief but the community and resiliency of our industry. Among them:

“Thank you! I have worked all my life in this business and have been dedicated to the same job for 23 years, and it’s good to know we’re appreciated and someone cares. Through these hard times, this helps so very much and is so thoughtful of you and everyone involved.” – Annette C., Virginia.

“My goodness, I wasn’t expecting this! I’m a single father of three children. My hours at work were reduced by more than 80% because of COVID-19. This grant will help my family and me so much. Thanks to all of those that made this possible.”
– Nathaniel W., Pennsylvania

“Though I have never experienced a pandemic like this, I do know one thing: nothing can stop our industry. I am very humbled and gratified to have received aid from the NRAEF because it was a reminder that I was not alone. I want to thank everyone, including the sponsors, who donated to help people in need in our industry. Hospitality and the sense of community is something that can never be taken away and I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for being there for restaurant workers that still don’t have the slightest clue as to what will happen. Thank you for giving me comfort during these strange times. We will adapt and overcome.” – Tara P., California.  Source: The National Restaurant Association.

Grubhub says caps result in ‘food delivery tax’ on orders, urges New Yorkers to fight back; city leader Mark Gjonaj says Grubhub is trying to ‘gaslight’ consumers . . . .

Grubhub Mounts Campaign to end Delivery Commission Caps ‘Starting’ with New York City

A new battle is erupting among Grubhub and New York City leaders over a proposal to extend the city’s temporary cap on delivery commission fees, a relief effort that is expected to end next month. Back in May, New York City leaders capped third-party delivery commissions at 20% to help restaurants during the pandemic. The cap is set to expire Sept. 18, prompting city leaders to propose extending it through next year. In a countermove, Grubhub this week launched a campaign directing New York diners to protest what the company is calling a “food delivery tax” on consumers. The Chicago-based company, which plans to merge with Amsterdam-based Just Eat Takeaway, maintains that consumers pay higher fees when restaurant commission caps are lowered. The company is suggesting New York diners send this message to local lawmakers: “This new food delivery tax will make things worse: New Yorkers will pay more, local restaurants will receive fewer orders, and delivery workers will earn less. It’s wrong – any way you tax it. My message is simple: say no to a food delivery tax and get your hands off my deliveries.” When asked how much more consumers are paying in New York, Grubhub would not disclose any data. “While we don’t have exact data to share, it’s clear that fees go up for diners since Grubhub needs to make $4-5 per order to cover marketing services for restaurants, fixed driver costs, and other hard costs to operate our marketplace,” the company told Nation’s Restaurant News in a statement. “Unfortunately diners bear an increased cost when restaurant fees get capped.” Councilman Mark Gjonaj, who has criticized the marketing tactics of Grubhub, said the delivery company is launching a campaign to end a relief effort that has prevented many locally-owned restaurants from closing. “Make no mistake about it. This is a corporate attempt to gaslight New Yorkers and blur the truth,” Gjonaj said in a statement. Gjonaj, who chairs the city’s small business committee, said New York City’s current unemployment rate is 20.4% and a disproportionate number of people who have lost jobs work in the restaurant industry. “Instead of fighting for the ability to gouge restaurants with sky-high, business-killing commissions, it would be far more helpful if the company [Grubhub] committed to focusing its energy on helping its restaurant partners get back on their feet and save their employees’ jobs,” he said. “Now is not the time for runaway corporate greed.” Third-party delivery fees have long been controversial as restaurant owners say hefty rates, which can run as high as 30-35%, hurt already thin profit margins. The pandemic has fueled the debate over fees as restaurants became reliant on delivery revenue during stay-at-home orders. restaurant delivery companies argue that fees pay for a combination of fixed costs, and tailored marketing that helps drive order volume. Caps, they maintain, result in fewer orders for restaurants and higher prices for consumers. Other cities and counties that have temporarily capped commission fees include Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Clark County, which includes Las Vegas. When asked if Grubhub would mount similar campaigns in cities with fee caps, Grubhub said: “We’re starting with NYC.”  Source: NRN.

Co-CEOs Doug Jacob and Sandy Beall ready to tap industry changes from coronavirus pandemic . . . .

New $200M Acquisition Company Eyes QSR Segment

FAST Acquisition Corp., the latest special purpose acquisition company in the restaurant space with a $200 million target, listed on the New York Stock Exchange Friday, and the co-CEOs say they are looking to acquire a brand in the quick-service space. “We’re looking for quick-serve, fast-food, small-dining-room brands that we can take from good to great — so brands that have actually done OK during COVID,” said Doug Jacob, co-founder of &Pizza and co-CEO of the new blank-check SPAC with Sandy Beall, the founder of the Ruby Tuesday brand.

FAST Acquisition was listed Friday on the NYSE with 20 million units priced at $10 each. The offering is expected to close on Aug. 25, subject to customary conditions. Jacob, in an interview after the FAST team had opened the NYSE, said the new acquisition company, which must make an investment within two years of forming, is looking at a brand with drive-thru capabilities, third-party delivery technology and “a ton of room for growth.” Beall added, “We’re looking for companies where we can apply our expertise in running some sizable public companies that will last 25 years to the more the entrepreneurial spirit of the emerging growth brands.”

FAST’s executive team features a deep bench of restaurant industry veterans. “It’s a safe way for taking a good management team and getting them into the public sector,” Beall said. FAST Acquisition’s chairman is Kevin Reddy, who worked with McDonald’s Corp., Chipotle Mexican Grill, Noodles & Co., and with investment groups like BDT Capital, which acquired a majority stake in Whataburger Inc. last year. He also chairs &Pizza and Qdoba Mexican Grill. The chief strategy officer is Kimberly Grant, who served as CEO of chef José Andrés’ Think Food Group restaurant and hospitality company from January 2014 to April 2020 and previously worked with Ruby Tuesday. She has held a Performance Food Group Co. board seat since 2017.

“I think the blend of all our pasts and our skills, individually and collectively, that we bring a special sauce,” Beall said. “That sauce is really the magic sauce. We can take something good and make it great.” Rules for SPACs require that an investment be made within two years, or the proceeds must be disbursed back to investors. However, Beall and Jacob expect an investment soon. “You’re going to look for brands that have been performing quite well during COVID and will perform great in the future,” Jacob said. “We can attach it to the consumer of tomorrow. We can grow through this, which is similar to how Panera Bread was able to grow into what it is when the 2008 crisis happened.

Real estate will never be cheaper than it is today. Talent is available. And technology, if you know what you are doing with it, can be a huge asset and tool in this market. “I’m incredibly excited by the time. I’m excited by the assets we’re interested in,” he said. “And I’m excited by our team.” The group decided the SPAC was the right way to invest. “We thought the timing was perfect,” Jacob said, adding that the formation of the corporation occurred over the past 90 days.

“Everybody was surprised by the first wave of COVID, but brands we are looking at have now adapted and they are going to be ready for anything that might come in the fall and the winter. We wanted to have fresh capital for growth for these brands that are performing well. We felt this was the quickest way to the capital.” Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering and Odeon Capital Group LLC is acting as co-manager of the offering. The company has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 3 million units at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments if any. Jacob said Fast Acquisition brings together two restaurant worlds. “It’s a combination of Old World restaurants and knowledge of public markets to New World restaurants with some knowledge in creating special brands and adding technology to the concept and understanding what the consumer will be looking for tomorrow,” he said. “We think we can add a lot of fresh juice to this industry,” Jacob said, “combined with a lot of understanding about what it takes to run a public company.”

Long seen as an urban treasure, food trucks are now being saved by the suburbs during the coronavirus pandemic . . . .

Saved by Suburbs: Food Trucks hit by Virus Find new Foodies

On a warm summer night, two food trucks pulled onto a tree-lined street in a hilltop neighborhood outside Seattle. The smell of grilled meat filled the air, and neighbors slurped on boba tea drinks. Toddlers, teens, their parents and dogs sat in the grass, chatting behind masks, laughing, and mimicking imaginary hugs to stay socially distant while they waited for their food orders. No longer able to depend on bustling city centers, these small businesses on wheels are venturing out to where people are working and spending most of their time — home.

As food trucks hunt for customers that used to flock to them, they’re finding a captive audience thrilled to skip cooking dinner, sample new kinds of cuisines and mingle with neighbors on what feels like a night out while safely staying close to home. “This is festival season, fun season. All the stuff we typically do as humans, we can’t do anymore,” said Matt Geller, president of the National Food Truck Association. “Walking out to a food truck is a taste of normalcy, and it feels really good.” YS Street Food Group owner Yuli Shen discovered the hilltop Seattle-area neighborhood through Facebook, and she and a friend who runs the Dreamy Drinks boba tea truck went out together recently and served customers for three hours.

It’s a change and a relief for Shen. Before the pandemic, she raked in money by parking at Amazon’s campus near downtown Seattle, where hordes of office workers would line up for lunchtime Chinese rice bowls. By July, she was frantically searching for somewhere to go. “It’s very hard to find a location to park, and so we have to find a different place and different people. It’s harder to run the business, but we’re trying,” Shen said. Weekday lunchtime business is the bulk of the revenue for an average food truck, which may make $800 to $1,200 a day, Geller said. And lucrative appearances at major summer festivals and community events padded them for leaner winter months. Since stay-at-home orders earlier this year emptied out city centers and canceled gatherings, many food trucks — like brick-and-mortar restaurants — have gone out of business or aren’t sure when they’ll open again.

Food trucks adjusted their business model as they headed to the suburbs: They focus on dinner, adding kid-friendly options, and preparing for larger orders. A new neighborhood means being unsure how many customers they’ll get and gambling on how much food to bring. To avoid that, many trucks urge customers to order ahead online. Geller said the suburban shift has been a boon for food trucks in places like Seattle, Nashville, Tennessee, and Austin, Texas. He said people in the suburbs have been good at staying connected with neighbors during COVID-19 through Facebook groups, where food truck gatherings are advertised. B.J. Lofback decided to pivot his Nashville-area food truck and restaurant away from labor-intensive Korean food after laying off most of his staff when business dwindled. He rebranded as Pinchy’s Lobster Co. and now sells lobster rolls, which he can largely prep himself. Without his usual downtown Nashville lunchtimes and music events, he and other truckers began reaching out to homeowners associations in large subdivisions.

It’s been such a success, he doesn’t miss the “stressful, expensive” event schedule. Now, he can keep all the money he earns, instead of paying up to 20% of his revenue in event fees. “The economics just worked,” Lofback said. “Me personally, I’m hoping that even if a vaccine dropped tomorrow and herd immunity was accomplished tomorrow, I hope neighborhoods still have us out.” Piroshky Piroshky, a Seattle institution at the iconic Pike Place Market, lost 90% of its brick-and-mortar business when the pandemic hit, operations manager Brian Amaya said. The bakery pivoted to online sales, home deliveries, and food truck events. Some events featuring its famous hand pies have been as successful as a modest day in a store. The 28-year-old business is considering adding a second food truck. “It’s enough to pay our employees and cover the cost of it and make a little bit of revenue for us to keep going,” Amaya said. The idea was also new to Julie Schwab before she created events that have practically become food truck lore near Lynnwood, Washington, about 16 miles (25 kilometers) north of Seattle.

Business owners ask if it’s true that one truck made $4,000 in one night. She tells them food trucks make between $1,000 to $4,000 a shift. The high school psychologist also advises other communities that want in on the food truck circuit. “You look what’s happening with everybody coming out, and people are getting to know each other,” Schwab said, adding that people wear masks and keep their distance. “It’s been really great to build a community despite what’s going on with this pandemic.” After hearing how the industry had dried up, Schwab took a stab at organizing an event in June for the only food truck she’d ever tried. Now, she’s scheduling trucks seven days a week and into December. Thanks to the trucks, Schwab discovered bibimbap, a Korean rice bowl, and she relishes helping small businesses, many run by people of color. But there’s been headaches, too: hours of work scheduling trucks, promoting events and responding to neighbors with questions. Occasionally, trucks are late, unprepared, or no-shows. Christine Thai, a hospital program coordinator, was surprised to learn about the food truck scene in her community when she went to one of Schwab’s events recently with her husband and baby. It was a rare outing for the family, and she got to enjoy a strawberry matcha latte. “The suburbs are getting cool because people don’t want to travel anymore,” Thai said.  – Source: The Associated Press.

Portillo’s chief human resources officer Jill Waite, former Taco Bell global chief people officer Frank Tucker: Strength of unit-level restaurant staff will be a greater determiner of success going forward . . . .

Effective Workforce Retention and Recruitment Strategies will be Multifaceted, they indicated During a Restaurants Rise Webinar

In a restaurant world made more challenging by the coronavirus pandemic’s business disruption and associated safety measures, quality human resources will win out. That was the suggestion of a recently retired Taco Bell HR executive and the human resources leader of the Portillo’s fast-casual chain during the closing Restaurants Rise webinar, “How to Win in the New Restaurant Workforce.” Lisa Jennings, Nation’s Restaurant News, and Restaurant Hospitality executive editor moderated the discussion involving Jill Waite, chief human resources officer for Portillo’s, whose restaurants generate NRN-calculated sales per unit of more than $8 million per year; and Frank Tucker, a 27-year Taco Bell Corp. veteran, who, until his retirement in March, was that chain’s global chief people officer. “What I see from a restaurant standpoint, is that restaurants that have really great leaders – leaders who are positive, capable, calm, solutions-oriented – those restaurants are thriving, they are doing well and they can recruit people to come back and work for them.

They are doing significantly better than average,” noted Tucker. Regarding such restaurant general manager leaders, he added, “While it has always been a truism in the restaurant industry that if you have a great RGM you have a great restaurant, I think that is going to be even more true going forward and we are all going to have to invest to have great restaurant RGMs because they are going to be more important than ever to create that glue and positive culture that really makes everything work.” But even great leaders need good employees to succeed, Tucker indicated. Alluding to reduced traffic in many restaurants as the pandemic continues and possibly after it ends due to changing consumer preferences or ongoing health concerns, he added, “While we have may have fewer interactions (with guests) overall, those interactions are going to be more important than ever. We all can’t afford to have a bad interaction between a customer and a team member.

The customer experience never exceeds the team member experience, so we really do have to make sure the team member is being taken care of.” Tucker further observed, “All of us are introducing all of these new procedures and processes to make sure the restaurants are clean and safe. So you’ve got this tandem thing going on where you need better quality interactions in a more complex restaurant environment, which means you need better quality people.” Portillo’s Waite offered some examples of how her chain is motivating and retaining employees. “We had started this journey last year of creating our purpose and values [statements],” Waite said of a key piece to the motivation puzzle. “We’ve been working very hard keeping everyone focused on how they make a difference and create life-long [guest] memories with our unrivaled food and experience — that’s our purpose.”

With her brand having ultimately defined its values as treating employees and guests as “family,” aspiring to “greatness,” working with “energy” and having and creating “fun,” Waite said leadership leveraged those concepts and “spent a lot of time helping our team members understand why they may want to work for Portillo’s. “Helping team members know and feel that we treat them as a family has been really important in how we overcome any challenges we may be having,” she added.  Waite made clear that Portillo’s support of staff, or “family,” goes beyond enlightening or encouraging words, as she explained that during the pandemic, the Oak Brook, Ill.-based chain has done more than supply requisite masks and gloves. She said Portillo’s ended the practice of sharing outerwear among employees, including drive-thru vests and rain or snow gear, through the purchase of more of those garments, and likewise invested in more communications headsets, such as those used on the line, and that it created effective social-distancing protocols for its most complex operations. Referring to the company’s previous policy of offering workers a 50% discount on food purchased during a workday, Waite also noted, “We took it to 100% because we didn’t want our team members to wonder where their next meal was coming from.”

Among pandemic-related workforce developments at Portillo’s with positive implications for the future, Waite pointed to increased cross-training, new forms of e-learning, and the company’s investment of time in the assessment and training of its leadership teams to ensure that their skills and talents match today’s evolving demands. Asked by NRN’s Jennings about successful recruitment strategies during the “new normal” and beyond, Tucker offered: “It’s going to be a lot of the cultural stuff that Jill referenced, probably more money for people, as well, and I think it is going to have to [include] a great work environment.” Waite agreed with Tucker that there likely was “no silver bullet” for successful future recruitment and reported that among the insights Portillo’s has recently gleaned from desirable job candidates, were these: today’s candidates want to know that they are signing on with a stable company; they want assurances that “they will be safe and not exposed” to coronavirus out of concern for their own health or a family member’s; and that they believe corporate culture is important, as is “knowing that the leader they are working for and with, is also somebody who cares about them personally and professionally.”

Tucker predicted related to evolving training technology, “I think that given all the investment the nation is going to make in e-learning during the next 12 to 24 months, a platform will emerge that we will all basically migrate to” in the manner in which the masses have taken to Amazon and the use of Google search. Both HR execs agreed it is likely wages will rise going forward, be it from federal, state, or local mandate or natural forces in the labor market.  – Source: NRN.

7 Ways to Enable a Virtual Sales Team

Before March 2020, at least 70% of sales calls were virtual, according to Forbes. With the effects of the current pandemic, that number has skyrocketed. As the country begins to reopen, we’re still far from business as usual—especially for sales teams. In-person meetings, sales kickoffs, and training sessions simply aren’t happening. Many companies face the reality of supporting a virtual sales force. Mastering the techniques associated with virtual selling is critical during the pandemic and will remain so long after the virus has run its course. But successful virtual selling is not just about skillful execution of tactics, it’s about winning the sale in this new environment. Today, there’s a new breed of sales technology that combines mobile, video, and peer-to-peer networking to accelerate sales results. Sales readiness technology allows organizations to move beyond assessments and scores to understand how to target activities that move the needle. When it comes to sales readiness, there are seven ways you can use technology to enable your virtual team.

1. Practice Customer Presentations

Sales technology can support learning when you can’t be with your sellers in front of a customer or prospect. You want to see your team on video when you’re remote. You can ask reps to practice their presentation, share it with you, and send them feedback on the video when you have time. They can collect that feedback and come back with clarifying questions. Through a few iterations of practice and coaching, reps can get better and better.

2. Record Calls for Coaching

Technology can enhance coaching and training through the use of recorded sales calls. If you can’t be with your sellers all the time, you can listen to some of their calls or watch their demos. You’ll be able to give them practical advice for how to improve points in time during a sales call or a demonstration. This coaching is incredibly valuable for salespeople and helps them make quantum leaps in their production and their skills and knowledge.

3. Use Video for Virtual Training

You can use technology to replicate in-person training when you can’t take sellers out of the field for a regional meeting or quarterly training session. New platforms help sellers learn in the flow of work. Providing content on a regular basis supports learning during their day-to-day interactions.

4. Move Onboarding Online

Transition in-person boot camps for new sales classes to virtual onboarding. In-person training sessions can be repurposed into on-demand assets, complete with pre-recorded videos, slides, interactive quizzes and more. Make that content available as virtual, trackable learning courses to increase engagement with (and retention of) new material.

5. Reinforce Messaging

Sellers are bombarded with content. They’re on Facebook, on Instagram, on LinkedIn, They’re getting feeds of news, information, best practices and tips and tricks on selling and market conditions every day. Sales leaders and sales enablement managers need to realize that learning is happening with or without you, so make sure you have mindshare with your team. If you’re trying to implement a certain sales methodology but your salesperson’s getting dripped on by a third-party sales methodology, that could be confusing.

6. Share Best Practices

The most successful teams capture best practices from subject matter experts or from the field and share them throughout the entire team. For example, you can record a salesperson who’s good at whiteboarding or negotiating, and share that with the rest of the team. Encourage your sellers to share market conditions, competitive information, and win stories. This information is essential for other sellers—particularly the newer sellers in your organization—to understand so they can be successful.

7. Communicate Consistently

Effective communication is more critical than ever when teams are remote. Clear and consistent messages from leadership, delivered on a regular basis, are essential to help sales teams keep up-to-date on product updates, competitive intel, process updates, and more. Email alone is not the answer. Collaboration platforms such as Slack or Microsoft Teams can only take you so far. Use a video-based tool so that your sellers see their managers—it’s more engaging and more personal.

Don’t Rely on a Legacy Approach

One of the biggest challenges with supporting remote workers is ensuring everyone feels unified and part of the team. Companies that use modern sales-readiness platforms see higher win rates, shorter new hire ramp-up times, and improved collaboration within sales and other teams—even in this unstable environment. Don’t let a legacy approach hold you back. Use mobile, video, and peer-to-peer networking tools to bring people together and help your team succeed … virtually.  Source: Allego.

8 Essential Elements of Virtual Sales Training

Sales productivity has never been more important, yet sales teams today face tougher obstacles than ever as the current crisis makes most in-person interactions impossible. Almost 90 percent of sales have moved to a remote model since the pandemic began, according to McKinsey. Almost every B2B company’s products and services are now being sold virtually. And to make matters more complicated, many companies are either slowing their buying cycles or freezing them completely. Sales enablement professionals are on the front lines. Helping your salespeople succeed with the right skills, the most up-to-date information, and the best tools can be a steep climb, especially when teams are forced to sell while remote. Traditional training and sales enablement approaches won’t solve this challenge. Today, a key factor for success is sales enablement technology that allows teams to train, coach, and collaborate virtually. These tools leverage mobile, pre-recorded video, and peer-to-peer networking to enable managers and reps to sync up on their own time—from any location.

Managing Virtual Teams in a Changing World

Don’t try to repurpose your existing programs into day-long conference calls that will be forgotten immediately. There’s a better way. Here are eight essential elements of a virtual training program that will help your organization succeed.

1: Identify Coaching Gaps

Start by finding out whether salespeople and their managers have the same expectations about coaching, given today’s “new normal.” If you need to re-align expectations, identify specific competencies that need to be improved, and focus on supporting managers’ delivery of that coaching.

2: Use Recorded Video, Not Just Live

Pre-recorded video enables sales managers to observe, evaluate, and coach remotely and asynchronously. By sharing videos and feedback whenever and wherever reps are, they can work efficiently instead of having to schedule a time to meet in real-time.

3: Diagnose Training Issues

Sales managers need to understand if (and how) a rep is struggling. The right tool can reveal problems in the training process, leaks in the sales pipeline, and separate the best reps from underperforming ones. Use a tool that shows reps’ individual competencies and how to coach to specific weaknesses.

4: Foster Peer-to-Peer Collaboration

Enabling high performers to share best practices with others eases the burden of coaching for managers while increasing the velocity with which new ideas are adopted by the field. Encourage reps to create and share videos to free up managers’ schedules, scale-up content, and support peer-to-peer collaboration.

5: Deliver Consistent Messaging

Clear communication is essential for new product launches and product line mergers. Sales managers need the ability to deliver messaging, share information consistently in a timely manner, and help reps hone their talking points. Pre-recorded practice videos from reps allow managers to deliver point-in-time coaching and feedback and ensure everyone is delivering exactly the right message prior to launch.

6: Pre-Board New Hires

Whether you’re hiring new reps or shifting existing ones into new roles, reducing the time it takes to get new hires ramped and productive is critical. Instead of flying new hires into corporate for a few days of drinking from the firehose, pre-board them through virtual programming. Have reps practice their pitches, learn your company’s systems, get to know the executive team, and receive coaching and feedback without having to step out their front door.

7: Amplify Content

When your teams are working from different locations, equip sales managers with a central content repository that allows all members of the team to create, comment on, and share important collateral. Fresh, relevant content that they can access around the clock on their mobile devices will give reps the answers to questions at their moment of need, no matter where they are.

8: Make Learning Fun

Tap into salespeople’s competitive drive to build excitement and reinforce learning. Give sales managers engaging ways to observe and report on training, pinpoint individual needs, and develop skills. Gamify training to boost motivation with interactive video contests, quizzes, and scorecards.

Modernize Your Sales Enablement Approach

It’s a new era of sales management for virtual teams. If you haven’t already, now is the time to modernize your sales enablement approach. When you leverage mobile, video, and peer-to-peer networking, you gain the flexibility of remote learning and the power of just-in-time content. Companies that use modern sales enablement platforms see higher win rates, shorter new hire ramp-up times, and improved collaboration within sales and other teams—even in this unstable environment. By incorporating these core capabilities into your approach, you’ll deliver the best experience for your sales managers and drive better results for your organization. – Source: Allego.

9 Ways to Boost Remote Sales Productivity

Companies around the globe are asking employees to work from home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Yet many global firms are not prepared for a remote workforce. And when it comes to sales teams, remote work presents a unique set of challenges for sales managers tasked with leading geographically dispersed teams. Sales teams are built on camaraderie and competition, which is difficult to manufacture remotely. Sales teams these days also face additional barriers to productivity. Corporate travel restrictions mean less contact with prospects, with the industry, and with the market. As companies cancel events and trade shows, reps have fewer opportunities to connect with prospects and peers. Managers have fewer chances to do ride-alongs with reps, leading to significantly reduced opportunities for learning, reinforcement, and coaching. While the right technology can make remote work more accessible across different countries and time zones, 54% of HR leaders in a recent Gartner snap poll indicated that poor technology and/or infrastructure is the biggest barrier to effective remote working. Fortunately, there are several tactics that managers can wield to lead their remote teams. To ensure that your reps work at peak capacity despite travel restrictions, focus on actionable ways to boost sales productivity no matter where they are.

9 Steps to Drive Remote Sales Productivity

Here are nine ways you can use modern sales-readiness platforms to coach, communicate, and collaborate with your remote sales teams more effectively.

1. Prospecting

One of the biggest challenges associated with travel restrictions is the lack of face-to-face interaction with prospects. Events around the world where salespeople were hoping to meet up have been canceled. In some cases, either the rep or the prospect (or both) must work from home.

Pro Tip: Supplement phone calls with pre-recorded video introductions and demos to interact in a more personal way. Be aware of language and localize key messages whenever possible.

2. Coaching

Insufficient coaching interactions between managers and reps is one of the greatest obstacles to productivity. One option is to have sales reps practice their pitch in a safe environment and receive coaching instead of practicing on customers. Whether for an existing product or service, or a new offering, sales reps can record practice videos, share with managers or peers, and get feedback to refine messaging and delivery.

Pro Tip: Use mobile access and video sharing technology to extend managers’ reach, maximize time, and accomplish as much or more as they normally could during a ride-along.

3. Onboarding

It’s a challenging time to be recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding. But you must continue to build your team. Whether you’re hiring new reps or shifting existing ones into new roles, reducing the time it takes to get new hires ramped and productive is critical. Instead of flying new hires into corporate, have them watch videos, practice their pitches, learn your company’s systems, get to know the executive team, and receive coaching and feedback from their location.

Pro Tip: Equip your new hires with the ability to practice, self-correct, and receive coaching and feedback to perfect their delivery.

4. Sales Meetings

Companies rely on annual or quarterly kickoffs to align reps on messaging and introduce new products. Instead of live meetings, hold some or all of the meetings virtually via video. Replace live classroom training with video training and certification. Record presentations in the form of voiceover PowerPoints and share them with the team.

Pro Tip: Use this format to shorten presentations and allow viewers to interact and collaborate regarding the content.

5. Collaboration

Help free up managers’ schedules and scale-up content sharing by encouraging peer-to-peer collaboration. Enabling high performers to share best practices with others eases the burden of coaching for managers while increasing the velocity in which new ideas are adopted by the field. Use easily accessible video content with interactive feedback to make peer collaboration most effective.

Pro Tip: Use video and PowerPoint together to share prospect stories, bounce ideas off of colleagues, and brainstorm asynchronously across space and time.

6. Feedback

Managing a remote sales team requires steady, consistent, two-way communication. Your reps need to hear from you frequently and vice-versa. Create effective lines of communication to hear and send feedback to your remote team.

Pro Tip: Share regular check-in videos and have reps give daily pipeline updates.

7. Product Launch

Video can also help ramp up sales teams on new products as well as product line mergers. Whether for an existing product or service or a new offering, have sales reps record practice videos to share with managers or peers, then receive coaching and feedback to ensure consistent messaging and objection handling.

Pro Tip: Encourage sales reps to practice in private to refine messaging and allow for self- assessment prior to sharing.

8. Market Updates

Real-time market updates are important in many industries, particularly financial services. Push updates to your sales and services teams so that they are prepared to answer questions and reassure your customers that your company can weather the storm.

Pro Tip: Have these messages come from your CEO, CRO, investment officers, product manager, or other subject matter expert.

9. Activity Tracking

Your remote sales reps need direction and clear expectations in terms of daily, weekly, and monthly output. Measure training activity to learn which reps are completing messaging, certification, or training courses. Set clear benchmarks for them to hit.

Pro Tip: Set a weekly goal for reps to record two practice pitch videos. Reward rep achievement to reinforce positive behaviors.

Adopt the Right Technology

When it comes to remote sales productivity, the technology that is a good fit for your business is critical. Ensure that every member of your team is equipped with quality devices, software, and network connections that will allow them to work without issue.

Managing a remote team of sales reps is a unique challenge but with the right strategy, managers can succeed. Make sure you’re providing your reps with the tools, knowledge, and skills they each need to be successful. The challenges of the current situation may feel overwhelming, but there are steps you can take to get new hires up to speed and maintain productivity in uncertain times.  – Source: Allego

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Craig Wilson
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