March 4, 2011 at 4:38 pm · Filed under Leadership, Life
At the airport this morning I stopped at McDonald’s to get a healthy breakfast… O.K., to get something to eat while waiting for my flight to Oregon. After I got my food I commended the young employee for her excellent work. She looked surprised. So I said, “Well, you completed all of the six steps flawlessly. Well, except for Step #, but I understand that one has been dropped. But to make up for it, you still did the Bag Principle – so I give you extra credit. When I was a McDonald’s Corporate Spy, I would have noted your name this store number from that plague over there and recommended a bonus for you in your next pay check.” The manager over heard me and came over and said I’ve always wanted to meet a McSpy and shook my hand.
You see, when I was a McDonald’s employee I heard about this McSpook’s myself. I think I can confess I got to be a McSpook for awhile without killing anyone – since I was honorable discharged over twenty years ago. But let me back up. You might be wondering what the “Six Steps” are and the Bonus Bag Principle are? (If not, I’ll tell you anyway. Back in the day, McDonald’s trained it’s employees in the following Six Steps:
- Greet the Customer “Welcome to McDonald’s”
- Take the Order w/ an Up-Sell or Suggestive Sell Up-Sell is if they order fries, “Large size?” or suggesive sell is saying at the end, “Would you like an Apple Pie with that?”
- Take Their Money
- Assemble the Order
- Present the Meal: Bag Principle: Fold the Bag Twice Arches Toward the Customer
- Thank Them and Ask them to Come Again
I have learned that they have sinced dropped the “Up-Sell” or “Suggestive Sell” – at least requiring it of their employees. Which I think is a mistake. For my economics class in high school, I got permission from my manager to do an experiment for a week and do it alternatively only with every other customer for a week and the results affirmed that the success of this principle had a dramatic impact on sales. Over 70% of customers responded to the Up-sell or suggestion and took my suggestion! (Or was it just my Jedi Mind Control?) Perhaps in this economy they should bring it back!
When did I become a McSpook? Way back when the McKid’s stores launched, I was hired as the McKid’s Store Magician – and would go to the mall, walk around with a puppet promoting the in-store show and then do a magic show. It was a lot of fun. They had a nice set up for a show with seating around a giant TV screen they had set up for entertainment in the store normally while moms shopped. It was primarily a McClothing store. Unfortunately the brand failed. Hopefully it wasn’t my fault! Anyway, part of my gig was that when I was on the road, I could eat at any McDonald’s and “spy” the location – turn in a report and get reimbursed for my meal. I could be a difficult customer even and report on how they responded. Change my order, order unusual things, or ask for odd combinations. But mostly, I just checked if it was clean, courteous and followed the corporate expectations. Though usually my trend coat and shades tipped them off. (J/K!) It was fun to be a spy, while it lasted!
The fun ending to this encounter was that this employee asked me, “What do you do now?” Wanting to inspire her, I said, “I now run my own business – so keep doing those steps and someday you’ll be writing the steps.” She smiled and said, “I will!”
The Point? Standards work, they get results, and they create leaders. And when you’ve walked a path – don’t forget to encourage those who are behind you on the same path so they see the path is worth staying on. In other words, don’t be ashamed of the fact you once worked at McDonald’s. It was good training!
March 3, 2011 at 5:35 pm · Filed under Children's Ministry, Conferences, Kidology
I’m excited to be heading to OREGON this weekend! If you live up in the Great NorthWest* – I hope you can drop by for some great training!
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I’m in for a BUSY weekend! I’m doing a Family Program on Friday Night – one of my favorite presentations, “Lions, and Bears and Fire, OH MY!” It’s an evening of laughter and comedy and story telling that encourages kids and old folks alike to enjoy whatever age they are – and to realize that they are part of HIS-STORY! It was born out of an invitation once to speak at an author’s assembly for Order of the Ancient and I thought, “How can I just talk about my book for an hour – how boring!” (Even though my book is quite exciting, mind you – I wasn’t going to read it!) And I didn’t want the assembly to be a long commercial for my book. So instead, I did what I knew the kids in my ministry loved most – my story telling, and I wove it around the reasons WHY we love stories in the first place and revealed the SECRET FORMULA of a great story (I’m not revealing that here!) and wa-la – it turned out to be an awesome assembly I have turned into a regular Family Program!
Then Saturday is the Rogue Valley Children’s Ministry Conference and I’m doing three Keynote Address:
- Kidology 101: Secrets of Effective Kid Communicators
- Making Your Discipline Problems Disappear!
- YOU! The Missing Piece in a Child’s Spiritual Puzzle!
Then, on Sunday morning – I not only get to teach Kid’s Church at Bethel Church at Vista Pointe - but I just found out after church is a Bring a Friend Party that I get to attend – and I’m event bring a puppet friend with me! (I mean, it IS a bring a friend party!)
It’s going to be a great weekend, and I can’t wait to board the plane! I DO hope some of YOU can hook up with me up there on the Oregon Trail!
March 2, 2011 at 1:06 pm · Filed under Children's Ministry
I love this FOCUS on “What Matters Now” in Children’s Ministry and am excited to see the creativity grow and expand – and so let me tell you about the NEXT BIG THING with this great movement by posting A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
If you haven’t heard of What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry, where have you been? WMNCM exists to spark conversations among leaders in children’s ministry around the question, “What matters now in children’s ministry?” Over the past year and a half, WMNCM has gathered responses from over 40 leaders with a vested interest in children’s ministry and has offered them in an eBook, a published paperback and as a video conference. On Thursday, March 3, at Noon CST, WMNCM is revealing more about it’s plan for a global edition that will include contributions from at least 100 children’s ministry leaders from all over the world! There will also be a live chat with Matt Guevara, Amy Dolan and Henry Zonio until 1:00 p.m. CST! Additionally, WMNCM is offering 16 of the videos from the WMNCM video conference in one convenient package for only $40.
That’s over 2 hours of wisdom and insights from some of the thought leaders in children’s ministry for only $40 that you can use with your leadership teams and volunteers!
Check out this list of video contributors:
- Greg Carlson
- Liz Perraud
- Rob Reinow
- Denise Kjesbo
- The Lads
- Matt Guevara
- David Wakerley
- Amy Dolan
- Gary Strudler
- Sharon Sherbondy
- Henry Zonio
- Dan Scott
- Karl Bastian
- Ruben Meullenberg
- Matt McKee
- Dave Csinos
March 1, 2011 at 2:59 pm · Filed under Children's Ministry, Kidology
In order to help you plan for Easter, Kidology.org has put together a helpful Easter Resources Guide to showcase the wide variety of Easter Resouces that are available for you to make the most of this special holiday.
Be sure to also check out the Easter Zone which is PACKED full of Creative Ideas for this season.
PLUS! If you haven’t already – be sure to UPDATE YOUR NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTIONS and select the all new “Kidology Weekly Update” so you get our brand new Monday E-mail which includes the return on the Manic Monday deal that is exclusive to that newsletter!
Just trying to help you make this EASTER to BEST YET!
