Planning Strategically By Thinking Like a Coffee Shop

At The Granite Group, we recently revised our strategic plan, adding and changing some of our focus. One of the strategy teams I'm leading is focusing on Employee (Team Member) Experience. We are looking at the entire process, from the point a potential team member might think about working for TGG, all the way through the time they leave the company, and everything in between. We do well here, but we can do better.

The Granite Group has over 500 team members and nearly 400 locations. We are technically a "small business" by definition, but in New Hampshire, we are pretty large. As we look toward redefining what the experience looks like for our team, we are fortunate to have some of the tools and resources of a large company. However, we are a third-generation family-owned business, and our President & CEO is adamant about maintaining that small company feel. (And he's right.) To us, people come first, always. We are a service business, and our Purpose = People. (Our team. Our customers. Our vendor partners. Our communities.)

As I think about our Team Member Experience, there are two places I look to in order to start our strategic focus:

Our Customers (External)

Our team is amazing. Yes, I am biased, but I hear this from our customers as well. They can expect expert advice when visiting us, thanks in large part to incredible training. Our customers can expect service as amazing as our team.

But......are we providing service to our team members that is on par with our service to our customers? In some areas, yes, but in some, no. We need to start here, fix the gaps, and make sure that we are treating our team like customers. If we take care of our team, they will take care of our customers.

Think Like a Coffee Shop

Now........ Coffee. One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to visit local independent coffee shops. And, I was thrilled when an independent coffee shop - Revelstoke - opened in downtown Concord, NH. When everyone else is still sleeping, it's the go-to place for an early morning coffee date with my husband. (And to be fair, our trips aren't limited to Saturdays!) Very early on, the owners, Alex and Lyndsey, learned our names. We're greeted by name every time we walk in. (It's seriously like Cheers, and I love it!) They ask about our recent trips and vacations. But it's not just us. It's nearly everyone who visits. Everyone is an old friend or a new one, and everyone is treated with the same hospitality.

I want that kind of experience for our team members at The Granite Group. I want everyone to feel like they are a name, not a number, even as we continue to grow. I want our HR department - and the rest of the company - to continue to offer the kind of personal service to each team member - current, future or past - that they could expect from a small town coffee shop.

We will continue to think small as we grow large and focus on our customers, as we make sure we are providing the absolute best experience possible for our team.