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Bagel Buddies

How quality products and service promote friendship

Bill Kalmar
Tue, 08/14/2012 - 12:30
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When I talk about quality, I’m usually referring to how good a product is or how good the service is, especially when I’m talking about my favorite diner or cafe. But I’ll bet you never thought about how the good food and service you get at your favorite eatery can help you make friends.

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You’re probably thinking I’m crazy, but I really believe that good food and service set the scene for friendships. It’s true: Provide a nice place to sit, give me good food and service, and friends happen.

Several years ago in December I went to the Panera Bread Co. in Orion, Michigan, for my favorite morning cinnamon roll and coffee. While there I had occasion to address several Christmas cards. As I was enjoying my cinnamon roll and inscribing messages in the cards, a fellow at an adjacent table asked me if I was filling out a card for him. A strange question, and yet it started a conversation about Christmas cards and the upcoming holidays. As it turned out, he was also a retired banker, and we spent the next 10 minutes or so discussing our banking careers.

 …

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Comments

Submitted by Chuck Greer on Mon, 08/20/2012 - 13:27

Very Nice

Bill, a general comment to those who have taken you to task about some of your "off topic" articles: This article once again shows there is a soft side to the quality game; it is not all control limits and X-bar-R charts. Panera does a really nice job with quality in every store I've visited, and I have been in stores in Alabama, Ohio, Maryland, and St. Louis. What Bill is telling us, in my most humble opinion, is that there are benefits to quality we haven't even recognized. This article points out some of them. Thanks, Bill!

Chuck Greer

Toledo

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Submitted by Bill Kalmar on Mon, 08/20/2012 - 14:11

In reply to Very Nice by Chuck Greer

Panera Bread and Moni

Chuck - thanks for your comments and support. Panera (St. Louis Bread Company), in my opinion is a prime example of what happens when employees espouse strong qaulity measures. Those qualities not only permeate the attitude and performance of the employees, those traits are then transferred to the customers making the atmosphere fully charged with happy, energetic, satisfied staff and customers. Now it's time for another bagel for me! Actually the cinnamon roll and bear claw and the turkey bacon lettuce and tomato and guacamole sandwich are my favorites.
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