By Al Zehnder, CEO of Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth
We’re working on a series of customer service training videos to provide a consistent message to our nearly 1,000 employees. In one section, we discuss the importance of ‘details’. We believe that even the smallest details matter. How we present ourselves. How we present our products and how we present our facilities are all important to the overall ‘Zehnder Experience’.
I learned this lesson very early in my career. I thought it would be an inconsequential yet easy way to save the company money by eliminating the small plastic animal (we call them zoo picks) that’s placed upon the ice cream at the conclusion of each meal. It wasn’t too long after I received a letter from a traveling salesman that had dined at Zehnder’s during each of his sales trips. He commented that although the meal and service were fine, the little plastic animal was missing from his ice cream. He went on to say that he had brought home all previous zoo picks as a small gift for his daughter which she had lined up on the window sill in her bedroom.
How disappointed the dad and his daughter must have been because of this one seemingly small detail I had omitted from the dining experience.
Needless to say, the little plastic animals returned and have been appreciated by millions of guests. I’d venture to guess that some of you have some in your home right now.
As we continue to grow the Zehnder brand, we do so understanding that details matter.
Hospitably Yours,
Al Zehnder, CEO
